When Tim Hellmers, Key Account Manager at Tridon Australia, attends tradeshows to showcase Tridon’s range of professional tools and hardware, he is often approached by people sharing with him stories about their favourite plier – the KNIPEX pliers.
“People come to me and say how their KNIPEX plier, which they bought 20 years ago as an apprentice, is still performing exactly the same way as day one. I enjoy hearing those stories. They just show what high-quality tools KNIPEX pliers are. They are like tools for life,” says Tim.
The longevity of KNIPEX pliers comes down to how they are manufactured in the factory, Tim explains.
“The fact that KNIPEX pliers are made 100% in Germany and all under one roof, provides an exceptional level of quality control in their production process. Unlike some pliers that are manufactured in just one day, each KNIPEX plier takes, on average, eight weeks to produce. That starts from the raw steel going into forging, heat treatment, assembly and finally packaging. That’s a roughly eight-week process as the tools go through the whole facility,” says Tim.
But there’s more to the KNIPEX tools than their fool-proof manufacturing process, as Tim adds further.
“Another reason why KNIPEX stands out is the innovative designs. KNIPEX is constantly developing new products and improving their existing products to make work easier for professional tradespeople. It’s all about having a plier that’s easier to operate with your hands and puts less stress on the fingers. Problems such as repetitive strain injury (RSI) can be avoided if you have the right tools.”
With over a thousand separate styles and sizes, KNIPEX offers a complete range of pliers for many applications. As Tim puts it, “If any industry needs a plier, chances are there’s going to be a KNIPEX one that’s right for the job.”
The Tethered Tools series is a relatively new range from KNIPEX. The pliers in this range have metal clips on their handle, which allow tradespeople to attach a string, a carabiner or a lanyard and hang the tools on their belts. Tim notes that it is critical to use tethered tools when working at heights.
“The general rule of thumb is: If you are working at height, you should have your tools attached to you. Falling tools can cause serious injury to people or even cause death – not to mention that if you are 50 metres high and you drop something, getting back down to get it is not time efficient.”
KNIPEX Tethered Tools includes 16 models of insulated pliers and 29 models of pliers with multi-component grips available with fall protection. KNIPEX also provides high-quality and flexible tethers, adaptor straps and carabiners to use with the tools.
Tim says KNIPEX Tethered Tools have unique features that make them stand out in the market.
“The handles in the KNIPEX Tethered Tools series are VDE-approved up to 1000 volts. The VDE mark (from the original name, Verband Deutscher Elektrotechniker) indicates safety in electrical insulation and the fact that they are approved up to 1000 volts makes them safe for both domestic and commercial uses. KNIPEX is the only brand on the market that offer tethered tools with complete electrical insulation.”
Established in Germany in 1882, KNIPEX pliers have been trusted by professional tradespeople for over 135 years. In Australia, Tridon has been the exclusive distributor for the brand for the past 20 years. Tridon works closely with Industrial Solutions Australia’s group of businesses – namely BSC, CBC and WebsterBSC – to deliver the tools to market.
BSC National Product Manager, David Malthouse, says BSC staff are well-trained to help professionals select the right tools for their job.
“With years of experience working with multiple industries, the BSC staff know what the best tool is for each application and they can help customers accordingly. Tridon Australia works closely with BSC branches to provide product training to our staff. So, if you require professional tools that you can trust, the BSC staff can advise and make sure you have the best tools in your toolbox,” David says.