Las Vegas, NV - February 2011
“Rule the Shop” was the slogan of the 2011 Mac Tool Fair, which took place Feb. 24-26 at the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Almost 800 Mac distributors attended this year’s event, and they were greeted by almost 160 vendors with thousands of tools for professional technicians. A dozen of those vendors introduced over 200 new products, and Mac itself launched their new Expert brand, a line of hand tools aimed at the mid-price market.
Training seminars ran almost continuously during show hours. In addition to classes titled "Business Management" and "Transaction Selling," there were also SPX Basics and SPX Advanced classes, designed to help distributors learn how to demonstrate that company’s Mac-branded scan tools. There was a similar class for learning more about DeWalt products.
Perhaps the biggest news at the show was the appearance of DeWalt power tools. The merger of Stanley tools (which owns Mac) with Black&Decker (which owns DeWalt) in March of 2010 created the Stanley Black&Decker company. The new company’s combined engineering and marketing resources will give them some real horsepower in the professional automotive tool market, particularly in the areas of toolbox design and power tool development. But those benefits will show up later. Starting right now, Mac distributors have access to the extensive and respected line of DeWalt cordless power tools, which have traditionally been marketed only to professionals working in the construction industry. The DeWalt trailer parked on the trade show floor included the complete line-up of DeWalt power tools, and the sales people were busy throughout the show. Expect to see DeWalt cordless power tools the next time you climb onto a Mac tool truck.
