Lowe's and manufacturing partner
J.H. Williams launched Kobalt in 1998,[1] with the intention of competing against rival retailers
Sears and
The Home Depot and their respective
Craftsman and
Husky tool brands.[2]
In 2011, Lowe's ended its arrangement with Danaher and switched to a different supplier for its mechanic's hand tools,[5]JS Products of
Las Vegas, Nevada.[6] Screwdrivers continue to be supplied by
Great Neck.[7] The same year, the Kobalt line expanded to include cordless
power tools,[8] manufactured by
Chervon.[9] The current (2020) miter saws are manufactured by Rexon Industrial Corp. Taiwan. In 2019 Lowe’s announced that they will launch the Kobalt XTR power tools .
Budget brands
Lowe's has two brands of tools and supplies positioned below Kobalt in quality and cost: Project Source and the more recent Blue Hawk, introduced in 2009.[10]