LJ aquires (Consumes) Bendix...

Sorta OT, but Bendix's sales rept. in Michigan is the last of the old time salesman. John Kuzak. Always dressed impeccably and polite. A true gentleman.
 
I already have a customer who is not real happy over the acquisition because I can no longer get is laquered profile anymore. As soon as I heard, I called to see if Larson had any I could stockpile here until his next certification came in, and it was not in stock and not getting reordered.

I had heard through the grapevine this was going to take place, and was afraid this was going to happen. But, hey I've been trying to warn my customer this was a dated moulding and one day it was going to happen anyway.

Lori
 
Bendix let me down almsot as much as LaMarche. I stocked up on a few mouldings before this happened and am glad I did because Larson trashed at least 2/3 of the line.

After meeting with the Larson rep I took them on and so far they have sent me everything I asked for. They have been far more helpful than Bendix ever was. If Bendix had half the customer service that Larson does they wouldn't be down to just architectural mouldings like what they are doing now.

Bendix messed up several orders of mine and when I asked them to make it right (the last time) I was told that this reply came from the owner. He said," It's not worth it to him to fix the problem (they caused)"

You get what you give. If I start to take my customers for granted I will not have them long. (I would have thought LaMarche would have learned this by now but yet another plea for a LaMarche moulding is on another thread today)

This actually happened about 2 months ago. Are most shops hearing about this now? I am in New Jersey where both companies have a presence so I might have found out on the early side but I think I read about it here a while ago in another thread.
 
I've heard a rumor from three different sources that LJ is back on a buying spree... and it won't stop with Bendix.

My question is, at what point does the Taft Hartley Act kick in?
 
Creatviechick: want laquered, check Studio. Have a buncha profiles

Baer: taft hartley kicks in when good ol' American free enterprise system fails. So far, it hasn't It's the ol' American "survival of the fittest" If you ain't fit, you dont survive And from what I've experienced with some moulding companies, Ican't wait for LJ to buy more of them
 
John Kosak is a great guy. His rep here for many years was Jack DuVall. If Jack didn't retire I'd probably still have Bendix, LaMarche, and Max if they still exist.
 
And when there are only 3 moulding companies left Mike?

We have already seen what happens to quality, service, and price when the aluminum industry went from 20+ companies to 4. I can now out sell aluminum with about 12 woods that look better...

oh wait, I was saying that like it was a bad thing.... :D
 
Perhaps we may all have to go back to making and finishing our own mouldings someday. I still do it on a limited basis, I am starting to think about kicking it up a few notches, just to have a few things the other framers don't.

John
 
We gave up hand finishing mouldings about 5 years ago but it sounds like we may have to dust off the 000 steel wool and reorder a supply of laquer (liquer, or whatever).

Really enjoy finishing mouldings but it sure takes a lot of time and I am not as patient as I use to be (actually never was).

I went to several of Paul Frederick's framing sessions and really developed an understanding of finishing.

Jack Cee
 
Originally posted by JRB:
Perhaps we may all have to go back to making and finishing our own mouldings someday. I still do it on a limited basis, I am starting to think about kicking it up a few notches, just to have a few things the other framers don't.

John
John,

you have my entire admiration for being able to add a personal (unique) touch to your frame offer. You'll be setting your business apart from your competitors' and this is one survival ingredient most framers are in short supply of. I am certain that your clients will notice and appreciate the difference between you and the other framers down the street, across the city or the country for that matter.
 
Has anyone considered the possibility that the owners of Bendix (and others) were ready to sell and approached LarsonJuhl? I have reason to suspect that might be the case. If so LJ wouldn't appear to be the Julius Caesar of the picture framing empire that they are made out to be.

Jody
 
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