SWEPT TOGETHER; Hoover, Dirt Devil standoff dissolves as a single owner bonds the two and readies to refocus the brands.

Crain's Cleveland Business, March, 2007

Byline: JOHN BOOTH Theirs is a brand rivalry with Northeast Ohio roots stretching back nearly a century. But now that Hoover and Dirt Devil are corporate siblings, their newly named parent company must get the iconic vacuum cleaner brands to play nice in the same room. "This isn't about reinvention.

This is about refocusing,'' said Dave Schiever, vice president of marketing for TTI Floor Care North America, which officially was formed Jan. 31 when Techtronic Industries Co. of Hong Kong finalized its $107 million purchase of Hoover Co. from Whirlpool Corp. "Over the next few months, our immediate attention is establishing that clear and distinct position for both of those brands,'' Mr. Schiever said. Techtronic bought Dirt Devil maker Royal Appliance...

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