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Who Makes Lynxx Tools? (A Complete Guide)

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If you follow the tool market, you’ll find out quickly that a few top players hold a lot of cards, i.e., manufacturers. For example, Stanley Black & Decker Inc., the industry leader, owns Powers, Bostitch, and DeWALT, among others. That’s also the case with Lynxx Tools. California-based Harbor Freight Tools (HFT) is the corporation behind this manufacturer.

The relationship is unique because HFT doesn’t make tools. Instead, it’s a brick-and-mortar retailer with a solid online presence. Lynxx Tools is one of 1,076 companies that it owns. Others under its umbrella include:

  • Haul Master
  • Chicago Electric
  • S. General
  • Pittsburgh Tools
  • Central Pneumatic
  • Drill Master
  • Master Tools

In many ways, HFT is not unlike big-box home improvement retailers like Lowes and The Home Depot in that they buy their products directly from the manufacturer and rebrand them. For example, Lowes has Kobalt (soon-to-be Craftsman), while The Home Depot has Ridgid.

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HFT Corporate Profile

HFT Logo

We’ll begin by saying that HFT is a private company. Some information is hard to come by as a result. It is a family-owned business started by Allan Smidt and his son, Eric, in 1977. The pair ran a mail-order operation called Harbor Freight Salvage. They opened their first retail outlet in 1980. Then, Eric became the company’s president in 1985.

Eric took the reins as CEO in 1999, a position he holds today. Through his leadership, the business flourished. It’s safe to say that the company has come a long way since opening its first store, with over 1,100 locations across the country. It continues to expand its portfolio with new acquisitions.

HFT’s corporate office is in Calabasas, California. The $4-billion company’s portfolio of products is diverse and spans several industries, including automotive, power tools, plumbing, lighting, and hand tools. HFT has a presence in retail, mail-order, and e-commerce in domestic and global markets.

Forbes has had high praise for HFT, calling it one of the Best Employers for Veterans 2020. HFT also ranked #83 on the organization’s America’s Largest Private Companies 2020, with over 20,000 employees nationwide.

HFT Retail Outlets

HFT has a reputation for affordable prices. The company claims its business model of cutting out the middleman and dealing directly with the manufacturer allows it to pass on the cost savings to consumers. A comparison of prices on the HFT website compared to other e-commerce sites revealed substantial differences with the company offering the best deals.

It’s worth noting that while e-commerce sites like SKU have one Drill Master 69651 model, HFT has three additional ones for the Drill Master 69651 model we researched. They included 62873, 68239, 62868. Power tools come with a 90-day guarantee against defects with some terms and conditions.

Lynxx Tools

It’s worth noting that there is speculation that HFT is dropping Lynxx Tools. The parent company has seen a significant revenue decline corresponding to the COVID-19 outbreak. A search on the retailer’s website revealed only three Lynxx products, and they were marked as clearance items, albeit with a 90-day guarantee. An exhaustive web search failed to locate the manufacturer’s location.

Most of the products we located were home and garden equipment, such as its 40V Lithium Cordless Pole Saw and 40V Lithium Cordless Chainsaw. The items are well-made and geared toward the DIYer.

We hit similar dead ends on other popular e-commerce sites. Some products are available on eBay. However, some speculation points to Ningbo LERA Electric Appliance Co., LTD in China as the manufacturer of some of the product lines. It appears that Lynxx is only the brand name that HFT gave these items.

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Conclusion

HFT has successfully positioned itself as one of the industry leaders in power tools and the machinery industry. Lynxx Tools was a reputable product line for a short time. While we located some replacement parts and batteries online and on auction sites, Lynxx Tools appears to have seen its final days with the business. Fortunately, HFT has several others to take its place.

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Featured image credit: Free-Photos, Pixabay

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