DeWalt, the leading manufacturer of industrial power tools and accessories, and Empire Level Manufacturing Corporation, the industry leader in developing accurate levels and measuring tools, announced today that they will end their partnership on the private label line of professional box levels that Empire Level licensed, designed and manufactured in 2010 under the DeWalt brand.
In February 2010, the companies launched the DeWalt levels in retailers nationwide after many months of development, and the products enjoyed strong sales success. However, the acquisition of DeWalt by Stanley Works in 2010, created an undesirable competitive situation, and both parties felt the best action moving forward was to end the partnership.
“We’re disappointed that this agreement didn’t work out as planned, but we certainly understand that a partner who becomes a direct competitor through acquisition is an untenable situation, and we’re pleased that an amicable resolution has been reached,” said Jenni Becker, president of Empire Level Manufacturing Corporation.
“Though we enjoyed working with Empire Level, we’re pleased that we were able to come to an agreement to exit our partnership, which pre-existed the acquisition and was no longer appropriate for either brand,” said Jennifer Ervin, director of new business development, DeWalt. “Empire Level has been a great partner and we wish them well.”
