A conversation with Shane Moll, president of Power Tools, Milwaukee Tool
How’s business for Milwaukee Tool?
MOLL: Every year gets more exciting. Milwaukee Tool is the fastest growing professional brand in the world and currently holds the #1 market share position for cordless power tools in the U.S. We’ve delivered double-digit sales growth consistently over the past several years, with no signs of slowing down. This growth is largely driven by our new product development and speed to market. We’ve logged hundreds of hours on the jobsite, interacting with users on a daily basis to learn about their frustrations and ideas—this not only inspires real innovation, but drives us to develop solutions these professionals truly want and need. We are obsessed with delivering this kind of disruptive, user-driven innovation to the professional trades with solutions that will change the way they do their job and increase productivity.
What has influenced Milwaukee Tool and its product offerings?
MOLL: Under the leadership of our group president, Steve Richman, we have become laser-focused on our “Core Users” in plumbing, mechanical, electrical, HVAC, MRO, and remodeling. Like I mentioned earlier, we get out on the jobsite to work side-by-side with these professionals to understand the demands of a constantly changing workplace and how we can best deliver solutions that help these users work more productively.
Our introduction of Lithium-Ion to the industry in 2005 was groundbreaking, and since that time, we’ve continued to make advancements in motors, electronics, and battery capabilities. With these advancements, came opportunities to challenge conventional wisdom on what types of tools could be effective cordless solutions. These advancements have led to solutions that deliver true corded performance (oftentimes rivaling it), but also doing so at a reduced weight—some noteworthy examples are our cordless Sawzall® Recip Saws and Hole Hawg® Drill. Soon, we will also launch a 9.0Ah High Demand Battery Pack that is built for high-demand applications. This will give users a corded replacement through sustained run-time in high draw products.
We’ve also introduced hundreds of products to our Hand Tool and accessories lines. With a focus on key vertical trades, we set out to deliver innovative solutions that make the user’s job easier regardless of if the tool had a motor or not. Extending to hand tools and accessories made sense for us because professional trades use these tools every day.
While we’ve focused for years on the professionals in the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing trades, we’ve also come to see an opportunity to innovate and deliver solutions for a broader trade group—the residential trades. With the technology at our hands to do so, we can now further deliver on solutions to problems these users see out in the field. The recent launch of our M18 FUEL™ Nailers and our innovative M18 FUEL™ Miter Saw coming soon are just the beginning of our disruption to this space.
Milwaukee’s attention to innovation and user productivity set us apart from others. Sometimes it’s a matter of taking a tool that has been around for decades and really looking at how it’s used to make it better. We’re really not in this industry to simply deliver products. We’re here to disrupt.
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How does Milwaukee Tool add benefit for the contractor?
MOLL: Milwaukee is dedicated to delivering solutions that not only make users more productive, but in many cases change the way they do their job forever. Additionally, for contractors, the ability to work off of one battery platform has become a “must have” so they don’t have to continually buy into new lines of tools in order to get the performance and reliability to do their jobs. With more than 150 tools currently available on the Milwaukee M12 and M18 cordless systems, there are a large number of options to cater to contractors and give them a system of tools working off one battery platform.
We aren’t looking to provide small, incremental gains to productivity—rather, game-changers! This is one of the reasons we’re also very excited about the opportunities our new One-Key mobile and digital platform will give contractors. The availability of ONE-KEY™ will unlock the functionality of contractor’s tools in ways never before seen. Through Inventory Management, Tool Tracking, and Tool Control, contracting companies, and their contractors in the field, will be able to track and customize the tools they use every single day to better address their specific needs while on the jobsite. This will add incredible efficiency into the lives of professionals everywhere.
In your opinion, what are the top 3 pressing issues for the construction industry in 2016? How can Milwaukee Tool make a difference?
MOLL: We see productivity, safety, and the shortage of skilled tradespeople as the top three pressing issues for the construction industry. With respect to productivity, we continue to lead in the industry shift from corded to cordless. Safer working environments can be achieved with cordless tools; workers won’t need to wrestle with cords. With regards to skilled tradespeople, Milwaukee is committed to continue investing in the trades. We continuously develop curriculum around our innovations, and take pride in the excitement our products have generated in the younger generations. It is our desire that this type of excitement can help attract new talent into these critical trades.
What is your forward outlook for the construction industry? For Milwaukee Tool?
MOLL: We will continue to meet our users and contractor partners on their ground—the jobsite—and work hand-in-hand to understand the challenges they face daily so we can provide real solutions. We’re not backing down. No matter how the overall construction industry evolves as a whole, we will continue to look for opportunities.
For More Information:  For more information about Milwaukee Tool, visit www.milwaukeetool.com.
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Modern Contractor Solutions – May 2016
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