LAS VEGAS (October 31, 2006) - GearWrench® today announced the largest product line expansion in its nine-year history at the 2006 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas. The product line extension from GearWrench will be on display and available for demonstration at a special media luncheon on November 2 from noon to 1 p.m. in the SEMA Media Center, Room S219.
Recognized for developing the patented 50 ratcheting mechanism, GearWrench has extended its product line to include new tool categories and added new innovations to its existing lines. New products introduced include the X-Beam™ Double-XTM Pliers, XL Electronic Torque Wrench, Screwdrivers, Ratchets and Sockets, among others.
"We pride ourselves in understanding the challenges technicians face in the field better than anyone in the business," said Jeff Svoboda, president of Danaher Tool Group, the company that makes GearWrench products. "Our product line expansion and new tool introductions are great examples of the way GearWrench constantly strives to anticipate our customers' needs and create the ideal tool for every task."
Best known for its groundbreaking ratcheting wrench designs, GearWrench has consistently offered tools that improve productivity, increase torque and leverage, eliminate excess bulk and unnecessary features, and work efficiently within tight spaces. Now GearWrench has applied its technological expertise and wealth of end-user knowledge to provide advanced solutions to problems requiring ratcheting and non-ratcheting tools.
The New Products At-a-Glance
X-Beam™ Wrench: The First Wrench Designed to Fit the Hand
- Increases hand contact area by up to 500 percent
- First hand tool to receive Arthritis Foundation "Ease-of-Use" commendation
- First true innovation in wrench beam technology since the wrench was invented in 1835
- Designed to fit in the user's hand for optimal ergonomic benefits, comfort and control
- Reduces hand stress in situations that require extended periods of use, loosening tight bolts or increasing torque on a fastener
- Metric sizes range from 8- to 19-millimeter
- SAE sizes include 1/4- to 3/4"
- Currently available in 5-, 9- and 12-piece sets in ratcheting configurations with non-ratcheting expected by Q2 2007
- Retail prices range from $49.99 to $168.00 per set
Double-X™ Pliers: Greater Access, Tighter Precision
- Designed with a compound joint to allow the jaws to open wider than the handle for minimal handle movement and maximum reach
- Helps users access tight spaces that regular long-reach pliers can't
- Increases safety in some applications that require working in confined areas, such as near a hot engine
- Easy to use, even with one hand
- Available in three different styles: Needle Nose, 45: Bent Nose and Duck Bill
- Retail prices range from $54.00 to $159.99
XL Electronic Torque Wrench: New Technology Prevents Over-Torquing
- Helps technicians measure peak torque and breakaway torque during precision engine work
- Eliminates the need for multiple torque wrenches for SAE and metric applications
- Backlit LCD screen, buzzer and colored lights all increase productivity by allowing technicians to know when they're reaching maximum torque, even in dimly lit areas
- Thin profile sealed teardrop ratchet head for better access and increased strength
- Improved accuracy: +/- 2 percent clockwise and +/- 3 percent counterclockwise
- Products include:
- 3/8" Electronic Torque Wrench 10-100 ft lb
- 1/2" Electronic Torque Wrench 25-250 ft lb
- Retail prices range from $319.00 to $359.00
Ratchets & Sockets: Ultimate Combination of Strength, Speed and Comfort
- Provide various lengths of ratchets to access fasteners in different situations - from tight spaces that require shorter handles, to hard-to-reach fasteners requiring longer handles
- Increased length improves leverage
- Features a patented fine-tooth ratcheting mechanism that delivers increased strength and a thinner profile than traditional ratchets
- Full polish or cushion grip handles for comfortable daily use
- Products include:
- 3-piece Full Polish Ratchet Set (1/4", 3/8", 1/2")
- 3-piece Ratchet Set w/Cushion Grip (1/4", 3/8", 1/2")
- 2-piece Flex Ratchet Set w/Cushion Grip (1/4", 3/8")
- 51-piece 1/4" Dr. 6pt. Ratchet & Socket set
- 57-piece 3/8" Dr. 6pt. Ratchet & Socket Set
- 49-piece 1/2" Dr. 6pt. Ratchet & Socket Set
- Retail prices range from $30.00 to $250.00
Screwdriver: All the Best User Features in One Product
- Tri-Lobular handle design to improve comfort and break fasteners loose more easily in high torque situations
- "Speed Zone" narrow ribbed circular neck allows faster turning in low back-torque applications, such as fastener removal
- Handle-to-neck ratio developed with end-user in mind to achieve optimal balance of strength, speed and comfort
- Black Oxide non-slip tips available in Phillips, Slotted and Torx® tips
- Retail prices range from $6.11 to $77.91
"While GearWrench tools are designed with the professional in mind, more and more of our customers are recognizing their application in other areas where just the right technology is needed to solve a problem," said Svoboda. "Whether you're working on plumbing, building a deck or repairing a car or equipment, you can rely on GearWrench to uniquely solve problems and improve your productivity."
Since GearWrench was started in 1997, more than 70 million of its products have been sold.
Also on display at the GearWrench event will be the Ratcheting Tap & Die System, 4-in-1 QuadBox™ Ratcheting Wrench, Locking Flex Ratcheting Wrench, Locking Flex Head Pass-Thru® Ratchet and Magnetic Oil Drain Plug Socket System. These products were introduced at the National Hardware Show in May. GearWrench hand tools are available through mobile tool distributors and selected auto parts stores.
About GearWrench
GearWrench is a premier hand tool brand from Danaher Tool Group, one of the largest hand tool manufacturers in the world. Since the launch of the original patented 5-degree ratcheting wrench, the GearWrench brand has continuously led the industry with breakthroughs in pass-thru ratchets, sockets, screw/nut drivers, pliers and specialty tools. More than 70 million GearWrench products have been "Professionally Tested" throughout the world. Additional information about GearWrench is available online at www.gearwrench.com.
About Danaher
Danaher, a diversified technology leader, designs, manufactures and markets innovative products and services with strong brand names and significant market positions. Driven by strong core values and a foundation provided by the Danaher Business System, Danaher's associates are pursuing a focused strategy aimed at creating a Premiere Global Enterprise. Additional information about Danaher is available online at www.danaher.com.
