From the Original U.S. Marketing Manager!

As you can imagine, I often search the web for Workmate-related information. One of the most remarkable things I have come across is a short recollection written by the original marketing manager for the Workmate in the United States.

I found this in the comment section of a posting about the Workmate at the "toolmonger" blog. The blog appears to have been inactive since 2014 although the web site is still functioning as I write this. I didn't want to take a chance on it being deleted so I'm reproducing the posted comment below in its entirety, with numerous typos left intact. The poster gave his name only as "Thomas", posting the following on July 8, 2012:

I love seeing all the positive comments about the Workmate as I was the Markeeting Mgr. for the Professsional Div. when the first 6-units were imported from England. I thought it was great but corporate thinking at the time was if it does’t have a motor or attach to a tool with a motor, we don’t need it, The President, Pat McDonough gave a few of us in marketing units to use and familiarize ourselves with. But, I was the only one who liked it and saw major possibilities for sales.

The original units were made in England using all aluminum castings and were beauties to behold.FYI, the UK company projected sales of 50,000 pcs first year at the US ewuivakant of $85, a large chuunk of disable income over there then and lo and bdhold they sold 3oo,ooo pcs first year.

when I got mine I had it included in equipment to be shipped around to a series of regional sales meeting around the country,,,to e used as a prop for the introduction of the Mod 4, cordless tool line to the sales force, (Mod 4 was the first cimercislly availsble line of Cordless tools) I got laughed at for using it to hold wod, steel & aluminum samples for the salesmen to drill holes in using the new tools, But, I got the last laugh when in a 5,ooo unit market test in Dallas, they evaporated off the shelves overnight.

I was the first workmate champion in the company but as soon as they started selling our President took it away from me and the Professional Div. and forced the Home Products guys to take it over, The rest is history as B& D had to build 3 mfg plants to keep up with demand.

I still have my one of the originak 6 abd it needs restoration but it is a reak nice piece of B&D history. You have to understand, corporate thinking frowned on any new product that didn’t use a B&D ekectric motor so to force it through and get the ckearances needed for me to use it in sales meetings, even as a prop, was qite q feat of which I am very proud, SO yes, these many years later, I am thrilled to lnow that my gut instinct was right, you guys like it and it’s still it’s is one heck of a product!