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Milwaukee dropped a truckload of new tools, Stanley Black & Decker is putting $1B behind U.S. manufacturing and innovation, and even Meta needs millions of skilled trades Pros to build the AI future.
Plus, vote for your favorite Top 50 Unforgettable Home Service Brand Names for a chance to win a $1,000 Visa® gift card, watch teen campers learn the trades, upgrade your gas station lunch, score Wolverine work boots for $90, and see where Pros are showing up for Trades Thursday.
P.S. Are you marking up jobs enough? Run the numbers with this free calculator.
Table of contents
Industry News
Milwaukee just dropped a truckload of new tools
Pipeline 2026 just previewed dozens of new Milwaukee M18 and M12 tools—and there’s plenty to put on your wish list.
The headliner: the M18 FORGE 15Ah battery, Milwaukee’s most powerful M18 battery yet. It packs 50% more power than the HIGH OUTPUT 12Ah and can supercharge to 80% in just 25 minutes.
Also coming:
- A 3/4″ impact wrench cranking out 2,000 ft-lbs of nut-busting torque
- A 350-watt Top-Off that turns an M18 battery into a jobsite power supply
- A 30-quart PACKOUT fridge that runs off M18 batteries, AC power, or your truck’s 12V outlet
Stanley Black & Decker is putting $1B behind U.S. trades
The $1 billion investment will be split 50/50 between domestic manufacturing and new tool innovation. Plus, Stanley Black & Decker is working through a separate $60 million skilled-trades training commitment, with $27 million already gone out over the past three years.
Even Meta’s AI needs a whole lot of tradespeople
Turns out, building the AI future takes more than people behind laptops. Meta just struck a national deal with North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) to help build, staff, and maintain the data centers powering its AI push.
And this isn’t a small labor pool. NABTU represents 3+ million skilled trades Pros, runs more than 1,900 apprenticeship programs, and puts roughly $2 billion a year into training.
Trades Thursday is showing up nationwide
New York. Minneapolis. Denver. San Diego. On October 1, Pros across the country are getting together for Trades Thursday.
Regional events bring real talk from local Pros, free professional headshots, and a shot at a Milwaukee tool kit*. Local meetups? More laid-back. Show up, meet some fellow Pros, talk shop.
Free to attend. Open to every Pro.
*No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited.
Champion the Trades
Stories, shop talk, and field-tested tips, backing millions of Pros who keep the world running.
Not your typical summer camp
Forget kayaks and capture the flag. The Heavy Metal Summer Experience gives teens a free, hands-on look at the skilled trades—and a look at where those skills can take them. Launched in 2021, campers spend 30+ hours getting their hands dirty with sheet metal, piping, welding, and electrical work. But the real win comes after camp. HMSE connects grads with local apprenticeships and employers ready to hire, putting a debt-free path to a solid career within reach. Now that’s a summer well spent.
See the next generation of Pros in action >
Got a story or tip worth the spotlight?
Pro Perks
- Home Depot > Buy one Milwaukee Impact Wrench and get a free Hex Impact Driver or M18 battery pack.
- Wolverine > Score a pair of Durashocks for just $90 with code: DURASHOCKS
- Dickies > Summer sale—stock up on shirts under $20 and pants less than $30.
- The Tool Nut > Get $68 off a Makita Brushless Cordless Brad Nailer.
Stay compliant
Wildfire smoke on the jobsite? Have a plan
Smoke can put your crew at risk—even when the fire is miles away. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends taking steps to reduce exposure when smoke hits the work area.
Protect your crew:
- Check local air quality before and during outdoor jobs
- Reschedule or relocate work when smoke gets bad
- Give crews more breaks in smoke-free areas
- Consider N95 respirators for protection from airborne particles
Get NIOSH’s wildfire smoke rundown >
Recs
3 picks worth the click
- Vote for the most unforgettable name in the trades > Pick your favorite by September 7 for a chance to win a $1,000 Visa® gift card.
- Upgrade your gas station lunch > Sick of Doritos and Red Bull? Six chefs share the best gas station foods to reach for.
- Pack a cooler that packs down > Coleman’s collapsible cooler keeps lunch and drinks cold, then folds flat when you’re done to save space in your truck.
Job size snapshot
How are tickets trending in the trades? Watch this spot for how average job sizes compare to last year—what’s up, what’s down, and where the money’s moving.
Average job size change by industry:
- Carpet Cleaning: 5%
- Electrical: 4%
- Garage: 5%
- Handyman: 6%
- Home Cleaning: 5%
- HVAC: 6%
- Landscaping & Lawn: 6%
- Plumbing: 7%
- Other: 7%
This chart tracks average revenue per job across key trades using data from Housecall Pro businesses. We compare the past 28 days to the same period last year to spot trends in job size. Data includes all payment types (credit card, ACH, loans, cash, etc.), excluding service agreements.
