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Hitachi Power Tools is Changing Their Name to Metabo—But Metabo's Tools Will Still Be Different

Explaining a confusing bit of power tool news

By Rain Noe - October 8, 2018

in Tools & Craft

North Americans, the next time you pass the power tool aisle of your local Lowes, you may notice something surprising: Tools in familiar Hitachi green or silver will no longer say "Hitachi," but "Metabo"—complete with the latter brand's accurate font. (After "Metabo," you'll notice a small block that says "HPT.")

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The transition started last month with Hitachi's MultiVolt cordless tools, and the rest of Hitachi's tools will be rebranded after December. The question is, why? The answer is pretty dumb, and first we have to give you some background info:

- Hitachi Koki was the power tools subsidiary formerly owned by Hitachi Ltd. in Japan

- In 2016 Hitachi Koki bought Metabo, the German power tool brand

- In 2017 Hitachi Koki itself was purchased from Hitachi Ltd. by KKR, Henry Kravis' investment firm

- Following the buyout, since Hitachi Koki was no longer owned by Hitachi Ltd., the brass (read: KKR) decided to change the name to Koki Holdings Co.

In short, I think KKR is making a dumb move. While it's true that Hitachi the power tool company no longer has anything to do with Hitachi the conglomerate, the former still has a decent reputation and more importantly, brand awareness among consumers. I'm not sure your average Joe even knows Metabo, which is a more trades-based tool company, like Hilti.

Secondly, if KKR was combining Hitachi and Metabo, the name switch might make sense. But they've announced that Hitachi and Metabo will remain separate companies, whose tools will still have entirely different designs with no compatibility nor interchangeability. Yet the logos will be identical, except for that inverse "HPT" after "Metabo" on the formerly-known-as-Hitachi tools.

"At a glance," the company writes, "customers will easily understand that this is the same brand just under the new name, Metabo HPT." I disagree, I don't think they will easily understand.

In any case, the good news is that if you own any Hitachi power tools, your warranties will still be honored, though you'll be bringing them to service centers labeled "Metabo HPT."

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Mike Cheung

6 years ago

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And then what's up with this? https://www.hitachipowertools.co.nz/about/Hikoki.html

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  Mike Cheung
  
  6 years ago
  
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  I read the same thing and have been confused for a while. I just dug a little further in that link and the FAQ mentions something about New Zealand regulations. I then looked in at the domain of the link and it looks like this press release is only applicable to New Zealand and not the US market.
  
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Brian Godfrey

6 years ago

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Some marketing cubicle rat at KKR is working above his abilities. Corporate stupidity (at all levels) is inversely proportional to the unemployment rate.
I have a number of Hitachi tools. All are professional grade and have delivered exceptional service. Even my old 18V lithium battery tools are superior to most others I've used or worked alongside - even if they do look like the Green Hornet's running shoes.
For some reason, most people don't know much about Hitachi. But you're right that they know even less about Metabo. I hope this isn't the end. And I hope they don't start cheaping up the tools like DeWalt did some years back. I don't have a DeWalt that hasn't been in the shop for repairs, even though I use the Hitachis and Milwaukees a lot more.

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  Brian Godfrey
  
  6 years ago
  
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  Brian, you're absolutely correct and I couldn't agree more.
  
  The funny thing is, I liked Hitachi tools. I have a hammer drill from them that has worked beautifully for me for almost 10 years now. I had been considering one of their miter saws too. But now I am having second thoughts.
  
  How many great tool companies have been gutted and made into crap? Craftsman, Porter Cable, Dewalt, all were great tools at one point. Then they decided to cheap out on parts to increase their margins. It worked in the short term, until consumers caught on to the change and stopped trusting the brand. Now those names that took decades to build were wiped out in a couple of years.
  
  This sounds just like what they are doing. Take a name with a good reputation, due to the fact that they are made in Germany, and slap it on products made somewhere else.
  This will not create a sustainable increase in marketshare for Hitachi/Metabo tools in the consumer market but it will hurt their Metabo brand in the commercial market, IMO. We've seen this all before.
  
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