About MILWAUKEE® - Celebrating 100 Years of Innovation

Since the company began in 1924, Milwaukee Tool has led the industry in developing innovative solutions that deliver increased productivity and unmatched durability for professional construction users. Whether it is through our world-leading M12™ and M18™ cordless systems, the ground-breaking performance of our M12 and M18 FUEL™ products, jobsite lighting, time-saving accessories, or innovative hand tool and storage products, we are dedicated to delivering a continuous flow of advanced, trade-specific solutions.

We invest the time to work side-by-side with real users to understand the demands of a constantly changing workplace and how we can best deliver solutions for a safer, more productive jobsite. Through a thorough evaluation of the job at hand – the frustrations, needs, and previous limitations – we set out to completely rethink a solution and deliver the game-changing innovation seen across all our product lines. Milwaukee Tool is not simply a manufacturer – we are progressive problem solvers.

One Team, One Focus - The User

Each page of our story has been written by the hands of the people behind our doors – from our research and development teams to our robust sales and support teams. When the ink dries, their passion and talent is what truly has left the biggest mark. And it’s what continues to write our story.

At the turn of the millennium, Milwaukee Tool was best known for iconic products like the Sawzall®, and for legendary durability, but we had admittedly lost focus. We were dabbling in many different areas, trying to be a brand for everyone.

So, in 2005, when Techtronic Industries Co. (TTi) acquired Milwaukee®, we decided to go back to our roots and better focus on solving problems for those in the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) trades.

To introduce disruptive innovation to the industry, we first needed to reinvent ourselves. We had to evaluate how we looked at emerging technologies, manufacturing, engineering and our new product development process…how could we deliver innovative solutions that would make our users more productive, and how could we do it quickly.

Steve Richman
CEO

With a renewed focus on the professional trades, we set out to provide “disruptive innovation.” Instead of making assumptions about what the user needs, our team set out to deliver this disruptive innovation by getting out on the jobsite, alongside professional trades, to understand the challenges they encounter from the time they wake up in the morning until the time they go to bed at night.

This mindset and unrelenting focus on the trades began our own internal “revolution” – a period that continues to this day and has enabled us to break away from what was expected of us as a “Electric Power Tool Manufacturer” to become progressive problem solvers across multiple tool and accessory categories

Powering a Revolution Through Lithium Ion

Milwaukee Tool achieved a major step forward in the industry when we invented the technology that enabled the use of lithium-ion in power tools. It was an achievement that marked a turning point for every trade in the industry and spurred the question, “Are battery-powered tools the future of the jobsite?” At the time no one believed in this technology more than our team. We knew that the cordless jobsite wasn’t just a fad – it was the future.

So, we started our journey.

First, we continued to set ourselves apart by developing a unique ecosystem within our cordless tools consisting of battery pack technology, motors, and tool electronics. We assembled the very best team of engineers and industrial designers to give these components life within solutions that would change the lives of our users. In addition, we made the strategic decision to design, develop, and manufacture our own battery packs and motors in-house while investing in electrical engineering resources to design and develop leadership in electronic capabilities; something unique within the industry.

Second, we set out to change the lives of our users by pairing this technology with our focus on the trades. We introduced the M18™ and M12™ Cordless Systems and made a commitment to our users that we continue to deliver on to this day: We would continue to invest in new technology without the need for our users to change platforms – we’d never leave them behind.

These advances in power tool speed and power resulted in greater stress placed on the accessory in the form of impact, heat, or other forces that limit the accessory’s overall performance and life. Using the same drive for innovation and leadership, we aggressively expanded our tool accessories division by developing industry-first technologies to deliver new accessory solutions that perform under the toughest applications.

Cordless System

The M18™ cordless system was developed to be the ultimate combination of professional grade power, extreme performance and superior ergonomics. With patented technologies, innovative motors, advanced electronics and the industry's best battery technology, the M18™ family has been the fastest growing 18V cordless system on the market since its inception.

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Cordless System

The M12™ cordless system was designed to deliver industry-leading durability and power in a size that outperforms the competition in the tightest places. We created a new space in the professional power tool market with the M12™ system by transforming inefficient manual tools – such as cable and copper tubing cutters – into advanced workhorses powered by our new battery technology.

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the Next Generation Of Cordless

Unwilling to slow down, our team continued working on the next generation of lithium-ion, leading to the introduction of REDLITHIUM™ batteries in 2010 and the creation of M18 FUEL™ in 2012. With the M12™ and M18™ Cordless Systems already delivering best-in-class performance for users, the M18 FUEL™ line took our vision even further by delivering the most advanced battery, electronic, and brushless motor capabilities on products the world had never seen before. What followed was a series of products that shattered users’ expectations of not only what was possible with an 18V tool, but what was possible with a cordless tool in general.

The variety and breadth of solutions we delivered continued to evolve as the industry explored alternative installation methods and materials, and as we drove breakthrough advancements in motors, lithium-ion batteries, and electronics. A series of M18™ FORCE LOGIC™ high-force tool solutions provided game-changing productivity to areas that had not historically experienced much innovation – such as power utility – while we broke into drain cleaning with a full range of completely portable, battery-powered solutions for drains within buildings.

Productivity At The Core of Everything

We didn’t just stop at cordless power tools. Our team is relentless in our product development and focus on the user – visible through our leadership in delivering the disruptive innovation that we committed to a decade ago. We began to breathe new life into the jobsite by going beyond the requirements of the end-user and providing productivity enhancing solutions that are unparalleled in the industry.

We’ve aggressively expanded our tool accessories division by developing unique, industry-first designs. Through disruptive new engineering methods such as proprietary materials, progressive heat treatments, and advanced geometry, we’ve optimized these accessories to provide the best user experience from start to finish. Accessories like our SHOCKWAVE™ Impact Duty driver bits, versatile Hole Dozer® hole saws, our robust line of SAWZALL® blades, or advancements in carbide technology deliver precision and durability every use.

In 2010 we launched an entirely new business unit for Hand Tool solutions. Our attention to innovation and user productivity sets us apart from others in this space as we continuously redesign tools that had been around for decades, providing new-to-world features that set a new standard for the professional trades. This is exemplified in groundbreaking advancements to even the simplest of tools, like tape measures.

One of the many advantages of constantly focusing on our users is our ability to work together with professionals to better understand their needs. The result of this often goes beyond power tools, hand tools and accessories. We know professionals work in some of the most difficult environments, which is why we deliver the industry’s most extensive range of high-output lighting designed to adapt, perform, and survive the jobsite.

The digital jobsite has given way to an abundance of solutions that help companies plan, budget, and approach their projects more efficiently. Our One-Key™ system is the first digital platform for tools and equipment. The application offers a variety of functionalities to increase company and user productivity – including the ability to manage inventory, track tools in real-time, and even customize compatible products.

We’re a manufacturer of solutions that lead to safer, more efficient jobsites. Our dedication is to you, our user. We will not be complacent. And we will not stop disruptively innovating to make you more productive.

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