Re: Starrett merger/acquisition
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I buy mostly used Starrett, but I've bought new Starrett items that they made overseas. They maintain tight control and the new stuff seems fine.? The new stuff tends to have more prominent nameplates and sometimes the part is simplified. But the tool can still be very good.?
Best example I can think of were some accessories I got a few years ago for my Last Word test indicator.? The original indicator os color case-hardened -- very pretty but the process is complicated. The new stuff was made in China and works as well, but has regular, black-dyed case-hardening. The pretty rainbow colors on my Last Word are nice, but I'm not going to cry myself to sleep if future tools eliminate decorative things like that.
Mike Taglieri?
On Tue, Mar 19, 2024, 1:59 PM Charles Kinzer < ckinzer@...> wrote:
It is very hard for a traditional U.S. company like Starrett, at one time existing mostly in the bubble of the U.S., to remain competitive once the manufacturing cmpetition went worldwide.
A very long time ago I got some business advice that, "If you do not obsolete yourself, somebody else will."
An example of this is Fluke which is a top-rated manufacturer of multimeters and such and are often "specified in" in large companies and government operations.? (And part of their business model is to support the same models for many years so that written procedures by companies and the gov don't have to be changed.)? They now have some of the meters manufactured in China.? They aren't real public about this.? However, they maintain VERY tight control over all steps of the manufacturing quality and the product is as sound as ever - so far as I know.
Many U.S. companies suffer from "corporate inertia" or suffer from not looking further into the future than trying to make the end of this quarter look good.? I don't know the details of why this merger occurred.
I don't know what MiddleGround Capital's plans are.? I know they acquired Castle Metals last year.? They also acquired Banner Industries and seem to be putting the two companies together, which will probably streamline things.? I suspect their plans for Starrett might be along similar lines.?
Charles E. "Chuck" Kinzer?
On Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at 10:21:18 AM PDT, davesmith1800 < davesmith1@...> wrote:
Most of my mics are Starrett? Good to know.? Dave?
?Ralph Lehotsky 9:19am? ?
Many Starrett products manufactured before this date will undoubtedly become more valuable
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