2 Vt companies, 2 very diferent results

[ski_resort_observer]

This article is about 2 Vermont Companies, Vermont Castings and Tubbs Snowshoes. One not only has successfully beaten foreign competition but has flourished and continues to operate in Vermont while the other gets bought by a huge company and the products continue to use the name but are now made in China.

http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050814/NEWS/508140319/1002/NEWS01

 

[thetrailboss]

I haven't read the articles, but based on knowing the two companies, I can say that they cater to two different markets...VT Castings sells to a higher income crowd that will pay for the stoves/quality while Tubbs is targeting a more broader market of income levels, many of these folks don't know enough about snowshoes other than what the price is...so slightly different classes of goods and markets.

As for me, well, I use Redfeather Snowshoes which were made in Leadville, CO. I hated turning down Tubbs, but I liked the Redfeather options better :wink:

 

[ctenidae]

Makes sense to me, really- Vermont Castings makes a product that requires a certain level of construction to be safe, a level that can really only be achieved by an established, experienced foundry. Fit and finish is important in stoves.
Tubbs makes a product that, not to take anything away from them, anyone can make. It's easy to send that to China.

Interestingly, they both got some venture capital money- Vermont Castings in 1980, Tubbs in 99 and 2003. The difference is, Vermont Castings got cash from a turn-around group (and some local individual and state money), while Tubbs got picked up by a buy-out shop. Vermont Castings learned from the investors, Tubbs got moved to China. That's the way the cookie crumbles.

 

[bvibert]

As for me, well, I use Redfeather Snowshoes which were made in Leadville, CO. I hated turning down Tubbs, but I liked the Redfeather options better :wink:

So you're the reason they were forced to leave! If you had just bought some Tubbs instead they could have stayed... :idea:

 

[kickstand]

this has absolutely zero bearing on the economics content of this thread, but I just have to say, I bought a Vermont Castings grill, and the thing is absolutely freakin amazing. Just a great, great product. They don't have the wide-spread name recognition of a Weber or CharBroil, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

 

[ctenidae]

It does relate, kickstand. Vt Castings is high quality, and therefore high dollar. CharBroil contracts out most of its grill manufacturing (as do many others) to NexGrill, based in China. Decent quality cheap grill. (Jenn-Air is another big buyer from Nexgrill.

Weber manufactures most of their components in China as well, but has a bigger name (buying Ducane didn't hurt them any), so they can charge more for the perceived value. Weber also controlls the manufacturers in China, so they have more say in the quality.

Vermont Castings is all Vermont, and purposely uses high quality (therefore high cost) components.

Vt Casting's big advantage is that they own the niche, adn have enough money and other protections to keep themselves from getting bought out and moved to China. Tubbs didn't.

 

[kickstand]

not to turn this into a grill conversation, but if I remember correctly, the Weber Gold was more than my VT Castings. I couldn't justify spending that much money for a Weber. Must be I wasn't fully aware of their pieces being mfg'd overseas, so I'm glad I bought the VT Castings. I was also toying with a Ducane (on a recommendation), but quickly abandoned it when I heard they are owned by Weber. Can't remember why I didn't look at Jenn-Air.

what's interesting, though, is VT Castings is owned by a Canadian company. Nice that they let VT Castings continue to operate in VT.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

For 12 years I lived in an old cabin in Jackson Hole that had no central heat. I bought a Vermont Casting Resolute, kept me warm even on those -40 degree nights. Back then they were ahead of the curve regarding the technology of wood stoves.

We sell thousands of Tubbs snowshoes at LL Bean. Guess it wasn't enough.

 

[Paul]

this has absolutely zero bearing on the economics content of this thread, but I just have to say, I bought a Vermont Castings grill, and the thing is absolutely freakin amazing. Just a great, great product. They don't have the wide-spread name recognition of a Weber or CharBroil, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Same here, I LOVE that grill. :beer:

 

[ctenidae]

Can't remember why I didn't look at Jenn-Air.


I don't know that I'd buy a Jenn-Air anything. Near as I can tell, they don't make anything themselves- it's all contracted out, probably to the lowest bidder, and probably to China. Plus, they license out their name to Lowes, Home Depot, and anyone else that'll pay them, so that "Jenn-Air" appliance you're buying could be a re-branded Maytag built by LG with parts sourced from Heir, all assembled under contract to some guy who sells them to Lowes. Lots of quality control in a setup like that.