Throwback Thursday is a weekly feature in which we dip into the Hardlines Weekly Report archives.
On Oct. 27, 2003, 20 years ago tomorrow, we ran a headline that said “Black & Decker faces threat from Home Depot’s power tool intro.”
In the story, we reported that the introduction of the Ridgid brand of corded and cordless professional tools by Home Depot was “the biggest tool launch in its history.” And we reported that it would put pressure on Black & Decker, “the number one preferred brand” at Home Depot [according to B&D’s then-CFO, Mike Mangan].
The Ridgid brand was—and continues to be—owned by Emerson Electric, which bought a majority share in the Ridge Tool Company 80 years ago, in 1943.
