search
cart
facebook instagram twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • PRODUCTS
  • CONTRACTORS
    • BATH & KITCHEN PRO
    • BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
    • HIGH EFFICIENCY HOMES
    • TECHNOLOGY
    • WATER TREATMENT
    • PMC COLUMNS
      • Dave Yates: Contractor’s Corner
      • John Siegenthaler: Hydronics Workshop
      • Kenny Chapman: The Blue Collar Coach
      • Matt Michel: Service Plumbing Pros
      • Scott Secor: Heating Perceptions
  • ENGINEERS
    • CONTINUING EDUCATION
    • DECARBONIZATION | ELECTRIFICATION
    • FIRE PROTECTION
    • GEOTHERMAL | SOLAR THERMAL
    • PIPING | PLUMBING | PVF
    • PME COLUMNS
      • Christoph Lohr: Strategic Plumbing Insights
      • David Dexter: Plumbing Talking Points
      • James Dipping: Engineer Viewpoints
      • John Seigenthaler: Renewable Heating Design
      • Lowell Manalo: Plumbing Essentials
      • Misty Guard: Guard on Compliance
  • RADIANT & HYDRONICS
    • RADIANT COMFORT REPORT
    • THE GLITCH & THE FIX
  • INSIGHTS
    • CODES
    • GREEN PLUMBING & MECHANICAL
    • PROJECT PROFILES
    • COLUMNS
      • Codes Corner
      • Natalie Forster: Editorial Opinion
      • Guest Editorial
    • SPONSOR INSIGHTS
  • MEDIA
    • PODCASTS
    • VIDEOS
    • WEBINARS
  • RESOURCES
    • INDUSTRY CALENDAR
    • DIRECTORIES
    • EBOOKS
    • PM BOOKSTORE
    • CE CENTER
    • MARKET RESEARCH
    • CLASSIFIEDS
  • EMAGAZINE
    • EMAGAZINE
    • ARCHIVE ISSUES
    • CONTACT
    • ADVERTISE
    • PME EMAGAZINE ARCHIVES
  • SIGN UP!
ColumnsNatalie Forster: Editorial Opinion

Editor's Note

Nicole Krawcke: The age of innovation

These aren’t your father’s cordless tools.

By Nicole Krawcke
Hilti Nuron reveal demo

Hilti employees demonstrate the increased performance of the new Nuron battery platform during a race.

February 10, 2022

Last October, I was one of about 30 media professionals and social media influencers who got to take a top secret trip to Switzerland and Liechtenstein. No joke – I had to sign a nondisclosure agreement ensuring I wouldn’t say, write or post any content until after the embargo lifted last month. In fact, the trip was so hush-hush, Hilti wouldn’t even tell us why they were bringing us all to Europe. All we knew was that there would be some big new product announcement. I love a good mystery, so my interest was definitely piqued. So I hopped on a plane and made my first solo trip to Europe.

Hilti planned a detailed, multi-day agenda that included a walking tour of Chur, the oldest town in Switzerland, dating back to roughly 11,000 BC, and a trip up Mt. Chäserrugg via gondola lift for brunch, meet Michèle Frey-Hilti and learn about the Hilti Foundation and their areas of focus. Then we got down to business. We were shuttled to Verrucano Mels, where Ruedi Wagner, head of open technology innovation and robotics at the Hilti Group, and Andres Bong, head of corporate research and technology for Hilti, discussed the company’s commitment to innovation. Then we were led inside a theatre for the big reveal.


Hilti’s Innovation Experience
During Hilti’s Innovation Experience, trade media and social media influencers were invited to try the new Nuron platform of tools, including the TE 2000-22 cordless jackhammer.

Introducing Nuron

Hilti announced the introduction of Nuron, a new 22V battery platform that will power all of its cordless power tools going forward. Launching more than 70 newly redesigned tools, the battery platform enables the smallest drills and drivers all the way up to heavy-duty applications which were once restricted to corded, gas-powered or higher voltage battery systems. Added bonus — all the battery packs and chargers work interchangeably under a single ecosystem to help reduce complexity for tool cribs and the cost for contracting business owners.

“This is a very special day,” noted Christoph Loos, CEO, Hilti Group. “Innovation is part of our DNA, but never before have we launched more than 70 tools at once.”

Loos credited the impressive feat to the Nuron battery platform, which ensures higher performance and longer operating times by allowing a significantly higher power transfer, helping customers meet tight deadlines.

With Nuron’s interchangeability, contractors can run the entire tool group with just a few batteries, thereby saving money. That’s always important for contracting business owners.

Additionally, Nuron delivers increased cordless performance. More power and performance allowed Hilti to add new cordless tools — such as the TE 2000-22 cordless jackhammer — into its portfolio that were previously unthinkable, noted Johannes Huber, executive vice president, diamond tools and accessories, for Hilti. The hammer runs on two of the higher amp-hour Nuron batteries and weighs only 38 pounds. “We innovated the heat management system of the battery packs and developed a new interface from the batter to the tool that allows it to draw more than 100 amps out of the batteries.”


BNP Media employees pose for a picture with Hilti Group Chairman Michael Hilti.
BNP Media employees pose for a picture with Hilti Group Chairman Michael Hilti. From left to right: Jill Bloom, publisher of Walls & Ceilings, Michael Hilti, Hannah Belloli, associate editor of Walls & Ceilings, and Nicole Krawcke, chief editor of Plumbing & Mechanical.

I personally had the chance to try out several tools on the new Nuron platform, including the cordless jackhammer and the NPR-24-22 press tool, which presses copper and steel pipes up to 1 1/4 inch, and plastic pipes up to 1 1/2 inch. The NPR-24-22 features improved pipe connection reliability via a pressure sensor to prevent jaw retraction until the specified force has been reached, and audiovisual signals warn the operator of errors. It also presses faster — Hilti noted — in just four seconds and then auto-retracts to help save time on every single pipe connection. It was so easy, even I could do it! Check out the video below to see the NPR-24-22 in action.

Interchangeability and performance are important features for contractors, no doubt. But if you ask me, the real game-changer in this new platform is the data and analytics. All Nuron tools generate data, which is then stored on the Nuron batteries and sent securely to the cloud during every charge without any operator interaction. The keywords there are “without any operator interaction.” So technicians just continue to operate as usual, without any added steps. The data collected includes information such as tool usage, tool utilization, charging location and battery state-of-health. This information can then be used to alert individuals if action is needed immediately or can be accessed on-demand as required and is available on mobile and desktop via Hilti’s ON!Track software platform.

“With Nuron, we remove the biggest hurdle in the power tool industry for IoT,” said Michael Neidow, executive vice president, tool services and software, Hilti Group. “With our solution, our customers can keep working the way they work, and the data is sent to the cloud. With that, the question becomes, what do we do with the data? The first answer is we take our service to the next level. We have predictive analytics built into our batteries. Once we know the battery is about to go bad, we proactively exchange this battery for a new one with our customers before they even know they would have had a problem. The second answer is tool crib optimization. Customers will see all the idle tools, which they can bring back to productive work, and they will have access to tool usage data and respective benchmarking analytics, which they can then use to make more informed decisions. We manage the tools of the customers so they can focus on running their businesses.”



And last, but certainly not least, the redesigned Nuron batteries are more durable, including a new, robust fiberglass-reinforced housing and external shock-absorbing bumpers which provide extra protection even in the toughest conditions, Hilti noted. And, the electronics are fully sealed to protect against moisture, dust and other jobsite contaminants.

Ted Przybylowicz, executive vice president, fastening and protection, Hilti Group, noted that Hilti not only endeavored to extend its health and safety technologies into the Nuron platform, but raised the bar on health and safety to “new levels.” All of the new tools that produce dust are compatible with Hilti’s OSHA Table 1-compliant Dust Removal Systems, which also run on Nuron batteries; Active Vibration Reduction is available on all Nuron tools and Active Torque Control technology is featured on many of them as well.

“With this new platform, we are confident that we are ready for the future,” Przybylowicz said.

Hilti plans to bring all of its existing cordless tools over to the Nuron battery platform. Nuron products are available now in the U.S. and Canada, with a global rollout to continue throughout the year.

The plumbing industry is constantly innovating, and it’s exciting to see more and more tools entering the IoT space in this data-driven era. The analytics contractors receive will truly help them optimize their businesses and manage technicians and time spent on projects in the field.


Editor’s Note: Traveling internationally during a global pandemic is incredibly difficult and stressful. I’d like to give a special shout out to Danielle Wilson, Hilti’s public relations manager for brand and digital marketing. Danielle, with the help of her team, planned for every possible outcome, answered a ridiculous amount of silly emailed questions, relayed ever-changing COVID-19 protocols, ensured everything went smoothly and made it look (almost) effortless! Thank you for all the hard work you put in to take care of all of us!

Photos courtesy of Hilti.

KEYWORDS: contractors cordless tools data and analytics plumbing tools tools

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Nicole krawcke 2024

Nicole Krawcke is the former Chief Editor of Plumbing & Mechanical and PM Engineer magazines. She covered the HVAC and plumbing industries for BNP Media. She has more than 15 years of writing and editing experience and holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Michigan State University.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Worker using the Milwaukee Tool SWITCH PACK drain cleaner

    Pipeline profits: Drain cleaning, pipe inspection create opportunities

    Drain cleaning and inspection services offer lucrative...
    Plumbing News
    By: Nicole Krawcke
  • Uponor employee, Arturo Moreno

    The reinvestment in American manufacturing and training

    Plumbing & Mechanical Chief Editor Nicole Krawcke and...
    Plumbing News
    By: Nicole Krawcke and Natalie Forster
  • March 2024 Women in Plumbing hero image of woman engineer overlayed by circle of hexagon shapes with numbers from 1 to 10

    Celebrating 10 Influential Women in the Plumbing Industry

    Celebrating Women's History Month and Women in...
    Plumbing News
    By: Nicole Krawcke
Subscribe For Free!
  • eNewsletters
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service
  • eMagazine
  • Manage My Preferences

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Plumbing & Mechanical audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Plumbing & Mechanical or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • J.J. Keller CMV vehicles on road
    Sponsored byJ. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.

    The dash cam game-changer for small business safety

Popular Stories

Underfloor heating installation with drain sewer hole in bathroom close up on water floor heating.

Using hydronics to leverage time-of-use electrical rates

Watts Nexa mobile image

Behind the Wall: Where smart plumbing gets smarter

Six tankless water heaters that feed the nutraceutical manufacturer’s operations.

How to deliver large volumes of hot water quickly and intermittently

PMCE Home-X April 29 Free Webinar: From Legacy to Leadership: Preparing Your Home Services Business for the Next Generation

Events

November 13, 2024

Future Proofing MEP: Navigating the 2026 High Efficiency Water Heating Standards

Join our deep dive into DOE’s new standards so you can future-proof your MEP practice.

EARN: 0.1 ASPE CEU; 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 IACET CEU*; 1 PDH

View All Submit An Event

Poll

Will business be up or down in 2025?

Do you anticipate business in 2025 to be up or down in comparison to 2024?
View Results Poll Archive

Products

The Water Came To A Stop

The Water Came To A Stop

See More Products

Download the FREE Water Conservation, Quality & Safety eBook: Plumbing Trends Increasing Safe Water Availability

Related Articles

  • Nicole Krawcke

    Nicole Krawcke: Light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel?

    See More
  • The art of the upsell

    Nicole Krawcke: The art of the upsell

    See More
  • training the next generation of plumbers

    Nicole Krawcke: Industry focuses on training the next generation of plumbers

    See More
×

Keep your content unclogged with our newsletters!

Stay in the know on the latest plumbing & piping industry trends.

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
    • Supply House Times
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing