Private-Label Development Across Tiers, Categories and Sub-Brands
A major U.S. automotive retailer needed a coordinated private-label alternative to national-brand tools. Diversitech Global developed over 200 products, funded development and custom tooling, and coordinated branding, packaging and in-house assembly. The retailer gained a consistent range across categories and price tiers, and awarded Diversitech Global Best Quality and Vendor of the Year following the programme launch.
Customer Need / Challenge
Replacing national-brand tools allowed a major U.S. automotive aftermarket retailer to build its own brands and improve its private-label economics. To make that change work, its own ranges needed competitive specifications and a consistent identity across the shelf. GearWrench and Performance Tool provided established reference points for the mechanics and speciality tool ranges.
The assortment served mechanics and automotive-maintenance users across entry-price and professional tools, with a separate Lawn & Garden offer covering small-engine maintenance components. The brief spanned different price positions, categories and brands. Entry-price mechanic tools, professional mechanics hand tools, and automotive speciality tools needed appropriate specifications and presentation. Lawn & Garden added a separate sub-brand. The task was to develop these ranges together while preserving each group's purpose and identity.
What Diversitech Global Did
01
Benchmarked established ranges
Diversitech Global benchmarked the incumbent branded programmes and developed the retailer's own offer through direct manufacture in China. Competitive pricing was the commercial reason for winning the business.
02
Structured a programme of over 200 products across tiers and categories
The programme covered four groups, with product selection, specifications and retail formats coordinated across them.
Group
Examples of product categories
OPP — Open Price Point Mechanics Tools
Mechanics tool kits; socket-and-bit sets; screwdrivers and bit sets; pliers; adjustable and combination wrenches; ratchets, extensions and spark-plug sockets; hex keys; drill-bit and tap-and-die sets.
MPP — Professional Mechanics Hand Tools
Automotive sockets and socket sets; impact sockets; ratchets; screwdrivers, TORX and precision drivers; nut drivers; pliers; combination and crowfoot wrenches; hex and TORX keys; punches, chisels, files and pry bars; cutting tools.
MPP — Professional Automotive Speciality Tools
Brake-service tools; coil- and valve-spring compressors; pulley and steering-service tools; serpentine-belt tools; fuel-line tools; feeler and spark-plug gauges; inspection mirrors and magnetic pick-up tools; body-repair and riveting tools.
Lawn & Garden — separate sub-brand
Trimmer line; small-engine starter cords; fuel tubing and clamps; air and fuel filters; spark-plug wrenches; small-engine solenoids and key switches.
The breadth extended beyond different tool types: it required distinct price positions and a separate Lawn & Garden sub-brand, with suitable packaging and merchandising for each group. The entry-price programme also used tool-kit combinations, upright counter displays and bulk merchandising, giving the retailer several ways to present the offer.
Business Development worked from the retailer’s category requirements and price positions. Design and Engineering translated those requirements into cases, rails, racks and hangers suited to the selected tools and retail formats. Purchasing coordinated the specialist manufacturers, with Packaging and Production working together on how the assortment would be assembled and packed. These connected decisions gave each group its own commercial role while maintaining a consistent brand identity across the programme.
03
Developed custom cases and the retail-display system.
Diversitech Global covered the product-development costs and funded all custom tooling, including over 50 tooling elements across cases and retail display hangers. Diversitech Global developed custom tooling for three injection-moulded socket-set boxes and three blow-moulded mechanics-tool cases, supported by branded hangers and retail displays for sockets, ratchets, wrenches, screwdrivers and pliers.
The wider assortment included impact sockets, mechanics-tool sets and automotive speciality tools. Cases, socket rails, screwdriver racks and tool hangers were designed around the products they held, creating a consistent brand identity across the range. Colour boxes and single- and double-blister packs completed the retail presentation.
04
4. Controlled consistency through printing and assembly.
One centralised printer produced cards, stickers and barcode labels. All kitting, assembly and packing took place in-house. Samples were coordinated with the customer's U.S. team for approval.
Result / Customer Outcome
The retailer gained its own coordinated offer across entry-price and professional tools, with Lawn & Garden under a separate sub-brand. Diversitech Global brought benchmarking, specifications, custom tooling, packaging and final assembly into one managed programme. The result combined distinct category and price positions with a consistent retail presentation. The customer's U.S. team said the finished programme looked as though everything had come from one factory, due to consistency in colours and packaging.
Following the launch of the private-label programme, the retailer awarded Diversitech Global both Best Quality and Vendor of the Year.