After some unstable years and corporate changes and adjustments, SK Hand Tool was recently sold to Ideal Industries (scheduled to be approved as this issue goes to press.) SK, founded in Chicago in 1921, had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in June. Part of SK's problems were attributed to carrying too much debt as the economy worsened. SK will become a subsidiary of Ideal, which manufactures tools for the electrical industry.
The good news, I guess, is the continuation of a longtime brand of professional repair tools that was on the ropes. An added bonus is that Ideal says it intends to continue manufacture of SK Hand Tool products in the US, either in one of its current facilities or it will build something to suit.
Additionally, Ideal is a company already familiar with the dual roles of manufacturing and mobile distributing through its electrical/industrial products; hopefully the learning curve to keeping the SK tool quality high and getting them into your hands in the repair shop will be short.
Watch the pages of PTEN and our Online Buyers Guide at directory.pten.com as Ideal transitions the SK brand for your shop.
