Lazy workers or shortsighted companies?

[timy 1,185]

I'm guessing the latter. I've been patiently waiting for my Hi-Point 995TS for a month and it's still back ordered. Finally got tired of it and told my FFL I'd take a 4095TS instead. Same problem. A Kel-Tec Sub2000 in 9 or 40. Same problem. A Kel-Tec P3AT. He hasn't gotten back to me yet on that one.

 

If demand is this high I'm wondering if these companies are running more than one shift or not. Obviously, if they ran much overtime the price would have to go up accordingly but with this kind of demand there should be some way to bump production. The potential sales are apparently out there just waiting for the product.

 

I probably could find one of my desired weapons elsewhere at an inflated price but prefer dealing with Matt if at all possible. I like to buy local and he has always given me the best price on ammo and guns. A loyalty thing, I suppose.

 

Perhaps I just need to restock my supply of patience. Or maybe buy a Saiga in 7.62x39. I'd probably run into the same problem trying to find one of those too though.

[Arik 565]

Also comes down to who supplies your FFL. There are different distributors who can get different things and some (probably all) have favorites to whom the hold stuff or offer better deals because they know that FFL can move the products. My FFL gets some excellent deals in bulk and im sorry i had to pass up on a few. 2 years back they were selling brand m&p 357sig for $350. I bought one. Afterwards they had the FN FNP 45 tactical package. The one that comes with a red dot and threaded barrel for $599. I passed on it and now regret it. All these they had to buy in bulk of 500 (m&p) and 1000 (FN) or more units at once. And because they can move that quantity they get preferred treatment from certain distributors. Also no distributors have all brands of firearms and some firearms are just plain hard to get so the manufacturer sell them to those who can unload them the fastest.

[YOT 3,743]

Crazy, isn't it! Buy bullets for the guns you have, instead. Sorry, I'm not the one who usually wears the tinfoil hat, but...........

[Dad2142Dad 6,559]

When looking for my Kel-Tec Sub2000 9, I spent many hours looking through search results. Many sites had them listed only to find they were out of stock.I got lucky two days into the search at Deans gunshop. He had just listed it for 399 plus free shipping. I had my FFL looking as well, he was not have any luck, mostly because he was limiting his searching to a few sites that he uses.

 

I think most manufactures are trying to make it through this bubble without increasing staff (Adding cost). Which I can't really blame them, would suck to gear up have a huge amount of inventory and get stuck with it.

 

I try to be loyal to my local FFL, but in a few cases I have done better looking myself. If you want it, go find it. Worry about loyalty later.

[kevinfreel 215]

Yeah keltec has a fucked up distribution network. I lucked out a month ago when I went to my lgs and he had 3 .40cal sub 2 ks in stock. And fuck yes I bought one. Good luck man you'll find one.

[timy 1,185]

Crazy, isn't it! Buy bullets for the guns you have, instead. Sorry, I'm not the one who usually wears the tinfoil hat, but...........

 

I know that it's impossible to have too much ammo but as the coneheads would put it, I have mass quantities. Plus, my son got me a reloader for Father's Day/birthday and I have thousands of 40 S&W and 223 empties just waiting for me to get started. I also have hundreds of 308. If at all possible, I'm in great shape ammo wise.

 

When looking for my Kel-Tec Sub2000 9, I spent many hours looking through search results. Many sites had them listed only to find they were out of stock.I got lucky two days into the search at Deans gunshop. He had just listed it for 399 plus free shipping. I had my FFL looking as well, he was not have any luck, mostly because he was limiting his searching to a few sites that he uses.

 

I think most manufactures are trying to make it through this bubble without increasing staff (Adding cost). Which I can't really blame them, would suck to gear up have a huge amount of inventory and get stuck with it.

 

I try to be loyal to my local FFL, but in a few cases I have done better looking myself. If you want it, go find it. Worry about loyalty later.

 

Good advice. I'll look elsewhere and just expect to pay more. As to the bubble though, they will lose sales it's just a matter of how many.

Edited July 6, 2012 by TacticoolTim

[csspecs 1,987]

Volume is up lately. And everyone learned their lesson last election year..

 

Back in 08' early 09' you could not find AR-15s, then after a few months the market tanked and dozens of companies went out of business when the sales they had dropped off but the costs could not be eliminated. I remember a company called anvil arms that went under, I remember them because I bought my AR lower from them.

 

Example: I'm sold out of a few products that are great sellers. I could order a $500K auto press and a few robot welders at $250K each to exceed demand. However I can't afford the payments if the market goes back to what it was six months ago.. I'd be a fool to think it will stay like this for more than 12 months.

What we did was upgrade a few pieces to increase production. As for adding people, that is off until there is a solution for this health care thing.

[Ronin38 2,117]

^ Good Points there, thanks for the post!

 

This is also what bothers me about their "tax the rich" schemes. Who do they think OWNS the businesses?! The same people they want to tax all to hell and back, and make them pay higher health care costs at the same time!

 

I can't believe all the Hollywood cronies support all those "tax the rich" schemes as well. Or do they think they're exempt somehow?

[mogunner 240]

Hi Point actually uses several small companies to make each of their firearms, if you look up each of them they generally only have about 10-12 employees at each of the places. They've been behind on production for over two years, ever since they brought out the TS carbines. I had a couple of the pistols that I picked up here and there, sold them for what they cost new on Armslist. Couldn't complain a bit, they were good shooters, just not what I was wanting at the time.

[timy 1,185]

Volume is up lately. And everyone learned their lesson last election year..

 

Back in 08' early 09' you could not find AR-15s, then after a few months the market tanked and dozens of companies went out of business when the sales they had dropped off but the costs could not be eliminated. I remember a company called anvil arms that went under, I remember them because I bought my AR lower from them.

 

Example: I'm sold out of a few products that are great sellers. I could order a $500K auto press and a few robot welders at $250K each to exceed demand. However I can't afford the payments if the market goes back to what it was six months ago.. I'd be a fool to think it will stay like this for more than 12 months.

What we did was upgrade a few pieces to increase production. As for adding people, that is off until there is a solution for this health care thing.

 

I see what you're saying as far as ARs go, but that was a bandwagon thing where people didn't look at the situation realistically before acting. That will always happen when greed overrules reason. However, continual long term shortages seem to be a chronic problem for both Hi-Point and Kel-Tec. That means they are losing sales, possibly for good, as far as I can tell. You definitely would have the best knowledge as to how to manage your own company and I agree wholeheartedly that over capacity that requires purchasing expensive shop machinery wouldn't be wise. The health care problem may never be solved now that government has it's fangs in it though.

[timy 1,185]

Hi Point actually uses several small companies to make each of their firearms, if you look up each of them they generally only have about 10-12 employees at each of the places. They've been behind on production for over two years, ever since they brought out the TS carbines. I had a couple of the pistols that I picked up here and there, sold them for what they cost new on Armslist. Couldn't complain a bit, they were good shooters, just not what I was wanting at the time.

 

If they are using that approach (not saying they aren't) then they should be able to ramp production using the same approach. Maybe I'm wrong but I seem to remember in the past that when the demand was there, American companies would step up and take care of it. That doesn't seem to be nearly as true these days.

[liberty -r- death 1,445]

I've been told that Kel tec does production runs of weapons for certain time periods and then they move on to other models. May be part of what ypu are dealing with.

[mogunner 240]

Hi Point actually uses several small companies to make each of their firearms, if you look up each of them they generally only have about 10-12 employees at each of the places. They've been behind on production for over two years, ever since they brought out the TS carbines. I had a couple of the pistols that I picked up here and there, sold them for what they cost new on Armslist. Couldn't complain a bit, they were good shooters, just not what I was wanting at the time.

 

If they are using that approach (not saying they aren't) then they should be able to ramp production using the same approach. Maybe I'm wrong but I seem to remember in the past that when the demand was there, American companies would step up and take care of it. That doesn't seem to be nearly as true these days.

 

You would think they could, but they also seem to be using other companies to make some of their subassemblies, which to me is just ignorant as your production is then directly dependent on THEIR production.

[zenman223 460]

I read somewhere that Keltec purposely does not ramp up production, apparently rather than go take a out huge loans to upscale production they are comfortable working on backorder. This way if demand drops off they are not in debt and end up going out of business.

 

Just like CSS said, it is actually a wise business decision IMO. If you dont have the capital on hand to expand its best not to b/c your gambling with your livelyhood.

[timy 1,185]

I read somewhere that Keltec purposely does not ramp up production, apparently rather than go take a out huge loans to upscale production they are comfortable working on backorder. This way if demand drops off they are not in debt and end up going out of business.

 

Just like CSS said, it is actually a wise business decision IMO. If you dont have the capital on hand to expand its best not to b/c your gambling with your livelyhood.

 

All well and good I suppose. However, I just cancelled my order for a Hi-Point 995TS/4095TS or a Kel-Tec Sub2000. It's entirely possible at this point that I'll never buy any of the weapons I listed because life is short and I won't wait another year or more. Instead, I placed one for a Saiga 7.62x39. Yeah, that one might take a while too but at least I can understand supply problems when the product is on a slow boat from Russia.

 

Best of luck to all companies that are too afraid to increase production. I guess that must be the new American way.

Edited July 7, 2012 by TacticoolTim

[mogunner 240]

A lot of it comes from the economic collapse a few years ago. I was working at a company that manufactures car wash systems and equipment, we were having the best year ever, had hired a bunch of people over the couple years before, had all sorts of orders, then all of a sudden the bank fiasco opened up, everyone lost their funding, we had orders done that buyers had to back out on, and we couldn't sell shit, banks weren't lending anyone anything to build anything because they had made too many bad loans and all of a sudden the money wasn't there. You can drive through just about any town or city and see what happened, business buildings sitting empty, houses falling down, for sale signs everywhere. We went through four layoffs there, I was one of the 20 that went first time around simply because the boss knew that I only worked because I wanted to, not needed to as I have my pension coming in every month. My wife worked there as well, and she was valuable enough to survive all of the layoffs only to have to quit due to an injury. My shooting buddy Paul still works there, and now, a few years later, he and all the guys in the machine shop are working ten hour days six days a week because they expanded into more products and business is picking up real well but they are afraid to hire anyone, thinking that they may just have to lay them off in six months or a year...nothing works like it used to in business, too much of the economy is manipulated by investors and banks that are still in trouble across the country. Still too volatile to expand. I have to say that I'm in that same position, have been for about a year, with the sight tools that I make. I can't make them fast enough to be able to expand into markets that I purposely stay out of at the moment, overseas and the larger dealers in the USA. I have products that I want to start making, but can't unless I add some machinery, and I'm about maxing out my home shop as it is, if I add more it'll be to the point where I need to bring in another machinist...then I'll HAVE to pursue other markets, as then I'll have that person's workmans comp and now health insurance thanks to Obamacare to pay for out of my cut... so I'm thinking just stay small and steady like I am, and don't risk having it all fall in on my head down the road. Seems to be the current business plan across America at least for the time being.

[Voltia 375]

Dude! PARAGRAPHS!

 

That being said, many people erroneously assume that a company is out there to make the most sales it can at any given time,

and get all righteous with their "There's a sale RIGHT HERE and you are failing because you are not getting it to me."

 

This is not true. A company wants to maximize profit, but at minimal risk. This is why overtime exists; you can scale it back if you need to

do so. A company that overextends is a company that fails. Providing a good product to most ensures your reputation, and there is actually

a business plan involving creating more demand by a deliberately smaller supply.

 

I have a good vendor. He can't meet all my needs because his shop is overloaded. He can't expand to meet all my needs, because you can't

contract back down when times get slow without laying people off. Business is harsh. It's not a game.

[mogunner 240]

Dude! PARAGRAPHS!

 

 

I write fantasy novels as a hobby, I come in to firearms forums to get away from grammar and punctuation...

[mogunner 240]

I hear you on the focus on providing a quality product. A few months ago I signed on as a sponsor on one of the Mosin forums, and orders spiked nearly triple what I can produce. I have already done all that I can do to maximize my personal production while keeping quality control measures in place, so that meant working more hours. For two months, the wife was pretty much a widow, I worked from about 7AM till 9PM, by the time I was done updating my paperwork it was after midnight and she had been in bed for hours.

 

Then I got the bright idea of shifting sales to the dealer in Florida who carries my tools in stock, so I added a link to his storefront and told people that if they didn't want to wait the 7-10 days for me to machine their tool, they could buy them there. It's amazing how many people have to have their stuff as SOON as possible, his price is right at $8 more than my prices, but doesn't seem to even slow down most buyers, my sales have dropped to only a few a month through the website, but his has doubled.

 

I like to ship 10-20 tools to him flat rate, even with his dealers discount it runs about even on cost but saves me time. I do a search about every three months to see if I can get better prices on my supplies but so far have stuck with the same people for the last two years, seems they do the same and set their prices accordingly. I order my aluminum bar stock from an online supplier, a 4' stick is $18 than if I drove up to St. Louis and picked it up at the cheapest supplier there, that's just crazy profit for them, doesn't bother me, I save money and UPS delivers it to my door.

 

 

Business IS harsh...

Edited July 7, 2012 by mogunner

[Voltia 375]

Dude! PARAGRAPHS!

 

 

I write fantasy novels as a hobby, I come in to firearms forums to get away from grammar and punctuation...

 

"Forsooth," I proclaimed to the dame, "Your insistence upon the use of the language of our fathers has

cooled the fire in my loins, thus I cast you out to the wastelands. Begone, wench!"

[timy 1,185]

 

Many people erroneously assume that a company is out there to make the most sales it can at any given time,

and get all righteous with their "There's a sale RIGHT HERE and you are failing because you are not getting it to me."

 

This is not true. A company wants to maximize profit, but at minimal risk. This is why overtime exists; you can scale it back if you need to

do so. A company that overextends is a company that fails. Providing a good product to most ensures your reputation, and there is actually

a business plan involving creating more demand by a deliberately smaller supply.

 

I have a good vendor. He can't meet all my needs because his shop is overloaded. He can't expand to meet all my needs, because you can't

contract back down when times get slow without laying people off. Business is harsh. It's not a game.

 

I can only assume that you're talking to me since I started the thread. I'll try to respond coherently.

 

I didn't throw a "hissy fit" because Hi-Point and Kel-Tec's business plans didn't cater to my individual needs. I merely stated they had lost a sale and my money would go elsewhere. Simple enough. I fully realize business ventures depend on far more than raw supply and demand. That being said, IMHO any company that has chronic shortages for a period of several years is permanently missing out on potential profit no matter how you slice it. Please explain to me how that statement is invalid.

 

I fully understand when you say "business is harsh" because life itself tends to be and business is just a more extreme version of life. As I'm sure you're aware, the Japanese say "Business is war". A good philosophy to follow, apparently.

 

Your "minimal risk" statement may indeed be true in this brave new world but I would argue that it's a losing strategy. If Henry Ford and Bill Gates, among countless others had followed it, what would the consequences have been? In actuality, the lack of intestinal fortitude on being willing to take risks (along with our asinine government policies) is what has allowed bolder, hungrier countries to dominate markets where we once excelled.

 

As to business plans that deliberately limit volume in order to drive up demand, I believe that strategy was employed by Pontiac with the Solstice. Whether it was or whether they were merely caught with their shorts down is immaterial. The results were the same. Where is Pontiac now?

 

Respectfully,

timmer

[mogunner 240]

It may be a losing strategy in today's business models, but it may also be a safe one. I've watched startup after startup go down in flames because they tried to do things the same way everyone was six years ago, and it can't be done. Banks won't lend money unless you don't even need it, if you want to borrow $250k, you'll need $250k to prove that you can have it. You have to think outside the box of what "normal" business practices used to be, and find a niche market that will sustain minimum but reliable growth before you try to expand your markets.

 

I think the biggest problem is companies grow complacent in their market. Like Keltec and Hi Point, who really don't have a lot of competition in their "niche". Sure, SCCY has their CPX copy of the Keltec pistols, but no bullpup shotguns, so it's safe for Keltec to try and slide out of the CCW pistols a little and try and enlarge their markets, but they so far have done it in a very ignorant manner, which is pissing a lot of people off as far as the availability, plus they're seeing these listed on Gunbroker for twice the retail, which means that SOMEONE is getting them but it aint them. So they'll buy an alternative, or move on to another firearm that grabs their interest. Hi Point thinks they have the low priced market cornered, everyone still says the only competition they have is junk (Lorcin, Jennings, Bryco) so they assume people will wait for them to dribble their stuff out like usual. They don't realize (or don't care, which is scary) that other companies will recognize the need to develop their own pistol caliber carbines and get them out to the lower price levels of their products, and people waiting on the Hi Points will save another $100 up and then go buy the higher priced, higher quality offering that you can lay your hands on. In my experience, gun money doesn't stick around my wallet for long. If I can't find exactly what I was looking for, I'm going to spend it on something else that grabs my interest.

 

Dude! PARAGRAPHS!

 

 

I write fantasy novels as a hobby, I come in to firearms forums to get away from grammar and punctuation...

 

"Forsooth," I proclaimed to the dame, "Your insistence upon the use of the language of our fathers has

cooled the fire in my loins, thus I cast you out to the wastelands. Begone, wench!"

 

Not that far into it, I try and stick with sentences that a larger audience might understand! But that would go over well if there were any of the old role-playing chat rooms still alive on the web, but I haven't seen any for around 6 years or so. Or at the Ren festival.

[termite 463]

I own my own business and it's a bitch. One of my main pump suppliers is and has been quoting 3-4 week delivery on repair kits that used to take 1-2 days for delivery, they are quoting anywhere from 20-30 week deliveries on most new complete pumps. I used to keep about $100K of inventory, that was paid for out of my pocket, up front, but I can't anymore. I've got some stuff that I've been setting on for up to 6 years. Nobody is keeping any inventory like they used to. I'm about to send drawings out to have a new part made that I can't get from them any time soon, so I'll have pattern cost, casting and pouring cost, machining and balancing cost, and shipping to pay for, out of my pocket. I'll also have to order a minimum quantity to get a price break, Not to mention the time these parts will set on the shelf. I try to NOT borrow from the bank, last time was 7 years ago. Never again, my ass was puckered for 24 months sweating the payments.

I won't hire anyone because of what was stated earlier, if I get behind on delivery, I work longer hours, I can't see having to give more to the government. We are kind of like everyone else, in wait and see mode, the longer we wait, the more I don't like what I see.

[Voltia 375]

Many people erroneously assume that a company is out there to make the most sales it can at any given time,

and get all righteous with their "There's a sale RIGHT HERE and you are failing because you are not getting it to me."

 

This is not true. A company wants to maximize profit, but at minimal risk. This is why overtime exists; you can scale it back if you need to

do so. A company that overextends is a company that fails. Providing a good product to most ensures your reputation, and there is actually

a business plan involving creating more demand by a deliberately smaller supply.

 

I have a good vendor. He can't meet all my needs because his shop is overloaded. He can't expand to meet all my needs, because you can't

contract back down when times get slow without laying people off. Business is harsh. It's not a game.

 

I can only assume that you're talking to me since I started the thread. I'll try to respond coherently.

 

I didn't throw a "hissy fit" because Hi-Point and Kel-Tec's business plans didn't cater to my individual needs. I merely stated they had lost a sale and my money would go elsewhere. Simple enough. I fully realize business ventures depend on far more than raw supply and demand. That being said, IMHO any company that has chronic shortages for a period of several years is permanently missing out on potential profit no matter how you slice it. Please explain to me how that statement is invalid.

 

I fully understand when you say "business is harsh" because life itself tends to be and business is just a more extreme version of life. As I'm sure you're aware, the Japanese say "Business is war". A good philosophy to follow, apparently.

 

Your "minimal risk" statement may indeed be true in this brave new world but I would argue that it's a losing strategy. If Henry Ford and Bill Gates, among countless others had followed it, what would the consequences have been? In actuality, the lack of intestinal fortitude on being willing to take risks (along with our asinine government policies) is what has allowed bolder, hungrier countries to dominate markets where we once excelled.

 

As to business plans that deliberately limit volume in order to drive up demand, I believe that strategy was employed by Pontiac with the Solstice. Whether it was or whether they were merely caught with their shorts down is immaterial. The results were the same. Where is Pontiac now?

 

Respectfully,

timmer

 

Wasn't directed at you.

[csspecs 1,987]

I can only assume that you're talking to me since I started the thread. I'll try to respond coherently.

 

I didn't throw a "hissy fit" because Hi-Point and Kel-Tec's business plans didn't cater to my individual needs. I merely stated they had lost a sale and my money would go elsewhere. Simple enough. I fully realize business ventures depend on far more than raw supply and demand. That being said, IMHO any company that has chronic shortages for a period of several years is permanently missing out on potential profit no matter how you slice it. Please explain to me how that statement is invalid.

 

I fully understand when you say "business is harsh" because life itself tends to be and business is just a more extreme version of life. As I'm sure you're aware, the Japanese say "Business is war". A good philosophy to follow, apparently.

 

Your "minimal risk" statement may indeed be true in this brave new world but I would argue that it's a losing strategy. If Henry Ford and Bill Gates, among countless others had followed it, what would the consequences have been? In actuality, the lack of intestinal fortitude on being willing to take risks (along with our asinine government policies) is what has allowed bolder, hungrier countries to dominate markets where we once excelled.

 

As to business plans that deliberately limit volume in order to drive up demand, I believe that strategy was employed by Pontiac with the Solstice. Whether it was or whether they were merely caught with their shorts down is immaterial. The results were the same. Where is Pontiac now?

 

Respectfully,

timmer

 

(I understand that the comment neither comment is directed at me, I'm just commenting in continuation of the discussion).

 

I'd agree that failing to meet demand after its been established for several years is somewhat foolish. At some point the constantly empty stock room should be a clue that another production line would probably pay for itself. It could be that its logistically more complicated then just adding another shift, example: They could be out of expansion room at their current location, which would require an entire new facility rather then an addition to the current building.

 

According to a couple older reports Keltec is building a larger facility, but that its still not complete.. Odds are even if it was done tomorrow demand will still outstrip supply in the short term.

 

 

I'm not a fan of the concept of 'business is war'. Because going for conquest of 'enemy' businesses normally gets in the way of profit which is ultimately the goal of being in business. Also if "business is war" is a popular statement in Japan, would the long way of saying that be. "Business is a long painful grueling process, that ultimately ends in admitting defeat on the deck of the other sides battle ship"? Because that seems true of their last war and current economy.

 

I'm still of the opinion that more and more companies are NOT being short sighted. Some for the first time are trying to see whether demand is long term or short term rather than just building a bigger plant to handle immediate demand.. Sometimes they incorrectly judge the popularity of a given product which seems to be the case here.

[timy 1,185]

Many people erroneously assume that a company is out there to make the most sales it can at any given time,

and get all righteous with their "There's a sale RIGHT HERE and you are failing because you are not getting it to me."

 

This is not true. A company wants to maximize profit, but at minimal risk. This is why overtime exists; you can scale it back if you need to

do so. A company that overextends is a company that fails. Providing a good product to most ensures your reputation, and there is actually

a business plan involving creating more demand by a deliberately smaller supply.

 

I have a good vendor. He can't meet all my needs because his shop is overloaded. He can't expand to meet all my needs, because you can't

contract back down when times get slow without laying people off. Business is harsh. It's not a game.

 

I can only assume that you're talking to me since I started the thread. I'll try to respond coherently.

 

I didn't throw a "hissy fit" because Hi-Point and Kel-Tec's business plans didn't cater to my individual needs. I merely stated they had lost a sale and my money would go elsewhere. Simple enough. I fully realize business ventures depend on far more than raw supply and demand. That being said, IMHO any company that has chronic shortages for a period of several years is permanently missing out on potential profit no matter how you slice it. Please explain to me how that statement is invalid.

 

I fully understand when you say "business is harsh" because life itself tends to be and business is just a more extreme version of life. As I'm sure you're aware, the Japanese say "Business is war". A good philosophy to follow, apparently.

 

Your "minimal risk" statement may indeed be true in this brave new world but I would argue that it's a losing strategy. If Henry Ford and Bill Gates, among countless others had followed it, what would the consequences have been? In actuality, the lack of intestinal fortitude on being willing to take risks (along with our asinine government policies) is what has allowed bolder, hungrier countries to dominate markets where we once excelled.

 

As to business plans that deliberately limit volume in order to drive up demand, I believe that strategy was employed by Pontiac with the Solstice. Whether it was or whether they were merely caught with their shorts down is immaterial. The results were the same. Where is Pontiac now?

 

Respectfully,

timmer

 

Wasn't directed at you.

 

No problem. Thanks for your input. I'm seriously thinking about starting a small business myself. That should shut me up. LOL!

[timy 1,185]

 

(I understand that the comment neither comment is directed at me, I'm just commenting in continuation of the discussion).

 

I'd agree that failing to meet demand after its been established for several years is somewhat foolish. At some point the constantly empty stock room should be a clue that another production line would probably pay for itself. It could be that its logistically more complicated then just adding another shift, example: They could be out of expansion room at their current location, which would require an entire new facility rather then an addition to the current building.

 

According to a couple older reports Keltec is building a larger facility, but that its still not complete.. Odds are even if it was done tomorrow demand will still outstrip supply in the short term.

 

 

I'm not a fan of the concept of 'business is war'. Because going for conquest of 'enemy' businesses normally gets in the way of profit which is ultimately the goal of being in business. Also if "business is war" is a popular statement in Japan, would the long way of saying that be. "Business is a long painful grueling process, that ultimately ends in admitting defeat on the deck of the other sides battle ship"? Because that seems true of their last war and current economy.

 

I'm still of the opinion that more and more companies are NOT being short sighted. Some for the first time are trying to see whether demand is long term or short term rather than just building a bigger plant to handle immediate demand.. Sometimes they incorrectly judge the popularity of a given product which seems to be the case here.

 

Any input from an actual businessman is more than welcome by me. After all, you're on the front lines and actually took time to comment.

 

As I understand it, the Japanese "Business is war" philosophy only worked because the Japanese government was collaborating with it's companies. Import laws made it next to impossible for foreign countries to sell products in Japan. Their companies were then free to undercut US companies sales here without fear of retaliation because our government would never respond in kind by enforcing import restrictions. Japan intentionally and systematically destroyed a major part of the US manufacturing base and only then raised prices. They did make lots of money for quite a while but then China, South Korea, and India, among others did basically the same thing to Japan that they did to us. A simplistic explanation of course, but basically true AFAIK.

 

I guess part of my ire is caused by what I see with my own eyes in the job market. Many companies (mine included) have been hammering down their employees with excessive hours for several years now. Yet all the government sees is all that money they can tax us for in order to pay unemployment benefits for the 10% of the labor force that seemingly is permanently unemployed. Companies would rather beat down their current employees instead of hiring additional workers to share the load (and money) because they're flat out afraid what the government will do to them next concerning health care costs and taxes. I can't blame them for being apprehensive because capitalism has become a dirty word with our own government. Meanwhile, everything keeps going in circles with no end in sight.

 

Just frustrated and tired, I suppose.

Tim

[mogunner 240]

I gave up on putting out resume's about two years after my layoff, I'm in my early 50s now, hard of hearing, a couple of bulging discs in my lower back that knock me out of doing most of what I did all my life, everything seems to hinge on being able to stoop, lift, bend, etc. Even applied at Walmart as a greeter, never even got an interview for that. The wife and I could live decently on her and my disability if we could get rid of a few thousand dollars of medical bills that need paid!

 

I'd go back to work if something came up that I could do, or my last job would hire me back at what I was doing as I had it all figured out how to do without straining anything, lol...but part of my layoff there was personal, we had a female shop manager that felt threatened by me and made sure I was one of the first ones to go, I guess I spent too much time talking to one of the owners about how they could save a ton of money with just a few changes around the place or something. Sometimes it sucks being way overqualified for a job, everyone thinks you're either planted there or after their job when all you wanted was a steady paycheck.

 

I did turn down one job at Enterprise car rentals, they said I'd have to wear a long sleeve shirt all the time because of my tats, and that ain't happening when the shop wasn't air conditioned!

 

I'll keep my business small and under the radar, working out of the shop and basement, turning an extra 10-11k a year helps a lot.

[YOT 3,743]

I gave up on putting out resume's about two years after my layoff, I'm in my early 50s now, hard of hearing, a couple of bulging discs in my lower back that knock me out of doing most of what I did all my life, everything seems to hinge on being able to stoop, lift, bend, etc. Even applied at Walmart as a greeter, never even got an interview for that. The wife and I could live decently on her and my disability if we could get rid of a few thousand dollars of medical bills that need paid!

 

I did turn down one job at Enterprise car rentals, they said I'd have to wear a long sleeve shirt all the time because of my tats, and that ain't happening when the shop wasn't air conditioned!

 

I'll keep my business small and under the radar, working out of the shop and basement, turning an extra 10-11k a year helps a lot.

 

Then you, sir, should be denied disability! Yeah I went there!

[TheDarkHorse 216]

A 995TS will be my next purchase also (unless I find a 16" S308 first!) . I just got a C9 and a JHP at a local Pawn shop which also happens to be an authorized dealer of HiPoint. They keep 3-4 different HP carbines on the wall so maybe it's a regional thing? May be a hotter seller where you are compared to my town?

 

On a sidenote, every AKM owner/lover should have at least one HiPoint pistol. Their pistols could be considered the AK of the pistol world....

*All the gunsnobs rag on them

*They are built inexpensively

*They are super reliable

*They are surprisingly accurate

 

With all the negative press they get, they can't be matched for value. Who else offers a 45 ACP for just over $200 after tax and a lifetime warranty with awesome customer service? That's right.