New Dewalt USA-Made Welded Storage System

It looks like Dewalt is coming out with a new welded steel storage system, featuring floor-standing cabinets, a wall cabinet, worktop, and backsplash.

Dewalt says that their new storage products are made in the USA with global materials, at their Sedalia, Missouri facility.

Waterloo Industries, which Stanley Black & Decker quietly acquired in 2018, has a long history of producing steel tool boxes, chests, cabinets, and other such storage products for the Craftsman tool brand.

While Waterloo produced Craftsman storage products before and after Stanley Black & Decker’s acquisition of both brands – Waterloo in 2018, Craftsman in 2017 – I believe this is the first time Dewalt products have come out of their Missouri plant.

It is my understanding that Dewalt’s metal racking and workshop accessories, such as their rolling steel, are made by a 3rd party company under a licensing agreement.

All this is to say the new Dewalt storage products are a significant development beyond just what you see here. What other Dewalt steel storage and workshop products might we see coming out of Sedalia, MO in the near future?

Taking a closer look at one of the two storage system SKUs I came across, the design is simple, but classic. A wood worktop sits on top of a small chest of drawers, and there’s a power strip built into the backsplash.

The cabinets have very large recessed handles, and leveling feet on the free-standing units.

The black and yellow color scheme reflects Dewalt’s branding, but without being garish.

Although, I wouldn’t mind yellow Dewalt cabinets. Shown here are two customized Dewalt cabinets that I spotted at Dewalt headquarters, back in 2010.

I always assumed those tool boxes were repainted and decorated Stanley Vidmar cabinets.

Dewalt also had consumer model ball bearing tool storage products, but I wouldn’t describe them as being unobtrusive.

Stanley Black & Decker, more specifically their Vidmar brand, acquired Lista, an industrial tool storage brand, back in 2012.

I apologize for digressing again, but I do have a point here, and it’s that Stanley Black & Decker and Dewalt have always been capable of producing heavy duty industrial and commercial grade tool storage products, they simply chose not to.

Dewalt came out with job boxes in 2015, and made ToughBox job boxes compatible with ToughSystem tool boxes in 2017, although I’m not sure if they’re still available today.

Dewalt can leverage a lot of manufacturing prowess, in-house as well as through OEM or licensee partners.

Let’s take a look at what this new storage system offers.

There will be “five configurations to choose” from.

• DWST24101 – 4pc configuration, 63″ wide
  • Tall 2-door cabinet
  • 2-door base cabinet
  • Wall cabinet
  • Wood worktop
• DWST24201 – 4pc configuration, 63″ wide
  • Tall 2-door cabinet
  • 5-drawer base cabinet
  • Wall cabinet
  • Wood worktop
• DWST27301 – 7pc, 126″ wide
  • 2x tall 2-door cabinets
  • 2x 5-drawer base cabinets
  • 2x wall cabinets
  • Wood worktop
• DWST27401 – 7pc, 126″ wide
  • 2x tall 2-door cabinets
  • 2x 2-door base cabinets
  • 2x wall cabinets
  • Wood worktop
• DWST27501 – 7pc, 126″ wide
  • 2x tall 2-door cabinets
  • 1x 5-drawer base cabinet
  • 1x 2-door base cabinet
  • 2x wall cabinets
  • Wood worktop

Shown here is the DWST27501 combo, which can also be used to describe all 5 configurations.

Imagine that you split this setup right down the middle, and you essentially have DWST24201 on the left, and DWST24101 on the right. Mirror-image the left half over to the right, and you get DWST27301. Mirror-image the right half over to the left, and you get DWST27401.

Features include “heavy duty steel construction,” although Dewalt doesn’t specify the thickness of the sheet metal, soft-close drawer slides with 100 lb load ratings, leveling feet, 180° cabinet hinges, and a keyed locking system.

The features list also mentions an integrated power strip, which is visible in the product images, built into the worktop backsplash, “overhead lighting,” and “battery charger shelf.”

All of the cabinets have welded construction, with Dewalt promising that limited assembly is required. Everything arrives palletized, with smaller pieces nested inside the floor cabinets. (This is a popular way for welded garage cabinet systems to be shipped.

Pricing: $2,059 each for the 4pc combos, $3,999 each for the 7pc combos.

Buy DWST24201 Combo at Acme Tools
Buy DWST27301 Combo at Acme Tools
Buy DWST27501 Combo at Acme Tools

Discussion

It’s not confirmed that this storage system comes from the branch of Stanley Black & Decker that was formerly known as Waterloo. But, that’s the only steel cabinet and toolbox maker I know of that’s located in Sedalia, Missouri.

These new Dewalt welded storage products could be the start of something good, although I have misgivings.