Simon Miller has recently returned to HiKOKI Power Tools UK as Managing Director, having previously been Marketing Director at the business during the time of its rebrand from Hitachi Power Tools.
With plans to support merchant sales, PBM spoke with Simon to discuss the latest developments in power tool and battery technology and what merchants should be looking out for in the coming year or two in terms of trends — alongside finding out why he is determined to make the company one of the leading players in the UK power tool industry.
Q: Welcome back to HiKOKI Power Tools. What are the key challenges you face in the coming year or so?
A: My vision for the business is to build on its position as one of the leading power tool companies in the UK. That means constantly working towards innovation, customer service and building an outstanding team which is able to deliver that vision.
HiKOKI Power Tools is a young brand only in name; it has an outstanding pedigree thanks to its Hitachi Power Tools heritage — which is still present in the engineering DNA of the tools themselves — and I am determined to build on that.
Much like many of our merchant stockists, we face the challenges presented by relatively high inflation and volatility due to events out of our control around the world. However, there are plenty of positive challenges to contend with too.
We are building a great team here at HiKOKI, we are constantly launching new cordless power tool innovations that are making life easier for tradespeople and I am keen we maintain and improve our commitments to our stockist partners in the UK.
I also want to reignite many of the relationships this company had with our stockists before I left here in 2019 to join Metabo HPT in the US. The merchant industry is built on people, and I will be making every effort to recapture and maintain those in the coming months.
Q: Can you tell us about the specific support initiatives HiKOKI Power Tools has in place for merchants to enhance their sales?
A: Point of sale materials and in branch displays go without saying; my background in marketing means I know the value of supporting sales through our stockists’ trade counters. But I think one of the key drivers for sales and increasing demand and footfall in merchant branches are the world class power tools HiKOKI is bringing to market.
Take our ‘world first’ 36V M3612DA Cordless Router as an example — one of the first ½” cordless routers and a powerhouse of cutting speed and endurance, tailored for professionals. Or our cordless nailers, which are providing the performance normally associated with mains power or gas cartridges.
It really is the technology that does the talking for us, grabs the attention of the hardworking tradesperson and pulls those sales through the trade counter.
Q: How do you plan to enhance customer service?
A: Merchants want to know that if anything goes wrong with a power tool, it isn’t going to result in hassle for them. We already have outstanding warranties on our tools, such as our Hi5 Five Year Extended Warranty, but one of my top priorities is to speed up our service and response times should anything go wrong with a tool.
The quality of our products means this happens rarely, but my time with Metabo HPT in the United States showed me how it could be done in new and better ways.
Q: What trends or market changes do you anticipate will shape power tool sales in the coming years?
A: Expect cordless power tools to keep transforming the way we work on construction sites. By 2027 it is estimated that 90% of all power tools sold will be cordless.
If I take just one product range that has been transformed by cordless Lithium-ion battery technology and highly efficient brushless motors it has to be nailers. There are no trailing power cords that pose trip hazards, no keeping gas cells warm in pockets on cold winter days — just consistent, awesome performance.
In 2023, we launched the NT1850DF 18V Compact 18 Gauge Cordless Brad Nailer, which allows users to easily move around the jobsite without hoses or compressors and can get a whopping 1,650 nails per charge with the included 3.0Ah compact battery. The nailer employs a unique Air Spring Drive system that uses compressed air to drive each nail, resulting in zero ramp up time, increased driving speed and recoil that feels like a pneumatic nailer.
Merchants can expect more innovations like this over the coming months. It’s an exciting time to be at HiKOKI Power Tools and I am looking forward to seeing many merchants over the coming year!
Click the link for more information on the range of products and support services for merchants available from HiKOKI Power Tools.
