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The move toward lighter, more ergonomic tools continues. Mixing aluminum and magnesium to reduce weight is a continuing process. Also, efforts to reduce the size of the footprint of the tool, to allow greater maneuverability and lighter weight, are on the top of the list for most tool manufacturers.

And, the move to gas-powered tools operating on fuel rods will continue to offer complete portability through the elimination of an air hose and a compressor.

Opportunities for additional sales?

New sales will be driven more by differentiation, speed and safety than anything else. In the construction market where housing has fallen so dramatically, there are just too many tools at the end-user level for them to need new tools unless you can differentiate your product significantly. In Industrial markets where business isn’t off as much, the economic recession has the user stretching the life of a tool as long as possible. Cost containment and repair is going to be the key factor in tool sales in 2009.

And, unless you have a unique niche market, this is a very difficult environment to sell change of any kind -- there is simply not enough business to drive anything new without significant changes that will reduce the end-users overall cost of production.

Growth?

Unfortunately, the contraction in the overall market has not been mirrored by a contraction in manufacturers, distributors, builders, framers, etc. There are just too many sharks in an ocean that has become a pond. Any growth within a segment will be minimal and will be regional rather than national. The base unit of measure will be the real issue. What will growth be compared against, for those of us who got used to the last 15 years of construction?