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Dept store Quartermaster
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: I'm right here Tati
Posts: 19,858
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Thanks again and at the very least I see it's worth looking into further.
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Slumlord
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Canada
Posts: 4,983
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Lendaddy: A short hijack if you please.
If you could sell your business (or walk away), would you do so today?
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84 Cab - sold! 89 Cab - not quite done 90C4 - winter beater |
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Dept store Quartermaster
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: I'm right here Tati
Posts: 19,858
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Absolutely(though again this is not exactly my business).
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Slumlord
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Canada
Posts: 4,983
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That's what I figured. I'm about to try and do the same. Just making sure I wasn't crazy.
Back to our regularly schedule program...
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84 Cab - sold! 89 Cab - not quite done 90C4 - winter beater |
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Registered
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Cambridge, MA
Posts: 44,625
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What is your business?
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Slumlord
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Canada
Posts: 4,983
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Back to our unscheduled topic...
We make automated equipment/lines for automobile parts manufacturers. Big machines, custom design and build. Up to about $10M. If this is too general P.M. (hahaha I made a PorscheMonkey pun) me. I do not want to post too much info here.
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84 Cab - sold! 89 Cab - not quite done 90C4 - winter beater |
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Registered
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Long Beach CA, the sewer by the sea.
Posts: 38,013
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lendaddy, many companies have been re focused to fix the bottom line. Your CPA sounds like a liability at this point. I've seen companies bring a hot shot turn around specialist in house and give him access to all the books. He should spot the bleeding in short time and it may not necessarily be where you the the current president/owner think it is. Immediate corrective action has to be taken and your savior dude should have carte blanche to do that.
If this person has the reputation that he should have, your bank will be very happy (even if they aren't loaning money). They can be your biggest assest at this time. From what I see in this thread and others by you, if I were your bank, I'd not want to be any longer. That has to change along with the other critcal factors. Then, new markets have to be explored and exploited. I don't care if you go from making seat frames for Ford to market shelving for 7eleven, you must sell something and now. |
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Dept store Quartermaster
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: I'm right here Tati
Posts: 19,858
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In my opinion bulk manufacturing in the US is DEAD. There are always exceptions and there will always be a place for the best in every industry but if you rely on bulk manufacturers as your client base I would run for the hills. JMHO FWIW I am also in automotive manufacturing and it's dieing at an accelerated pace. The only sub industry with any life in it that I have found is aluminum extrusions.
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Cornpoppin' Pony Soldier Last edited by lendaddy; 10-29-2008 at 04:39 PM.. |
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MAGA
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 10,806
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That is basically my line of work....designing automated machinery, but mostly in the 10-750k range. After 16 years, the writing is on the wall. This business is just too tough to make money in. It just keeps getting tougher. Companies can not justify the costs for custom automation because they don't get long term contracts to build parts anymore. The machines that do get built have ridiculous safety requirements that add to the cost, but the buyer wants the machinery for even less money. Machines we build now basically have to be safer than: garbage disposals, hammers, circular saws, hand drills, belt sanders, hair dryers, cars, bicycles, chain saws etc etc. I am thoroughly disgusted by the safety aspect (to hell with OSHA and and limp wristed folks who complain of carpal tunnel ), but the biggest problem is that companies simply can't afford automation as much as they used to due to shorter payoff times. Instead, the work goes overseas where labor is cheaper than the cost of automation.
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German autos: '79 911 SC, '87 951, '03 330i, '08 Cayenne, '13 Cayenne 0% Liberal Men do not quit playing because they get old.... They get old because they quit playing. |
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Slumlord
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Canada
Posts: 4,983
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Tim: I completely agree. If my partner makes a fair buyout offer I will be gone.
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MAGA
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 10,806
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I hope you can get out clean. The company I work for is on it's third owner in 5 years. The original owners were smart and got out after a couple of bad years. Our new owner bought the place hoping to develop his own product line of food preparation equipment. He had hoped the "base" business would provide enough cash to limp along for a couple years while we concurrently develop his product line. Well, I hope he can withstand the beating he is taking long enough to get his product line further along. I am not holding my breath.
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German autos: '79 911 SC, '87 951, '03 330i, '08 Cayenne, '13 Cayenne 0% Liberal Men do not quit playing because they get old.... They get old because they quit playing. |
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best thing to do is to leaf thru a Nutshell guide to Partnerships & Corps. - try used bookstore or law libr. - these are simplistic overviews of law that law students use to avoid having to think while in law school also try finding a web list on S corps if neither works, then just inhale and trust the Anesthesiologist and the Surgeon - when you wake up it will be done well even if it hurts |
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Registered
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Long Beach CA, the sewer by the sea.
Posts: 38,013
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Bulk manufacturing probably is DOA in the US, but just-in-time specialty work is coming back. The weak US dollar is seeing to that. Don't jump ship just yet.
Old dogs better learn new tricks. This old dog is reinventing daily to survive. |
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: NoCal
Posts: 2,412
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Len, I know this is just a buzzword to some, but have you started going lean yet? It took me a long time to really see the benefits, but now that I have, I'm moving our facility in that direction. Reducing setup time/costs, being more organized from quoting to shipping, keeping everything clean and in it's place (5S), etc., really has made a difference. The biggest hurdle I've had is getting the guys on the floor and the owner to get on board. Anyway, Len, I wish you luck in your situation. Jim |
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Registered
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Cambridge, MA
Posts: 44,625
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Thanks, I love machines and find this stuff fascinating. Someday I have to design/build an automation system to help me with my handmade t-shirt designs; essentially a machine that will lay down (I then spray with bleach), pick-up, wash, dry and lay down again a series of metal templates on a shirt over a variety of sizes.
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