B&Q partners JCB....

[The Medway Handyman]

........to launch new tool range. B&Q has joined up with construction equipment manufacturer JCB to develop a range of power and hand tools.

still my beating heart....

[Peter Andrews]

My JCB jigsaw was the only tool that I have thrown away before it broke or wore out!

Peter

[Tony Bryer]

Nothing to do with JCB proper, but I cannot understand JCB thinking it wise to make a quick buck by licensing their name for use on cheap tat. They would appear to be part of an outfit called Pulse which is owned by Rutland Partners, a private equity partnership. So a long time and deep understanding of the power tool market, not.

"Pulse is one of the leading providers of branded goods to the UK home products market with a portfolio of brands including Breville, Nicky Clarke, JCB, Bush, Dirt Devil, Hinari and Power Devil."

[2007]

[John Rumm]

Now there is a roster to inspire confidence!

[Me Here]

It's amazing what a good company going down the tubes will try before going under. If their current financials are anything to go by I'm amazed they didn't resurrect MFI to try to make some money, colour everything yellow and supply a grease gun as an accessory.

[mike]

time British tv manufacturer (and my mother still has one of their old tellys from the seventies that refuses to die). Alba, via Power Devil, were responsible for the last decidedly variable range of JCB tat.

Strangely though, I have a Power Devil Elu router clone - the second model they did - that's done sterling service over many years. I guess it all depends on which Chinese manufacturer they source individual products from.

IME, anything that B&Q choose as their in-house brand is usually crap. The GMC stuff they rebadged as Performance Power was awful.

[Tim..]

Another round of total junk then...

Tim.

[dom]

But - by the same magic that enables B&D to sell stuff ("ooh I'll buy that stuff I saw on the telly") - they'll probably shift loads with the right marketing.