Kobalt Ratchets up a Notch with New, Improved Mechanics Tools Line

MOORESVILLE, NC—May 19, 2011: Kobalt has returned to its roots to redesign the tools that put Kobalt on the map in 1998. The new and improved Kobalt Mechanics Tools line launches in June in all Lowe’s stores nationwide and will boast improved quality and an additional 344 products to the mechanics tools line. Kobalt’s long-time race partner, the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team of five-time and defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, was integral throughout the redevelopment process so that the new line reflects the quality and breadth needed by both professionals and amateur car enthusiasts.

“We leaned on our friends and ultimate car experts over at Team 48 to tell us what we could improve, and we made changes that will help take the Next Generation of Tough Tools to the next level of quality and greatness. We’re very proud of the new line.”

A few of the key features consumers will see in the new line include:

• Ratchets upgraded to 72 teeth count with 5 degrees of arc, recommended by Team 48 for ease of use in tight spaces
• Each socket has the size laser etched on the socket and each one is also color coded with a red (SAE) or blue (Metric) band to delineate between Standard (SAE) and Metric (MM) sockets
• Ratchets featuring new quick-release function for quick swap-out of sockets and accessories
• Product spec’d at 150 percent of American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) specifications
• Increased offering and variety of open-stock sockets and mechanics tools sets
• Wider variety of ratchets, impact sockets, combination wrenches and ratcheting wrenches
• Expanded ¾ drive product offering for agricultural and farming markets
• Full polish chrome finish
• Upgraded cases with improved tool retention and increased durability

“Kobalt started as a mechanics tools brand, and as we have expanded our offering over the years we saw an opportunity to return to our core to provide our customers with more mechanics tools at a quality that is appreciated by both mechanic professionals and avid automotive DIYers,” said David Vaughn, Lowe’s tools merchandising vice president. “We leaned on our friends and ultimate car experts over at Team 48 to tell us what we could improve, and we made changes that will help take the Next Generation of Tough Tools to the next level of quality and greatness. We’re very proud of the new line.”

“I think it shows how committed Lowe’s is to making Kobalt Tools a brand that everyone associates with quality and reliability,” said Ron Malec, car chief of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. “We work on cars that go nearly 200 miles per hour, and sometimes we need to make repairs in a matter of seconds. We need to know that the tool we pick up is going to get the job done. The upgrades to the Kobalt Tools line should make anyone feel comfortable, whether they are working on a highly specialized race car or doing a job around the house.”

As with all Kobalt tools, the mechanics tools line comes with a Lifetime Hassle-Free Guarantee if any socket, ratchet or wrench is damaged or broken. But Kobalt is taking hassle free to a new meaning with the re-launch of the mechanics tools line. Any mechanic understands how quickly tools can be misplaced in a busy shop environment or an over cluttered garage. That’s why Kobalt launched the Sockets for Life program, enabling customers to get a replacement socket to keep their set whole if a piece should go missing. Customers must register their socket set at Sockets for Life or 1-888-3Kobalt after purchase in order to get a replacement socket should they need one. Kobalt covers the part, and the customer pays shipping and handling.

About Kobalt

Kobalt launched in 1998 as a line of mechanics tools. The brand has since extended to other types of tools and now boasts more than 1,700 quality products offered at affordable prices. Kobalt is one of the fastest-growing tool brands in the United States and can be found exclusively at Lowe’s. Every tool is designed and engineered to combine toughness and durability with the latest developments in comfort, balance and practical innovations.

About Lowe’s

With fiscal year 2010 sales of $48.8 billion, Lowe’s Companies, Inc. is a FORTUNE^® 50 company that serves approximately 15 million customers a week at more than 1,750 home improvement stores in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Founded in 1946 and based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe’s is the second-largest home improvement retailer in the world. .