Hilti - Overview

Advantages:

Primary business is selling tools and fasteners to contractors, allowing them to significantly cost reduce (or in some cases provide for free) firestopping products in order to secure their core business.
Vertical integration - Ownership of Plants and acting as sole Distributor coupled with their Direst Sales Model allows them to be cut throat on costs when needed.
Investments in Field Engineering and Digital Tools (BIM) partnered with the size and specialization present in their sales force can make them a challenge to displace on projects where they are the incumbent.

Disadvantages:

Firestopping is not their core competence making their products more generic and less capable.
Typically push their products as a "cheaper alternative" to other more robust/appropriate solutions. This is appealing to a Contractor who does not have to live with or maintain seals after job completion but leaves Ownership with on going maintenance or compliance issues.
High rate of churn in their field sales organization prevents them from creating meaningful long term relationships with customers. It is common for HILTI Sales Staff to be replaced or leave after several years.
Engineering Judgments from HILTI tend to be more generic in an effort to keep up with demand. The best example of this are Curtain Wall EJs where the exterior is described as "built per any approved design". Although efficient, this overly generic statement creates issues in markets where inspection is more stringent such as California.
Distribution - Due to HILTI's complete Vertical integration, Contractors have to go outside their normal channel to source HILTI products. Whereas our numerous Distribution Partners position us alongside products Contractors are already buying (IE, EZ-Path at Electrical Distribution)

Electrical & DataComm Products

Interior Construction Joints

Curtain Wall & Facades

Plumbing & Mechanical

Hilti Corporation is a Liechtenstein multinational company that develops, manufactures, and markets products for the construction, building maintenance, energy and manufacturing industries.