Around 8 months ago, I learned that Makita USA had developed a new modular tool box system, with early design sketches suggesting it would compete against the likes of Milwaukee Packout, Dewalt ToughSystem, and ToughBuilt Stacktech.
Given Makita USA’s financial woes, I had doubts that it would ever launch.
Where would it be sold – Home Depot, which has a saturated tool box aisle? Did Makita USA have the marketing budget to promote a new tool box system? How much would it cost for them to secure market share?
I hoped I was wrong. I started searching around today for any signs of a pending launch.
My optimism piqued as I found a Makita USA trademark application that matched. Makita TRAKLOCK is the name they intended for:
Non-metal toolboxes and storage containers
Metal tool carriers and containers
Tool bags and pouches, sold empty
This description and the stylized logo matched the modular tool box designs in Makita’s patent applications.
I then noticed the words on the TrakLock trademark application (serial number 98153826). DEAD. ABANDONED. WITHDRAWN.
The owner of the trademark application withdrew (e.g. abandoned) the application and the application is no longer active.
The abandonment date is listed as February 26, 2024.
The modular tool box market is saturated right now. In my opinion, there is definitely room for new brands and systems to enter, but success requires major retail partners to be on board. It also takes time and deep investment.
In my earliest post – Makita Might not Launch this Packout-Like Tool Box System – I wrote:
I don’t think we’ll see a new Makita tool box system in the immediate future.
Makita’s North America segment has not been consistently profitable over the past few years. It doesn’t seem that they are in any position right now, to take on the significant financial risks involved in launching another brand new product line.
Maybe Makita USA has another name in mind for their modular tool box system, one that hasn’t appeared in any new trademark application filings. Or did Makita withdraw their TrakLock trademark application because they abandoned their plans for a new modular tool box system?
My hope is that there’s more to this than is apparent. I’d like to believe that Makita’s trademark application withdrawal signifies a temporary hiccup or minor change in plans, but there’s not much basis for optimism.
A rep for Makita USA could not be reached for comment.
