Festool purchasing Sawstop

[moose]

Festool has or is in the act of purchasing Sawstop. WOW! Let the speculation begin.

[robinson46176]

Wow!!!
So when I thought I heard distant thunder it may have actually been a price increase...


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[jsburger]

Wow!!!
So when I thought I heard distant thunder it may have actually been a price increase...


.

[Ed in Tampa]

WOW! This could get very very very interesting.
I wonder what they are buying. Patent rights manufacturing rights, or whole kit and canbootle?
Wonder what this will do the Sawstop Bosch suits.
wow!

[Ed in Tampa]

If the lawyer is totally out of it I may even buy a Sawstop.

[Hobbyman2]

One of the articles on line spells it out as if ,,,a German Company will finally have their niche in the American market.

Odd how they didnt mention any any thing about the American company having a technology in the German market.

My guess is this will be the new norm in the market .

My guess is there are more lawyers lining up for a piece of the cheese then people wanting on hot dogs at Seattle stadium during a sea hawks game.

[twistsol]

If the lawyer is totally out of it I may even buy a Sawstop.

The article I read stated that SawStop, the company, will continue as is with its current management. I guess that means the lawyer Steve Gass is still in it.

[benush26]

The Bosch lawsuit is a done deal. The person who rules on it already has and ruled against Bosch US. His ruling only affects selling and distribution in the US (possibly NA), so if you really really really want a REAXX, you could book a flight to Malaysia, buy one and bring it back!!
Festool has a majority interest in a handful of companies, mostly European, so acquiring a majority interest in SawStop is not that odd. They choose companies that make only one or two products, but make them well. Festool can offer a strong financial stability which many small companies don't enjoy. A few of the companies have eventually been completely absorbed by Festool, who still keeps making and marketing the product, though only under the Festool name. The rest continue on business as usual, but with a nice profit check going to Festool each quarter.
No one I know has heard if patents are included in the deal and since both companies are both privately held, we may never know. Doubt the Freedom of Information Act would be pertinent here.
I would speculate that any licensing agreement with Bosch, etal will not be in the immediate future. When Gass approached most of the big boys (including Bosch) they told him to go away and not very politely. It may be why he has acted as he has. I'm not condoning it, but it may offer some rationale for the behavior.
Speculation on my part, is that Festool wants to have a similar corner on the European safety saw market, so rather than reinventing the wheel, they bought the company that successfully built it.
If I get to AWFS in Las Vegas in a few weeks, I can ask a couple friends what they know, but I would bet that even at their pay scale they are as clueless as the rest of us.
One of you brave souls could head to Oregon, pretend to be looking for a job and maybe get your foot in the door and find out the truth!

Be well,
Ben

[BuckeyeDennis]

The article below says that Festool acquired all the SawStop patents as part of the deal.

http://www.jlconline.com/business/tts-t ... -sawstop_s

I also read that the price of the deal will not be disclosed. But I suspect that this is a very nice exit for SawStop's investors.

[dusty]

I have been outspoken regarding Steven Gass and his business tactics but I cannot deny the quality of the Sawstop. Being owned and managed by Festool can be nothing but good for Sawstop. I just wish that Gass had gotten his invention to this point a bit more ethically. One thing you can bank on, Festool has done their homework and due diligence.

I have no great interest in owning a Sawstop but I will be watching this very closely as it unfolds.