What happened to Bendix?

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If it's true that Larson bought out Bendix, then you might as well throw out all your Bendix corner samples. They did that to a company named Eastern, if anybody remembers them. Eastern was a pretty nice company and there was talk at first that Larson was going to just merge with Eastern and keep a lot of their mouldings. But Larson just dumped everything and closed them up. Don't get me started on Larson...
 
Yes, we went through that here, too. They bought AMFM and DeCastro and eliminated the inventory. All the while they were insisting that they planned to keep their mouldings. Bendix mouldings are not at all like what Larson Juhl has in their line. I just hate it.
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In one direction Larson can't be acting like BB, that is carrying every thing for everybody and every budget. Can you see LJ selling low, mid and high end moldings?
Pretending from LJ to act Bandix (keep Bandix line alive) is like asking from BB to merge then keep the little starving framing shop next door open and its failing owner in vice-president position on its board.
Fact is that not many enough framers gave them enough orders to keep them from falling, for Eastern and Bandix finished by being eaten at LJ's lunch not because they were strong, and well doing, but quite the opposite.
Frame industry's cemetery is filled up with "pretty nice" companies and people, Markyw. We all will eventually get tired or stupid, fed up with it, and become industry's ruins, casualities, history.
Life goes on and eliminating the weak and feable is the works of free market, same market that is spoiling us with more, superior and different products and service every day.
 
Tongue in cheek - maybe they are looking for a moulding line to give to Joannes instead of their LJ line
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sorry, couldn't resist

elaine
 
Elaine, I would not be at all surprised if this is exactly what's going on.
 
Actually Dave, neither would I after the conversation I had with my LJ rep last thursday. Nothing was said directly, but I think they are feeling the pinch on their reputation and branding trying to be all things to all frameshops

just my 2 cents!
 
I may be wrong, but I think the Eastern purchase was for the location. LJ has been carrying the Eastern line until sold out. There even a few left in the line - the "E" profiles in the price list and not pictured in their catalog. The Paramus location is cramped, expensive real estate. Maybe people working there should be looking for houses in Orange County?

Pat :D
 
Hi Cornel-I think Larson is as well rounded company as any distributorship. they do carry a pretty significant upper, middle and low end line. They are a lot of things to a lot of people

I think the most important element in the survival of the independent framing retailing is the strength of the independent regional wholesaler. They keep all the competitive forces in place better than anything else.

As more and more of these disappear, it will make it more and more difficult for the smaller independent to be able to survive.

While this type of change is inevitable, it does not suggest a healthy proposition.
 
IMHO Bendix has been HORRIBLE at filling orders lately and has not really cared to help their customers.

The owner had to move out of his other location and the company was in a little trouble for a while. (According to my rep there)

The owner doesn't care about his customers and the customer service department doesn't understand the phrase "CUSTOMER SERVICE".

The rest of their samples will come down today. (I trashed most of them over the last few months as they messed up past orders)

They got what they deserve!
 
Bob hits the head on the nail again.

As independent framers increasingly order from the All Consuming Borg, and turn away from the independent chop house/distributor or small moulding manufactures...the Small Mfg will be assimilated chewed up and shet out with the last nights toilet paper.

As the Regional Dist/Mfg feels that lack of framers support, then his loyalty to the local framers becomes a mirror...

And when Warren Buffet comes along and says, "here is more money than you will ever see in 15 years of operation...." Then the local framer crys foul, and is faced with A) Paying shipping from companies that have no Rep in their area, or B) Going out of business or C) Changing their name to JoAnne's.

As independent framers, and neighborhood businesses, how much of your purchasing loyalty do you conciously direct to your independent supplier?

It IS up to each of us to vote with our feet and dollars.

Next time you visit your regional distributor, evaluate their sample wall and truly consider what your wall looks like. Also, talk to them about being partners in what you sell. When they feel that they have the framers support (beyond just the $$), they will work hard at staying in business too.

It is up to the independents to keep us independent, or we can all start changing our names now.
 
Whynot said:

Life goes on and eliminating the weak and feable is the works of free market
Click to expand...
A company going out of business and closing on its own is one thing, being bought by another company and being closed is another thing. Instead of competing, you just buy the other company and close them down. That's not illegal, they have the right to do whatever they want, and I know it happens all the time, but I have the right to say that that rots. If Bendix became a lousy company, then fine, they would go out of business one way or another.

I'm a pretty conservative guy, but I know anything to the extreme is not good. The free market is good, but taking it to the extreme you would have one company competing and growing then buying and closing other companies until they were the only one left. But then that is no longer a free market (with none of the benefits of the free market for the consumer, i.e. competition). It is a monopoly.

Just my opinion.
 
I would put money on it that THEY called Larson. So don't be too quick to cast an evil light on Larson over this.

By the way, Bendix sold the line AND the name to Larson. They still sell other wood products that are much more profitable, and will continue to do so, but not under the Bendix name.

Bendix has been going through many changes over the last 6 months - looks like they are moving toward what is best for them and their employees.

And even though this change has left me in a bind with two customers that make me upset enough to spit blood - I have to say that I wish them the best.
 
At what point in the process of Larsons sucking up over 60% of the companies does the government step in and look at it from an anti-trust view?

I've played enough Monopoly, and won enough Monopoly to recognize LJ and Warren Buffet, WalMart, Enron etc for who and what they are.

It is exactly why I have carefully chosen to represent the independent companies that I do.
 
I am not criticising Larson for making what has to be a well thought out decision to gain market share. And I have no knowledge of Bendix or their worthiness.

But, competition is a good thing and one less competitor in any marketplace may not be a good thing. If you look at the same scenario in the Photo Retailer's arena, you may get a glimpse of our potential future

One giant advantage of merging with PMA is the wealth of information they have accumulated in that side of the business world.

Go find an indepedent Camera Store
 
Eh, I stopped buying Bendix back when I had to blow through 24 feet of moulding to get a good 16 x 20 and every stick was a different color so what the **** did it matter anyway.

Larson has plenty of competition. Don't know how many of them might be doing it as well as Larson is, but there is competition.
 
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