Sheer madness. No improvements, enhancements, value-added add-ons, the dollar doing well against most all European currencies (so I've been told - I am not a global currency specialist), and yet for the same old stuff, we have the opportunity to pay even more - I DON"T THINK SO! After investing almost $20K (USD) in Festool stuff, I have now found better (equal quality, lower cost) tools and consumables, except for DE bags - so that's where my $ will go. Greed is the only possible explanation, and I refuse to support greed.
All this may sound like I don't like my Festools - wrong, I do, and use them every time I am in my shop. Having said that, I think it is patently absurd, given the status of the global economy to pay more today for a tool, say a TS75, than what I did 5 or so years ago when I got my TS75 - it hasn't been improved nor enhanced over these past years, and given exchange rates, it should cost no more, in USD, to manufacture it today that it did 5 years back - certainly not 4 or 5 years worth of price increases.
And back to the DE bags, if anyone knows of a non-Festool alternative, please let me know.
DrD