Makita filed a new trademark application for the XGT mark (serial no. 88300056). We emailed Makita USA two weeks ago, asking when details might be available, but they never got back to us.
At this time, we don’t know much except what the trademark application describes. Makita includes the following in their application:
Electrically powered tools and machines including cordless power tools, namely, band saws, belt sanders, bench grinders, blowers, breakers, caulking gun, chain saws, circular saws, combination hammers, compound miter saws, concrete vibrators, cut-off machines, cut-out tools, cutters, demolition hammers, die grinders, disc grinders, disc sanders, drill presses, drills, driver drills, drywall screwdrivers, flip over saws, grass shears, grass trimmers, grinders, groove cutters, hammer drills, hammer driver drills, hedge trimmers, high pressure washers, hole punchers, impact drivers, impact wrenches, jig saws, jointers, lawn mowers, metal cutters, metal cutting saws, miter saws, mixers, multi tools, nibblers, oil-impulse drivers, orbital sanders, pin nailers, planers, plate jointers, polishers, pruning shears, rebar tying tool, reciprocating saws, robotic cleaners, rotary hammers, routers, sanders, scrapers, screwdrivers, shear wrenches, shears, slide compound saws, sprayers, staplers, steel rod cutters, string trimmers, trimmers, vacuum cleaners, wall chasers, water pumps, wheel sanders, and parts, fittings, and parts, fittings, and accessories for all of the aforesaid.
There’s another category described in Makita’s XGT application:
Batteries, battery chargers, electrical adapters, loudspeakers, radio receivers, television receivers, and parts, fittings, and accessories therefor.
Trademarks are usually have broad descriptions, and so what they encompass cannot be taken as specific indication of what the mark will relate to.
Right now, Makita has a 12V Max CXT line of compact cordless power tools, and 18V LXT cordless power tools. From their website, the 18V X2, brushless, compact, sub-compact, and power equipment product categories are also included in the 18V LXT cordless system. Thus, there is the new 12V CXT system, and the 18V LXT system.
The Makita XGT mark seems to apply to a wide range of tools already covered by their 18V platform.
We don’t have much to go on, and so right now all we can do is guess. If I’m left to guess, I would think there are two potential options.
- XGT might be a complementary technology, such as a new series of higher performing battery packs built with larger form factor Li-ion cells, similar to Milwaukee’s M18 HD and HO battery technology, or Bosch’s CORE18V.
- XGT might be a new and distinct cordless system that stands apart from their 18V LXT product catalog, perhaps similar to Dewalt’s FlexVolt cordless power tool platform, or Metabo HPT’s MultiVolt system.
Makita’s 18V X2 cordless power tools are quite capable and powerful, and also very popular. But, Makita users have been asking us – when will Makita come out with higher capacity battery packs, such as 8.0Ah? Perhaps we’ll find out when XGT – or whatever tools or technologies it refers to – hits the market.
Do you think that Makita XGT can be something other than we guessed? For instance, do you think it XGT will perhaps relate to a new line of more affordable cordless power tools aimed at international markets where there are growing demands and user needs?
