Walk into any Home Depot and you’ll see it. That sea of "acid green" (or lime, depending on who you ask) staring back at you from the power tool aisle. Ryobi is everywhere. It’s the brand your neighbor uses to build a birdhouse and the one you probably bought because the 18V ONE+ battery fits about 300 different things.
But if you flip a drill over and look at the fine print, you won’t see a factory address in Japan.
Honestly, the story of who makes Ryobi tools is a bit of a corporate soap opera. Most people think Ryobi is just a Japanese company. They aren't totally wrong, but they aren't right either. If you’re buying a Ryobi impact driver in the US, Canada, or Europe, it wasn’t made by the original Ryobi Limited in Japan.
It was made by a massive conglomerate called Techtronic Industries (TTI).
The TTI Umbrella: One Giant To Rule Them All
So, who is TTI? They are a Hong Kong-based powerhouse that basically owns the modern tool world. If you want to understand the DNA of your Ryobi circular saw, you have to look at its siblings.
TTI doesn't just make Ryobi. They own Milwaukee Tool. They own Hoover. They own Dirt Devil. They even manufacture the Ridgid power tools you see sitting right next to Ryobi on the shelf (though Emerson Electric technically owns the Ridgid brand name).
Here is the kicker: because TTI owns both Milwaukee and Ryobi, there is a lot of shared "brain power" between the two. Does that mean a $79 Ryobi drill is the same as a $250 Milwaukee Fuel? No. Definitely not. But it does mean the engineers in South Carolina and Hong Kong are often working under the same roof.
Where is the stuff actually built?
You’ll hear people swear that Ryobi is "made in America" because TTI has a massive footprint in Anderson and Greenville, South Carolina. It’s true that TTI has invested hundreds of millions into US facilities. They have a giant distribution center in Liberty, SC, and they do some assembly and manufacturing there.
However, the vast majority of Ryobi’s global production happens in:
- China: The lion's share of manufacturing.
- Vietnam: TTI has been moving a lot of production here lately to diversify.
- Mexico: Mostly for certain outdoor power equipment components.
It’s a global shell game. A tool might be designed in the US, use components from China, and get boxed up in Vietnam. That's just how the 2026 supply chain works.
The "Two Ryobis" Problem
This is where it gets confusing. If you go to Japan today, you can still buy Ryobi tools. But they look different. They are often dark blue or teal, and they feel... heavier.
That’s because Ryobi Limited (the original Japanese company founded in 1943) actually sold off its power tool business years ago. They decided to focus on die-casting for the car industry and printing presses.
In North America and Europe, TTI bought the rights to use the Ryobi name. But in Japan, the power tool division was eventually sold to Kyocera Corporation in 2018.
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Key Fact: If you see a Ryobi tool in a Japanese hardware store, it’s a Kyocera product. If you see it in a Home Depot, it’s a TTI product. They share a name, a history, and a logo, but they have zero financial connection today.
Why the Home Depot Monopoly?
You’ve probably noticed you can’t buy Ryobi at Lowe’s or Amazon (unless it's a third-party reseller). This isn't an accident.
TTI and Home Depot have one of the tightest "exclusive" partnerships in retail history. By keeping Ryobi exclusively at Home Depot, TTI gets massive shelf space and marketing support. In exchange, Home Depot gets a brand that brings people back to the store every time they need a new battery.
It’s a "walled garden" strategy. Once you buy two Ryobi batteries, you’re basically a customer for life because switching to DeWalt or Makita would mean throwing away your investment.
Is Ryobi Just "Cheap Milwaukee"?
I get asked this all the time. "If the same company makes both, why is Milwaukee so much more expensive?"
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It comes down to the internals.
- Motors: Milwaukee uses higher-grade brushless motors with more copper and better heat management.
- Electronics: The "RedLink" tech in Milwaukee handles much higher stress than the boards inside a standard Ryobi.
- Materials: Ryobi uses more glass-filled nylon (plastic) where Milwaukee might use magnesium or high-grade steel.
Think of it like cars. Toyota makes both the Corolla and the Lexus LS. They share some bolts and maybe a radio knob, but they are built for very different jobs. Ryobi is the Corolla. It’s reliable, it’s affordable, and it’ll get you to work every day. Milwaukee is the heavy-duty work truck built to live on a job site 60 hours a week.
The Surprise Quality Shift
Interestingly, Ryobi has been "punching up" lately. Their HP (High Performance) line is starting to blur the lines. These tools use brushless motors and better tech that looks suspiciously like the previous generation of Milwaukee tools.
It’s a smart business move. As Milwaukee moves into "ultra-pro" territory with MX Fuel, Ryobi is filling the gap for the "Pro-sumer"—the guy who isn't a full-time contractor but wants more than just a basic DIY drill.
What You Should Do Next
If you’re looking to buy into the Ryobi ecosystem, don't worry about the "Made in China" label or the TTI ownership. It’s actually a strength. Because TTI is so huge, the Ryobi 18V ONE+ platform is one of the safest bets in the industry. They’ve promised never to change the battery shape, meaning a battery you buy in 2026 will still work on a tool from 1996.
Your Action Plan:
- Check the Model: If you’re doing more than hanging pictures, look for the PBL (Brushless) prefix on Ryobi tools. They are made by the same TTI teams that design Milwaukee, and the quality jump is massive.
- Warranty Tip: Since TTI handles the repairs, you often have to go through a TTI-authorized service center. Keep your Home Depot receipts!
- Avoid the "Fakes": Because Ryobi is so popular, there are tons of "knock-off" batteries on sites like eBay. These are NOT made by TTI and can literally melt your tools. Stick to the official green batteries.
Ryobi isn't the "cheap" brand it was 20 years ago. It’s a massive, globally-engineered machine backed by the biggest player in the game. Just know that when you trigger that drill, you’re holding a piece of a Hong Kong empire.