[TenTec] Re: Mis-information in Tentec digest, Vol 1 #340

[Tony Martin W4FOA]

Thanks Allan for your very informative reply to the nonsense message sent by
some uninformed rumormonger.  Like I mentioned in a previous message I
thought I smelled a "troll".  Keep up the good TT stuff....
Tony, W4FOA


----- Original Message -----
From: "Allan Henry Kaplan" <w1ael@mindspring.com>
To: <tentec@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2004 10:37 AM
Subject: [TenTec] Re: Mis-information in Tentec digest, Vol 1 #340


I would like to put to rest some misinformation that a poorly informed ham
expressed:

�?oLast time I visited the Ten-Tec factory (2002) I was
disappointed in the overall looks of the place i.e. lack of staff,
maintenance of the outside and inside of the facility, etc.�?�

Holding only a small, but loyal, fraction of the amateur radio market, the
Ten-Tec management pays not enough attention to appearance of the facility.
The time, money, and effort goes into engineering and business management
for a very difficult amateur radio market.   The facility is kinda shabby,
but entirely competent where it really counts.  The staff is lean, but far
from mean.  People are hired only when business justifies it, and let go
only when necessary to keep costs in line with sales, or when someone�?Ts
performance does not meet the company�?Ts needs.   Ten-Tec is a survivor in
a business strewn with the corpses of less well managed, but prettier
companies.

�?oThe Ten-Tec amateur product line is not their big money maker.  They
build enclosures for several different manufactures, have U.S. Government
contracts, etc..�?�

Not too well informed!  The amateur radio business is the primary reason for
Ten-Tec�?Ts existence, but Ten-Tec does comprise two additional businesses:
the fairly well-known standard and custom enclosure business which services,
not several but dozens, of small-to-midsize businesses; and a tool and die
machine shop where craftsmen design, manufacture, modify, and repair
injection molds and dies for manufacturers (including some large automobile
companies) of plastic and metal casting parts.   Both business drew on the
background and talents of the founding hams from Electrovoice, as they
started to develop innovative amateur radio equipment.   Over the years,
this diversity of design and manufacture has sustained the company through
some difficult times.   Ten-Tec receivers continue to have a good reputation
for performance vs. value with several departments of the US government and
have done very well, but that is an on and off market.

�?oAlso, their amateur radio products are manufactured when they receive
orders
for 100 or 200 units then they activate the production line.�?�

That is absolute rubbish!  Production planning happens several times per
year, well in advance of actual orders.  It is a careful and well-reasoned
exercise which attempts to meet anticipated demand before the fact, to keep
a reasonable but not excessive inventory in stock, and to keep as many
production people employed as feasible.  To claim that production is
activated only after orders come in is to display a profound ignorance of
manufacturing and management!!

�?o When I visited, I was impressed with the technical staff and
manufacturing techs.�?�

Congratulations, Bill.  You got one right!

I base the above assertions on forty plus years of engineering experience
capped by three and a half great years working for Ten-Tec engineering
before my present state of happy retirement.  It is a privilege to continue
my association with Ten-Tec on an as-needed basis.

73, Allan Kaplan, W1AEL.

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