Brand Building: Ingersoll Rand

Ingersoll Rand is a $14 billion global manufacturer with broad holdings, from Club Car golf carts to Schlage home security products to Trane air conditioning systems. These semi-related holdings allow IR to say, rather loftily, that the company “advances the quality of life by creating and sustaining safe, comfortable and efficient environments.”

The company made another lofty claim during its investor presentations: Of 2011 revenues, $3.5 billion were generated from innovations introduced in the previous three years. But here’s something the company hasn’t tried before: selling its tools through the retail channel. That’s changing with the company’s new EDGE Series Air tools.

Before EDGE, IR brand tools were available through a mobile tool jobber or a Fastenal-like distributor. The Ingersoll Rand brand has been around more than 100 years, but not at traditional retail. And the company is going to market with the message that, if it’s good for the pros, then it’s gotta be good for the heavy DIYer.

“Every tool goes through the same rigorous testing process that our professional tools go through,” said Ashley Andrews, commercial product leader. “And they all offer the same ergonomic design for comfort and reduced operator fatigue.”

The EDGE Series tools are currently sold at Northern Tool and Equipment, Tractor Supply Co., Rural King, Lowe’s, Home Depot and Amazon.com, among others.

The EDGE Series contains 25 different models of bolting, cutting, painting and finishing tools.

“One surprise we’ve seen is the demand for spray guns in the retail channel,” Andrews said. “And the 259G ¾-in. impact wrench is one of our best sellers, which is unique because it’s a very large, heavy-duty tool.”