DieHard

Master Licensee

DieHard revolutionized the automotive battery category when it launched in 1967, and has continued to be a leader in the category. In 2019, The DieHard brand was pivoting to expand into new categories to take advantage of being a strong, 50 year old iconic American brand. As DieHard publicly unveiled new category partnerships and a new brand message, “For unrivaled performance, at home, on the road or on the go, Power Ahead with DieHard®”, change was coming.

In December 2019, Advance Auto Parts, Inc. acquired the DieHard brand from Transformco. Nevertheless, Transformco retains key rights to the DieHard brand through license and supply arrangements with Advance Auto Parts. Transformco will continue to sell DieHard brand batteries through its existing channels pursuant to a supply agreement with Advance. Transformco also has an exclusive royalty-free, perpetual license to develop, market, and sell DieHard branded products in non-automotive categories. Advance Auto Parts’ acquisition of this iconic American brand will complement Transformco’s plans to introduce new DieHard products in non-automotive categories such as sporting goods, lawn and garden, authentic workwear and other exciting new categories.

How was the brand name born? Sears designed the DieHard automotive battery to produce 35 percent more usable starting power than other similar batteries. Featuring a revolutionary tough, thin-walled case of translucent polypropylene plastic, which was 50 percent thinner than conventional black rubber-type battery enclosures, the design's extra room meant bigger plates, more acid and extra starting power. During testing, not a single failure was reported in over 26,000 starts in temperatures ranging from sub-zero to more than 100 degrees, hence the name "DieHard."