Faria Instruments Closed till late April??

[BLDFW]

What's up with Faria that they would be closed from March 16 through the end of April?

I tried calling to talk about a tach I bought and their recording says they are closed....and that when they open, any warranty work will require a 5-6week turn around time.

That's sucky.

 

[thepotroast]

Re: Faria Instruments Closed till late April??

Could be because of a slump in the economy. A lot of the boating industry is only working partial weeks...for instance the Mercury marine engine plants are working 1 week out of the month. I work right across from the Southport Boatworks manufacturing plant, and they are only calling in people to work when there is a boat to be built....right now only about 2 boats per month are coming out of their bays.

 

[seabob4]

Re: Faria Instruments Closed till late April??

Most builders have been basically shut down for months. Proline is no exception (my employer). We use Faria gauges, my Faria rep is a good freind of mine.

It is VERY bad out there, for those of you who aren't aware. Teleflex is completely getting out of the instrument business...

If only you all knew...

 

[kyle f]

Re: Faria Instruments Closed till late April??

Hey don't blame me, I just bought a new boat Well, it was leftover stock, but still new. It will be replaced on the lot with a 09 soon.

Though, I am sure they are closing the doors for extended shut downs due to boats not selling.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Faria Instruments Closed till late April??

boat production has dropped by probably 80% in the last year, alot of vendors are just closing for good so it is at least good they plan to reopen at some point.

Last year at this time we were running 20 boats a day 5 days a week, now we are doing 10 a day 3 days a week and we are one of few boat companies still making anything at all.

I don't have numbers to back this up but a good guess would be that at least half the people making boats 2 years ago are out of buisness now and of the ramining half, half of them are on the brink of going out of buisness.

I do think it is starting to pick up the slightest bit, we have been getting a pretty steady trickle of orders but again, in a normal spring we would get 100+ orders a day during the spring not the 5-6 we are now, it is ugly.

 

[seabob4]

Re: Faria Instruments Closed till late April??

5150,
You don't work for a Pontoon builder, do you? My Suzuki guy said late last year the 'toon builders were doing surprisingly well considering everyone elses demise.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Faria Instruments Closed till late April??

Ya, I'm at Bennington and not all of us are fairing so well but yes, alot better than others from what I have heard.

We have a glass side too, Azure, and they have been hit really hard.

I have heard of alot of toon companies that have gone under which I hate to say, is good for us in the long run as less competiton is more buisness for us.

Given my choice that is not how I want to sell boats.