[Test-Equipment] Triplett Corporation and products

[Fred Olsen]

Of interest to all who own and use Triplett instruments.

As of January 2007 Jewell Instruments, LLC, acquired "certain assets of 
Triplett Corporation including Triplett Panel Meters, Triplett Analog & 
Digital Test Equipment, as well as the rights to the Triplett brand 
name."  Jewell already owns Modutec, Emico and A&M Instruments.
http://www.jewellinstruments.com/pressrel/Triplett%20Purchase%20Press%20Release.pdf

By the time you read this there is little left of the Triplett 
Corporation, in business since 1904.  Manufacturing in Bluffton, OH, has 
been closed and moved to Barbados for panel meters and to China for test 
equipment.  The corporate remains will be headquartered at Jewell in New 
Hampshire.  A few Triplett employees will remain in the Engineering 
Department in Ohio and some others will remain with LFE.  LFE/API 
Instruments was acquired by Triplett in 1997 and is now being spun off 
again.

Most of the familiar test instruments will be changed in various ways to 
accommodate being manufactured in China.  The 310 compact VOM has been 
made in China since the first of the year.  The case parts and meter 
movement have been changed and are not compatible with existing units. 
The 630 and 60 series VOMs are also being changed and various parts will 
not be backward compatible.  Several of the existing model variations 
have already become unavailable.

It is expected that once parts are gone for existing units of prior U.S. 
production there will be no more parts support available.  It is 
expected that there will be no parts or service support available for 
the new production units.  They will be exchanged if within warranty and 
unsupported thereafter.

It is expected that new products will continue to be introduced under 
the Triplett name.  Some will be Triplett designs and some will be 
re-branded products of other manufacturers.  Several new designs have 
been on hold due to the sale but are likely to continue into production. 
  New products will be produced off-shore.  The analog VOM lines will 
likely be phased out as demand reduces.

The future of the considerable number of manuals available on Triplett's 
web site is uncertain.  There were hundreds more manuals available, both 
early and late, which had not yet been posted.  Their future 
availability has not been established.  Jewell now controls the site and 
it is presently unknown if they will continue to provide support for 
this information.  Triplett has a long tradition of providing excellent 
support, including copies or electronic files of technical data at 
little or usually no cost.

I consider this information to be as accurate as possible given that the 
company's situation has changed rapidly and drastically.  It is from an 
unimpeachable source and is presented with permission.  I have no fiscal 
interest in Triplett or Jewell.

Fred Olsen
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