Frost & Sullivan Recognizes Snap-on with the 2007 Technicians' Choice Award

U.S. automotive technicians overwhelmingly choose Snap-on tools as their tool of choice, earning the company recognition as Frost & Sullivan's "Overall Best Brand of Automotive Tools in the United States." The award was presented to Snap-on for its tradition of excellence, as well as the company's ability to distinguish itself through proactive strategies that have positioned it to emerge as an industry leader.

"Most impressive is the preference that U.S. automotive technicians have for Snap-on's hand tools as nearly seven out of 10 (69 percent) select Snap-on as 'Overall Best for Hand Tools,' yet only 12 percent state the same about the nearest competitor," says Frost & Sullivan Director Tonya Fowler. In addition says Fowler, U.S. automotive technicians prefer Snap-on tools in several other categories as well. In tool storage, U.S. automotive technicians choose Snap-on tool storage 66 percent to 11 percent for the nearest competitor. In the power tools category, Snap-on tools are preferred 41 percent to the 21 percent of the nearest competitor. In addition, Snap-on scan tools are selected 53 percent to the 22 percent of the nearest competitor.

Supporting Snap-on's leading position, the largest proportion of U.S. automotive technicians also report Snap-on as best for all automotive tool features tested: durability, innovation, product selection and availability, product warranty, technical support, and quality. U.S. automotive technicians specifically consider quality to be the most important feature of an automotive tool and not surprisingly, Snap-on is most strongly associated with quality.

"In 2006 — the first year that Frost & Sullivan began tracking U.S. Automotive Technicians' opinions on automotive tools — Snap-on swept three of the four product categories," remarks Fowler. "Forward to 2007, Snap-on not only maintained a strong reputation, but also gained significant ground in the power tools category, earning them the coveted title of 'Overall Best Brand of Power Tools.'"

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research in order to identify best practices in the industry.

For more information about Snap-on, visit the company's Web site.