White Rock’s Rolf Effertz says he created a product that falls within the “Why didn’t I think of that?” category.
Effertz told Peace Arch News last week that he created the world’s first dual drive impact-rated bit that features a Robertson drive on one end and a Phillips drive on the other.
“If you’re driving screws in Canada… 50 per cent of the time they’re Robertson and 50 per cent of the time they’re Philips. This was a problem solving solution to that problem,” Effertz said, who owns Preferred Industrial, based out of Richmond.
Sales of the new bit has exceeded their expectations, Effertz added.
Reversible bits aren’t new, Effertz said, but the combination of Robertson and Phillips “is pretty unique.”
“The #2 Phillips and #2 Robertson are the most common, so it was logical to bring to market a “dual drive” double ended quick release bit that you use in an power screw drive machine, something that you just flip over to keep working,” Effertz emailed to PAN.
Preferred Industrial clients include hospitals, school boards, BC Ferry’s, municipalities and universities. However, Effertz said, this particular product “crosses so many boundaries.”
“The PHLiPBiT goes far beyond your professional maintenance person.”
Effertz said he and his two sons came up with the idea while they were “just trying to figure out a better way to solve a common problem.”
“We didn’t invent the Robertson or the square drive. We didn’t invent Phillips, but what we invented is the whole combination of the two drivers. I’d use the word invented loosely, it’s more of a creation.”
The name PHLiPBiT is a play on words, derived from FlipBit, he added.
More information on Preferred Industrial can be found here.