Sears inks new licensing agreements for two top brands

Sears Holdings is expanding the distribution of two of its iconic brands.



Cleva North America will manufacture vacuum cleaners and floor cleaning accessories under the Kenmore and Kenmore Elite brands. The company will be able to sell the products to retailers around the world.



Lighting products-maker Dorcy International, which already makes DieHard batteries and flashlights, will be able to manufacture an expanded range of products and sell them in more places under the new agreement. Dorcy's DieHard products will be distributed in the U.S., Puerto Rico, the Caribbean and Latin America and some locations in the South Pacific.



"Both of these agreements are examples of our expansion strategy to unleash the power of these iconic brands internationally," stated Tom Park, president of the Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard brands at Sears Holdings. “We will have direct and active involvement in building the business with our licensing partners and we're confident that both Cleva and Dorcy will maintain our high quality standards."



The new agreements are in line with Sears' recent moves to leverage its brands to generate more cash, including the sale of Craftsman to Stanley Black & Decker. Most recently, Sears started selling Kenmore products on Amazon.