I've been getting RFQs from companies I've never heard of, and for good
quantities. None of my competitors have gone under nor are any in deep
trouble that I know of. I get the buzz that Chinese imports are being
displaced by domestic products. I'm not sure what has upset the balance.
Meanwhile, I've actually had to hire another new employee to catch up on
repair work and other non-production tasks. I started him with the
understanding that the job would only be for a month but I'd like to be able
to keep him, he has a good work ethic.

On Wed, 18 Mar 2009 22:23:55 -0400, "Buerste" wrote:

I've been getting RFQs from companies I've never heard of, and for good
quantities. None of my competitors have gone under nor are any in deep
trouble that I know of. I get the buzz that Chinese imports are being
displaced by domestic products. I'm not sure what has upset the balance.
Meanwhile, I've actually had to hire another new employee to catch up on
repair work and other non-production tasks. I started him with the
understanding that the job would only be for a month but I'd like to be able
to keep him, he has a good work ethic.


My neighbor works to make a key part for the hard disk that goes in
your P.C. They had a big layoff. But now business is picking up and
they can't keep up. A little story like this tells a lot. Business
stopped until inventory was sold off. Now manufacturing has to ramp up
to refill pipelines.

Karl

"Karl Townsend" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 18 Mar 2009 22:23:55 -0400, "Buerste" wrote:

I've been getting RFQs from companies I've never heard of, and for good
quantities. None of my competitors have gone under nor are any in deep
trouble that I know of. I get the buzz that Chinese imports are being
displaced by domestic products. I'm not sure what has upset the balance.
Meanwhile, I've actually had to hire another new employee to catch up on
repair work and other non-production tasks. I started him with the
understanding that the job would only be for a month but I'd like to be
able
to keep him, he has a good work ethic.


My neighbor works to make a key part for the hard disk that goes in
your P.C. They had a big layoff. But now business is picking up and
they can't keep up. A little story like this tells a lot. Business
stopped until inventory was sold off. Now manufacturing has to ramp up
to refill pipelines.

Karl


My biggest customer sold-off their safety stock and stripped their shelves.
I kept producing and packed this place to the gunnels with product for them.
They called in a panic for stuff, imagine that!

My biggest customer sold-off their safety stock and stripped their
shelves.
I kept producing and packed this place to the gunnels with product for
them. They called in a panic for stuff, imagine that!

I can see the bean counters never got to you with Just in Time, Lean
Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kiasan, or whatever other name they used for
flavor of the month training.

You didn't just sit there and just focus on making a quality product did
you?VBG

Buerste wrote:
I've been getting RFQs from companies I've never heard of, and for good
quantities.

Don't celebrate too much until you start
making parts. I'm on the other side of
the fence and I've been busy rebidding
many of my parts because I don't seem to
be getting a fair shake from my long-time
vendors. I ask them for a rebid because
AL is cheap again and the part comes back
25% higher anyway.

That said, I'll take any good news. It's
good to stay busy.

None of my competitors have gone under nor are any in deep
trouble that I know of. I get the buzz that Chinese imports are being
displaced by domestic products. I'm not sure what has upset the balance.
Meanwhile, I've actually had to hire another new employee to catch up on
repair work and other non-production tasks. I started him with the
understanding that the job would only be for a month but I'd like to be able
to keep him, he has a good work ethic.

"Karl Townsend" wrote in message
anews.com...

My biggest customer sold-off their safety stock and stripped their
shelves.
I kept producing and packed this place to the gunnels with product for
them. They called in a panic for stuff, imagine that!

I can see the bean counters never got to you with Just in Time, Lean
Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kiasan, or whatever other name they used for
flavor of the month training.

You didn't just sit there and just focus on making a quality product did
you?VBG


Demming is a god!

"Jim Stewart" wrote in message
...
Buerste wrote:
I've been getting RFQs from companies I've never heard of, and for good
quantities.

Don't celebrate too much until you start
making parts. I'm on the other side of
the fence and I've been busy rebidding
many of my parts because I don't seem to
be getting a fair shake from my long-time
vendors. I ask them for a rebid because
AL is cheap again and the part comes back
25% higher anyway.

That said, I'll take any good news. It's
good to stay busy.

None of my competitors have gone under nor are any in deep
trouble that I know of. I get the buzz that Chinese imports are being
displaced by domestic products. I'm not sure what has upset the balance.
Meanwhile, I've actually had to hire another new employee to catch up on
repair work and other non-production tasks. I started him with the
understanding that the job would only be for a month but I'd like to be
able to keep him, he has a good work ethic.

I often get the same RFQ from three or four companies. I know who makes
what, and customers don't. A large part of my business is to competitors.

On Wed, 18 Mar 2009 22:23:55 -0400, "Buerste" wrote:

I've been getting RFQs from companies I've never heard of, and for good
quantities. None of my competitors have gone under nor are any in deep
trouble that I know of. I get the buzz that Chinese imports are being
displaced by domestic products. I'm not sure what has upset the balance.
Meanwhile, I've actually had to hire another new employee to catch up on
repair work and other non-production tasks. I started him with the
understanding that the job would only be for a month but I'd like to be able
to keep him, he has a good work ethic.

I introduced a lower-cost version of my primary product last November
and have been out straight ever since. My first Quarter ending March
31 will be the best in 11 years. One thing that has been different is
the new product is lighter and cheaper to ship, and my export orders
have shot way up, to about a third of Sales. EU, Scandinavia, Pacific
Rim.
My competitors, who make higher priced products are hurting badly. One
of them just announced PRICE INCREASES! In this economy, that is not
an advertisement, that is a suicide note.

My dealers are very happy. UPS is happy. Birds are singing. I am
tired all the time and working long days, 7 days a week. The South
Bend is singing opera. If this keeps going I will not have to start
eating the plump squirrells at the bird feeder after all.
I can't believe I am in a good mood after seeing the wreckage of my
401(k) recently, but screw it. I am too busy making money to care.

On Mar 18, 8:23*pm, "Buerste" wrote:
I've been getting RFQs from companies I've never heard of, and for good
quantities. *None of my competitors have gone under nor are any in deep
trouble that I know of. *I get the buzz that Chinese imports are being
displaced by domestic products. *I'm not sure what has upset the balance.
Meanwhile, I've actually had to hire another new employee to catch up on
repair work and other non-production tasks. *I started him with the
understanding that the job would only be for a month but I'd like to be able
to keep him, he has a good work ethic.

Well I am glad to hear the good news from everyone.

So who is buying your product when all indicators show that spending
is down?

TMT

"Buerste" wrote:

I've been getting RFQs from companies I've never heard of, and for good
quantities. None of my competitors have gone under nor are any in deep
trouble that I know of. I get the buzz that Chinese imports are being
displaced by domestic products. I'm not sure what has upset the balance.
Meanwhile, I've actually had to hire another new employee to catch up on
repair work and other non-production tasks. I started him with the
understanding that the job would only be for a month but I'd like to be able
to keep him, he has a good work ethic.


We had a firm in that makes induction heaters. They were evalutating ours and are going
to quote new tooling so we can repurpose it. They said a lot of customers are bringing
out old mothballed equipment to use again. Money is still tight but it is being spent
very carefully.

In the past times, we would have just bought one tailored to our needs. Now we try to
re-use old assets.

Sounds like your customers held off as long as they could and now are buying. At some
point, there is no other choice.



Wes

"Jim Stewart" wrote in message
...
Buerste wrote:
I've been getting RFQs from companies I've never heard of, and for good
quantities.

Don't celebrate too much until you start
making parts. I'm on the other side of
the fence and I've been busy rebidding
many of my parts because I don't seem to
be getting a fair shake from my long-time
vendors. I ask them for a rebid because
AL is cheap again and the part comes back
25% higher anyway.

That said, I'll take any good news. It's
good to stay busy.

None of my competitors have gone under nor are any in deep
trouble that I know of. I get the buzz that Chinese imports are being
displaced by domestic products. I'm not sure what has upset the balance.
Meanwhile, I've actually had to hire another new employee to catch up on
repair work and other non-production tasks. I started him with the
understanding that the job would only be for a month but I'd like to be
able to keep him, he has a good work ethic.

What kind of AL are you buying, and where are you?

On Fri, 20 Mar 2009 18:39:12 -0400, Wes wrote:

Sounds like your customers held off as long as they could and now are buying. At some
point, there is no other choice.

I took a long shot and bought a lot of equipment, tooling, and raw
materials at the end of 2008 to get it into that tax year, where sales
had been listless. I lost sleep over it. But it did pay off when the
orders came rolling in and I got to keep the money, with all the
upfront paid off. Had I been wrong it would have been pretty dismal
looking at all the stuff sitting idle.
Not sure if I'd have the balls to do it again...We'll see how the year
turns out.

On Fri, 20 Mar 2009 09:17:12 -0400, the infamous Grunty Grogan
scrawled the following:

On Wed, 18 Mar 2009 22:23:55 -0400, "Buerste" wrote:

I've been getting RFQs from companies I've never heard of, and for good
quantities. None of my competitors have gone under nor are any in deep
trouble that I know of. I get the buzz that Chinese imports are being
displaced by domestic products. I'm not sure what has upset the balance.
Meanwhile, I've actually had to hire another new employee to catch up on
repair work and other non-production tasks. I started him with the
understanding that the job would only be for a month but I'd like to be able
to keep him, he has a good work ethic.

I introduced a lower-cost version of my primary product last November
and have been out straight ever since. My first Quarter ending March
31 will be the best in 11 years. One thing that has been different is
the new product is lighter and cheaper to ship, and my export orders
have shot way up, to about a third of Sales. EU, Scandinavia, Pacific
Rim.

Cool. Congrats on being able to pull that off. Is your deluxe
version still available, too? Considered a gilt version, just in case
the bankers and AIG management want some?


My competitors, who make higher priced products are hurting badly. One
of them just announced PRICE INCREASES! In this economy, that is not
an advertisement, that is a suicide note.

Not necessarily. If several of his competition businesses folded,
leaving a large vacuum, he can charge what he wants until that hole is
filled. It's how his customers react to those prices which determines
whether or not he stays in business after the competition comes back.


My dealers are very happy. UPS is happy. Birds are singing. I am
tired all the time and working long days, 7 days a week. The South
Bend is singing opera. If this keeps going I will not have to start
eating the plump squirrells at the bird feeder after all.
I can't believe I am in a good mood after seeing the wreckage of my
401(k) recently, but screw it. I am too busy making money to care.

1 Atta Boy comin' your way, Grunty.

--
Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Security does not exist in
nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding
danger is no safer in the long run than exposure.
-- Helen Keller

On Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:40:14 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

Cool. Congrats on being able to pull that off. Is your deluxe
version still available, too? Considered a gilt version, just in case
the bankers and AIG management want some?


There ARE people who wouild like to prepare neutron-activated ones for
that market.
Relax, they will not let me into the local nuke plant...

Because the metals prices have collapsed I have been able to roll back
my prices several years, so the original product is still very much
alive.

The new "Cheaper" one actually performed so well it took on a life of
its own and has its own following now. I cannot take credit for this.
I developed it out of desperation in response to the metals prices. It
was either that or shut down. My neccesary price increases drove the
price right up to the limit as to what the cusomers would pay, for the
original product .

I just did not expect the cheaper one to work as well as it did, and
introduced it low-key..."Of course it is not the premium product, but
it is easier to buy and easier to use." So no one expected much out
of it, and when it not only worked, but worked well, it hit the fan.

Hmm. Gotta try marketing more stuff like that. Maybe people were just
sick of everyone using all the superlatives and promising the world in
everything they advertised. How many times have we bought something
and had a HAPPY surprise, rather then the usual?

Usually it is like the damned pressure washer I bought last year...A
staked part in the ZINK housing fell off. There was hardly any metal
there to hold it in. The units is, as usual, thrown away.
There would be no point in even saying where it was made; We all know.

On Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:28:24 -0400, the infamous Grunty Grogan
scrawled the following:

On Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:40:14 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

Cool. Congrats on being able to pull that off. Is your deluxe
version still available, too? Considered a gilt version, just in case
the bankers and AIG management want some?


There ARE people who wouild like to prepare neutron-activated ones for
that market.
Relax, they will not let me into the local nuke plant...

Whew!


Because the metals prices have collapsed I have been able to roll back
my prices several years, so the original product is still very much
alive.

Cool. I was able to build enough profit into my glare guards that I
haven't had to raise prices on them, despite price increases on all of
its components over the last decade.


The new "Cheaper" one actually performed so well it took on a life of
its own and has its own following now. I cannot take credit for this.
I developed it out of desperation in response to the metals prices. It
was either that or shut down. My neccesary price increases drove the
price right up to the limit as to what the cusomers would pay, for the
original product .

I just did not expect the cheaper one to work as well as it did, and
introduced it low-key..."Of course it is not the premium product, but
it is easier to buy and easier to use." So no one expected much out
of it, and when it not only worked, but worked well, it hit the fan.

So, now you know how the Chinese do it! Take a perfectly good working
part and cut corners until it fails, then bump it up a notch.


Hmm. Gotta try marketing more stuff like that.

Trademark the PERFECTLY USABLE name?


Maybe people were just
sick of everyone using all the superlatives and promising the world in
everything they advertised. How many times have we bought something
and had a HAPPY surprise, rather then the usual?

That's precisely why I tried Harbor Freight tree-'n-an-arf decades
ago. Take the brand name away (and with it, the presumed value) and
you have a perfectly usable tool without the gawdawful price tag. But
marketing is "where it's at", as they say. Look at Thomp***'s Water
Seal. I feel that it's the worst product in the lineup, but we see
that it's also the #1 seller in the market. That's marketing at work.


Usually it is like the damned pressure washer I bought last year...A
staked part in the ZINK housing fell off. There was hardly any metal
there to hold it in. The units is, as usual, thrown away.
There would be no point in even saying where it was made; We all know.

What brand? Gas or eclectic?

--
Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Security does not exist in
nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding
danger is no safer in the long run than exposure.
-- Helen Keller

On Fri, 27 Mar 2009 06:24:51 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

Usually it is like the damned pressure washer I bought last year...A
staked part in the ZINK housing fell off. There was hardly any metal
there to hold it in. The units is, as usual, thrown away.
There would be no point in even saying where it was made; We all know.

What brand? Gas or eclectic?

ALL-POWER, electric, 1,800 PSI

Here is the label:

"Electricall High Pressure Washer
Mdel EHPW1800
(39971)
JiangSu JingRun Machinery Co., LTD

TRANSLATION:

"Red Dragon Noodle and Washer Factory"

Worked great. Four times.

I just bought a Karcher. The above unit is in the dumpster.

F*cking thing. Stay away from them.
I kept the hose and line cord.

The pressure switch was a huge spring opposed by a piston.
The spring was retained by 2mm of staked DIE CAST.
Assholes.
I feel like mailing them a photograph of the failure and a copy of
Shigley, so they could go back to Strength of Materials, but feel it
would be futile.

On Sat, 28 Mar 2009 08:13:58 -0400, the infamous Grunty Grogan
scrawled the following:

On Fri, 27 Mar 2009 06:24:51 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

Usually it is like the damned pressure washer I bought last year...A
staked part in the ZINK housing fell off. There was hardly any metal
there to hold it in. The units is, as usual, thrown away.
There would be no point in even saying where it was made; We all know.

What brand? Gas or eclectic?

ALL-POWER, electric, 1,800 PSI

Here is the label:

"Electricall High Pressure Washer
Mdel EHPW1800
(39971)
JiangSu JingRun Machinery Co., LTD

TRANSLATION:

"Red Dragon Noodle and Washer Factory"

Worked great. Four times.

I just bought a Karcher. The above unit is in the dumpster.

I researched them before buying my Karcher, with its Honda engine,
from Costco. I've yet to use it for the first time this second
season. (Hmm, the truck needs washing. Maybe I'll crank her up today.)


F*cking thing. Stay away from them.
I kept the hose and line cord.

The pressure switch was a huge spring opposed by a piston.
The spring was retained by 2mm of staked DIE CAST.
Assholes.

Yeah, the googling I did brought up the fact that the pumps went south
at the slightest wrong look, storage, or actual usage.


I feel like mailing them a photograph of the failure and a copy of
Shigley, so they could go back to Strength of Materials, but feel it
would be futile.

Yes, that would quite likely be futile.

--
Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Security does not exist in
nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding
danger is no safer in the long run than exposure.
-- Helen Keller