To us, 2023 was a very special year. Festive, filled with end-user interactions and topped with impressive job site stories, 2023 is a milestone we are very proud to have reached. 2023 marked a century of excellence in the tools business, and we are more than excited we got to celebrate it together with all of you, our special friends. Plus, 2023 was full of drain cleaning and pressing success stories, so let's have a walk down memory lane to learn more about the most important highlights of last year.

RIDGID 100 Years Celebration In A Nutshell

In 2023 our full focus was on celebrating 100 years of RIDGID history with our employees, but also with you, our friends, partners and customers. 

• The star product of the year was definitely the RIDGID 100-year wrench, a legacy for all the generations of plumbers out there.
• A big surprise of the year was marked by Andrew Madgwick, who created and delivered us a special 100-year sculpture that can be now found in our location in Sint Truiden. 
• On May 12th we popped the champagne and we officially celebrated 100 years of RIDGID with a European online gathering, followed by many local festivities. 
• 2023 was a very special year and the Golden K9-102 FlexShaft Machine and the Golden K-50 Sectional Machine happened to be the golden stars of the year.
• 2023 was all about history and the milestones we marked over the years. You can learn more about these milestones by accessing these links: the history of RIDGID, the making of the RIDGID wrench, the history of pipe threading, the history of pressing, the history of roll grooving and the history of drain cleaning. 
• Last, but not least, the RIDGID Europe Experience was one of the most important events of the year. It was a once-in-a-lifetime reunion of working mates from all around Europe and we had a blast during those days. You can find out more details about the experience by accessing this link. 

School Events

We care about the next generations of professionals in trades and we continuously invest in their technical education. Therefore, in 2023 we organized several events where we met students from different technical schools around Europe.

• At the beginning of April, we organized the first event of the year at the Faculty of Installations in Cluj Napoca, Romania. It was great meeting the students, teachers and speakers during the „Skills And Tools For A Lifetime” event. The practical activity of the event consisted of a contest between two teams of 4 students. Both teams had to follow specifications and build a mini copper installation in the shape of “100” using RIDGID tubing cutters, reamers and press tools from the RIDGID laboratory we equipped in 2020. You can find all more details related to the event here. 

• In May we were part of another student event, this time in Belgium. The event was organized by the institute Saint-Luc, in the shape of a competition. The participants had to apply their theoretical knowledge and they had to build a mini heating installation with the help of the RIDGID Pressing Tools. The winners of the competition received RIDGID tools as gifts. 

• We ended the year with a School Competition Event which took place at our European Training Centre in Sint-Truiden, Belgium. The event had two main parts which challenged the participants’ attention to detail, and their technical skills as well. While the first part tested the theoretical knowledge with a multiple-question quiz, the second part focused on hands-on activities which involved RIDGID tools, of course. Next to the winners of the competition, all the participants received nice RIDGID gifts. You can find more details about the event by accessing this link. 

RP115 & The ImPRESSive Campaign

One of the most important products of 2023 was definitely the RP115 Press Tool. With a weight of only 1,3 kg and length of 33 cm, the new RP 115 micro-pressing tool offers best-in-class tool ergonomics and balance for the easiest and most comfortable pressing experience.

The RP115 became popular very quickly and it has been named „little beast” by some of our customers. We totally understand why. 😊

The RP115 completes the RIDGID Pressing category. The full line of RIDGID Press Tools is suitable for various applications while offering adaptability on every job. Therefore, in 2023 we introduced our customers to the imPRESSive range of highly innovative press tools and press jaws. 🙌

K9-12 FlexShaft Machine & Brains For Drains Campaign

In the fight against pipe blockages, RIDGID is always winning. 

Another product highlight of 2023 was K9-12, the most compact version of the FlexShaft Drain Cleaning Machines. It features a lightweight and portable design, perfect for 1 1/4" - 2" (32 to 50 mm) pipes and it quickly became a must in every drain cleaner’s van. 

2023 ended with the Brains for Drains campaign, an initiative that introduced our customers to smart and customized solutions for every messy situation that may happen. 

Once again, thanks for you support and engagement you offered us during 2023. 2024 started strong, we can’t wait to see what it has to offer! 

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