Power Tool Brand Ownership: Who Makes Your Tools?

Your DeWalt drill and your Craftsman drill are made by the same company. Your Milwaukee tool and your Ryobi tool share a parent too, even though one is a professional brand and the other is a DIY brand. The power tool industry is concentrated in the hands of a few companies, and some of the most recognisable tool brands are not owned by the companies whose name they bear.

Ryobi power tools are made by Techtronic Industries (TTI), not by Ryobi Limited. Ridgid power tools are also made by TTI, under licence from Emerson Electric. Understanding who actually makes your tools matters when you are investing in a battery platform that locks you into one ecosystem.

Stanley Black & Decker: The Tool Giant

Stanley Black & Decker (NYSE: SWK) is the largest tool company in the world. The company reported 2025 consolidated revenue of $15.1 billion, with approximately 43,500 employees. The Tools & Outdoor segment generated $13.2 billion in revenue, representing 87% of total revenue.

Stanley Black & Decker was formed in 2010 through the merger of Stanley (founded 1843) and Black & Decker (founded 1910). The merger created a tool giant with brands across professional and consumer segments.

The company's brand portfolio:

• Cub Cadet
• Troy-Bilt
• Hustler
• Robomow
• Wolf-Garten

DeWalt is the flagship professional brand. In Q4 2025, DeWalt and Ryobi tied for the lead in power tools unit share at 19% each, but DeWalt dominated dollar share at 28% compared to Ryobi's 11%, according to OpenBrand market data. This gap reflects DeWalt's premium pricing strategy.

Stanley Black & Decker reported that 2025 was a difficult year. Total revenues were down about 1% organically. The company recorded $108.4 million in asset impairment charges related to brand prioritization decisions affecting the Lenox, Troy-Bilt, and Irwin trade names. However, the Tools & Outdoor segment margin improved to 13.2%, up 400 basis points year over year, driven by higher pricing, tariff mitigation, and supply chain cost reductions.

CEO Chris Graffin noted that 2026 will see some of the largest new product launches in the company's history for both Craftsman V20 and Stanley brands, with increased social media spending at the highest level in company history.

Techtronic Industries (TTI): The Hong Kong Powerhouse

Techtronic Industries (HKEX: 0669) is the second major player in power tools. TTI delivered record sales of $15.3 billion in 2025, growing 4.4% on a reported basis. The company has over 48,000 employees globally.

TTI's brand portfolio is unusual because several of its brands are licensed, not owned:

• Hoover
• ORECK
• VAX
• Dirt Devil

Milwaukee Tool is TTI's crown jewel. Milwaukee grew 7.9% in local currency in 2025. The M18 platform now includes 275+ tools, making it one of the largest cordless tool ecosystems in the world. Milwaukee's growth was impacted in the second half of 2025 by TTI's decision to suspend certain product sales and promotions that were disproportionately affected by tariffs. By the end of 2025, Milwaukee migrated the impacted products to lower tariff jurisdictions.

Ryobi grew 5.4% in local currency in 2025 and remains the top choice for DIYers. Ryobi's 18V platform is exclusive to Home Depot in the US, which gives it access to the largest home improvement retailer's customer traffic.

The Pudwill family remains TTI's largest shareholder. Horst Julius Pudwill founded the company in 1985. The remaining ownership is held largely by institutional investors at North American and European firms. TTI is a constituent stock of the Hang Seng Index.

TTI's non-core businesses, representing 9.1% of global revenue, declined 20.4% in local currency in 2025, mainly due to the planned exit of the HART business and rationalization of the floorcare business.

Bosch Power Tools: The German Engineering Player

Bosch power tools are part of Robert Bosch GmbH, the privately held German engineering company with 350+ subsidiaries operating in 60+ countries. Bosch is the third major player in power tools.

Bosch's power tool brands:

• Bosch - the flagship power tool brand
• Dremel - rotary tools and hobby tools
• Freud - saw blades and cutting tools
• CST/Berger - laser levels and measuring tools

Bosch sold the Skil brand to Chervon in 2017. In 2023, Bosch acquired a 12% stake in Husqvarna AB as part of a battery alliance, signalling a move toward outdoor power equipment.

Robert Bosch GmbH is owned 92% by the Robert Bosch Stiftung foundation, providing long-term stability and preventing hostile takeovers. This structure is similar to IKEA's foundation ownership.

Chervon Group: The Chinese Challenger

Chervon Group is a Chinese power tool manufacturer founded in 1993 and based in Nanjing. Chervon has grown rapidly through acquisitions and now sells in 65 countries through 30,000+ stores.

Chervon's brand portfolio:

• EGO - cordless outdoor power equipment, launched 2013
• Skil / Skilsaw - acquired from Bosch in 2017
• FLEX - acquired 2021, German professional power tools
• DEVON - Chinese domestic market brand

EGO is Chervon's most successful brand. The EGO 56V cordless platform competes directly with gas-powered outdoor equipment and has gained significant market share as states phase out gas-powered tools. Chervon's acquisition of Skil from Bosch in 2017 gave it an established US brand with broad consumer recognition.

The Independents: Makita and Hilti

Two major power tool brands remain independent:

Makita Corporation was founded in 1915 in Anjo, Japan. The company is independently run and publicly traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Makita manufactures approximately 60% of its products in China, with additional facilities in Japan, the UK, and the US. Makita is known for its 18V LXT and 40V XGT cordless platforms. The company has not pursued the acquisition strategy of Stanley Black & Decker or TTI, preferring organic growth.

Hilti is privately owned by the Martin Hilti Family Trust. Founded in 1941 in Liechtenstein, Hilti focuses on premium construction tools for professional contractors. Hilti's business model is unusual in the tool industry: the company sells directly to contractors, often through fleet management programs where contractors pay a monthly fee for tool usage, maintenance, and replacement. Hilti does not compete in the consumer DIY market.

What This Means for Consumers

Power tool ownership has practical consequences for anyone buying tools:

• Battery lock-in: DeWalt 20V MAX batteries do not work with Craftsman 20V tools, even though both are Stanley Black & Decker brands. Milwaukee M18 batteries do not work with Ryobi 18V tools, even though both are TTI brands. Each brand maintains its own battery platform, locking you into that brand's ecosystem.
• Licensed brands: Ryobi, Ridgid, and AEG are all made by TTI but are not TTI-owned names. TTI licenses these brand names from Ryobi Limited, Emerson Electric, and Electrolux respectively. The tools are TTI products wearing someone else's nameplate.
• Shared platforms: While battery platforms are brand-specific, some internal components, motors, and manufacturing facilities may be shared across brands under the same parent. This sharing can reduce costs but may also mean that quality issues affect multiple brands simultaneously.

For more on how consolidation limits consumer choice, see our analysis of why competing brands are often owned by the same company and our guide to what a brand portfolio strategy is. You can also read about the biggest brand acquisitions of all time for more on major tool industry deals.

FAQ

Who owns DeWalt?

DeWalt is owned by Stanley Black & Decker (NYSE: SWK). Stanley acquired DeWalt from AMF in 1960 and relaunched it as a professional power tool brand in 1992. DeWalt is now Stanley Black & Decker's flagship professional brand, leading the power tool market in dollar share at 28% as of Q4 2025.

Are Milwaukee and Ryobi the same company?

Yes, both are made by Techtronic Industries (HKEX: 0669). TTI acquired Milwaukee Tool from Atlas Copco in 2005 for $626.6 million. Ryobi power tools are made by TTI under a licence from Ryobi Limited. Milwaukee targets professionals, while Ryobi targets DIYers and is exclusive to Home Depot in the US.

Who owns Craftsman tools?

Stanley Black & Decker acquired Craftsman from Sears in 2017. Craftsman was previously a Sears house brand for over 90 years. Under Stanley Black & Decker ownership, Craftsman has been repositioned with a new V20 cordless platform and expanded retail distribution beyond Sears.

Is Makita independent?

Yes. Makita Corporation is an independent, publicly traded company on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Founded in 1915 in Anjo, Japan, Makita has not been acquired by any larger conglomerate. The company pursues organic growth rather than the acquisition strategy of Stanley Black & Decker or TTI.

Conclusion

The power tool industry is dominated by two companies: Stanley Black & Decker and TTI. Between them, they control DeWalt, Milwaukee, Craftsman, Black+Decker, Ryobi, and dozens of other brands. Bosch and Chervon are significant challengers. Makita and Hilti remain independent. When you choose a battery platform, you are making a multi-year commitment to one company's ecosystem. Understanding who owns what helps you make that choice with open eyes.

Want to see who owns your other favourite brands? Browse our complete database of household consumer goods brands or explore our other industry ownership guides, including paint brand ownership and cookware brand ownership.

Explore Related Brands

• DeWalt - Professional power tools, owned by Stanley Black & Decker
• Milwaukee - Professional cordless tools, owned by TTI
• Craftsman - Consumer tools, owned by Stanley Black & Decker
• Ryobi - DIY tools, made by TTI under licence
• Bosch - German power tools, owned by Robert Bosch GmbH
• Makita - Independent Japanese tool maker, Tokyo Stock Exchange

Browse all household consumer goods brands →

Sources

1. Stanley Black & Decker. "2025 Annual Report." SEC EDGAR 2. Stanley Black & Decker. "Reports 4Q and Full Year 2025 Results." February 4, 2026. ir.stanleyblackanddecker.com 3. TTI Group. "Annual Report 2025." March 2026. ttigroup.com 4. OpenBrand. "Power Tools Market Share: Q4 2025." openbrand.com 5. Stanley Black & Decker. "4Q25 Earnings Call Transcript." February 2026. SEC EDGAR

All brand ownership data verified through WhoBrands.com's proprietary research methodology. Last updated: May 3, 2026.