Although both Liftmaster and Craftsman are brands known for their garage door openers, there is some debate over whether or not Liftmaster is a subsidiary of Craftsman. In this article, we will explore the relationship between these two brands and try to answer the question once and for all.
Does Craftsman Own Liftmaster?
No, Craftsman does not own Liftmaster. Liftmaster is a division of Chamberlain Group, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Stanley Black & Decker.
Who is Chamberlain?
Chamberlain Group is a company owned by The Duchossois Group, since 1980 when they purchased the Chamberlain Manufacturing Corp. which is today the main division of the Chamberlain Group. Currently, Chamberlain Group has a presence, besides America, in Mexico, Canada, China, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and Germany.
Besides Chamberlain Manufacturing Cop. and their Chamberlain brand, the group is made of the manufacturing divisions or brands:
- LiftMaster,
- Raynor,
- Merlin,
- Grifco.
Along with these brands, the group is the owner of the Controlled Products System Group, the largest distributor of perimeter access control products in America. The LiftMaster and Raynor brands are dedicated to serving professional installers and developers with garage door openers and related products.
Chamberlain products are geared toward the consumer space and are available around the world. Merlin and Grifco brands are marketed in Australasian markets, primarily in Australia and New Zealand. The former is a specialized brand of residential automatic garage doors, while the latter is a manufacturer of commercial doors and gates.
Who is Craftsman?
Craftsman brand is best known for its line of tools founded as a store brand by Sears in 1927. Products sold under the Craftsman brand were available in both the Sears catalog and department stores. And some in their sister chain Kmart. In 2017 the brand was bought by Stanley Black; Decker Inc.
With the new owners of the brand, the manufacturing of many products was changed from Chamberlain to Guardian. Like all other Craftsman branded products, since the takeover of the brand by Stanley Black; Decker Inc. garage door openers are available at Lowe’s, Amazon, and other retail chains across the US.
Craftsman is a brand that is primarily targeting DIY people and consumers, and often is sold at much more affordable prices than the competitors.
So, Is a Liftmaster a Craftsman?
No, a Liftmaster is not a Craftsman. Liftmaster is a product line of the Chamberlain Group, while Craftsman is a brand owned by Stanley Black & Decker. Although both brands offer garage door openers and related products, they are geared toward different audiences. Craftsman products are typically more affordable and targeted at DIY consumers, while Liftmaster products are more expensive and aimed at professional installers and developers.
Who Makes Craftsman Garage Door Openers?
Craftsman garage door openers are currently produced by Guardian. And these models you can quickly recognize because their model numbers start with 200. The Sears Craftsman garage door openers were in the past produced by Chamberlain, but it has changed in 2018 when Guardian took over the manufacturing contract of Craftsman branded products.
Older models that were produced by Chamberlain are also easy to recognize by their model numbers. They start with 139. So, you can be certain only based on this fact which of these two companies has produced your garage door opener. Which should be very helpful if looking for replacement parts.
Who is Guardian?
Guardian Access Corp. or just Guardian for short is a multinational company that is specialized in Original Equipment Manufacturing (OEM) and Original Design Manufacturing (ODM) of garage door openers and other equipment related to these products. Its presence in the North American markets started in 2011 as a parts manufacturer for other companies.
They are a global company, with locations in China, Mexico, and the USA, with the US headquarters located in Richardson, Texas. Since 2018 they are the manufacturer of the Craftsman brand of garage door openers.
Since they took over the brand, they have started a new line of model numbers, to avoid confusion with the models built by the previous manufacturer, Chamberlain.
What Other Brands Are Linked to Craftsman?
When Sears owned the brand, DieHard was one of the other brands that were under their umbrella. DieHard is a line of car batteries and other automotive products. The DieHard name was first used by Sears in 1967 for their car batteries and has been used ever since.
The Craftsman name was also used on a line of lawn tractors that were manufactured by AYP, American Yard Products. These lawn tractors are no longer being produced.
There was also a line of Craftsman-branded snowblowers that were manufactured by Murray. However, these have also been discontinued.
Currently, the only other brand that is linked to Craftsman is Stanley Black & Decker, the current owner of the brand.
What is the Difference Between a Craftsman and a Liftmaster opener?
The main difference between a Craftsman and a Liftmaster opener is who makes them. Craftsman garage door openers are made by Guardian, while Liftmaster openers are made by Chamberlain.
Another difference between the two brands is that Craftsman products are typically more affordable and targeted at DIY consumers, while Liftmaster products are more expensive and aimed at professional installers and developers.
The Bottom Line
No, a Liftmaster is not a Craftsman. Liftmaster is a product line of the Chamberlain Group, while Craftsman is a brand owned by Stanley Black & Decker. Although both brands offer garage door openers and related products, they are geared toward different audiences.