280 replies to this topic

[monty1269]

Everyone in management needs to be lined up and kicked square in the nuts,... or titty slapped.

[us1champ]

i will say this again..  with the world of dodge and the lack of vendors that we have for aftermarket / factory parts. this is a blow.  no way around it.

 

so instead 15 - 20 pages of what if/ why/ what the hell happened/ what are they going to do ect ect ect.  

 

I would think arrington would at the very least. come to a forum or forums and state this is why we did what  we did and this is our plan..  like i said.. If this was a gm or ford shop..  move on.. but this is a bigger deal just because of the situation and the company and it's backround.. dodge is already the least of the 3 in terms of hotrod/performance shops/ parts both aftermarket and factory for places to go...  

 

so if they want to clear the air. set the record straight.. or just let everyone know they ARE NOT closing shop & or making changes for various reasons. i would think they would at the very least put something out there for folks to know what the hell is going on.. because and no offense to anyone. but unless the horse speaks it is ALL SPECULATION.. i don't care who you know or who you blow.. it is just that.

 

If i was a guy looking at buying a engine.. supercharger, turbo.. or catch can. and i am on the car forums much, and i am researching stuff what i want to do and who do i want to call/use.  if i seen what has been posted in the last few days on multiple forums.. the last place i would feel comfortable buying anything from them.

 

but hey what the hell do i know

[toofart]

Don and Chris and AJ are/were the faces of the company. These guys are in the trenches helping us out and showing up at events not because they feel obligated to (eh Eric Hruza) but because they like the sport, they like the community, they like what they do and they are friends.

So although Arrington doesn't owe anyone squat, the way they treat these guys is a reflection of how they treat us, customers present and future.

Kinda got to agree the vendor landscape looks like shit. At this point the only two people I'd trust with my car are Erik/BFNY and Scott at AMP (but he's too far)

[Hemituner]

Don and Chris and AJ are/were the faces of the company. These guys are in the trenches helping us out and showing up at events not because they feel obligated to (eh Eric Hruza) but because they like the sport, they like the community, they like what they do and they are friends.

So although Arrington doesn't owe anyone squat, the way they treat these guys is a reflection of how they treat us, customers present and future.

Kinda got to agree the vendor landscape looks like shit. At this point the only two people I'd trust with my car are Erik/BFNY and Scott at AMP (but he's too far)

This was all playing out over the last couple of years. I won't speak for the company or the others but for me Once they took me off the Dyno and purchased BG  I knew in my gut my hourglass was turned. When Dodge pulled out of NASCAR alot of work just evaporated and not living in Martinsville wasn't helping my chances. In the end this has been a HUGE relief for me. Im back in the shop home with my family and able to tune and help whomever wants my services. I am rebuilding my customer base and opportunities are popping up every where from Josh and Bruce at HHP to BFNY , and Glen at Authentic Performance, all of which I have alot of respect for.  True Street Performance with Hemituner performance in the the same building is steadily ramping up. API makes alot of products and if they evaporated would leave a big hole in the community. Time will tell hopefully they will get right. At the end of the day remember we are dealing with a Private Equity group. Those in that chain want a return on their investment PERIOD. When they brought me on the goal was simple, they wanted a sustainable calibration department. In the end they have it, mission complete. 

AJ

[BuilderBill]

This was all playing out over the last couple of years. I won't speak for the company or the others but for me Once they took me off the Dyno and purchased BG  I knew in my gut my hourglass was turned. When Dodge pulled out of NASCAR alot of work just evaporated and not living in Martinsville wasn't helping my chances. In the end this has been a HUGE relief for me. Im back in the shop home with my family and able to tune and help whomever wants my services. I am rebuilding my customer base and opportunities are popping up every where from Josh and Bruce at HHP to BFNY , and Glen at Authentic Performance, all of which I have alot of respect for.  True Street Performance with Hemituner performance in the the same building is steadily ramping up. API makes alot of products and if they evaporated would leave a big hole in the community. Time will tell hopefully they will get right. At the end of the day remember we are dealing with a Private Equity group. Those in that chain want a return on their investment PERIOD. When they brought me on the goal was simple, they wanted a sustainable calibration department. In the end they have it, mission complete. 

AJ

You hit the nail on the head...a Private investment group (OWNERS of Arrington) want a NICE return on investment.

ANY of our companies would be viewed as high risk to an investment firm.

They are at the end of the day, investors, wanting a premium return on investment.

Year after year losing money or not making their margin is NOT what they had in mind.

As much as I feel bad for those at Arrington that were let go, in my heart, I think all will be better off.

Let's hope time proves that out:) Best wishes my friend!

Bill

[NO COMPROMISE]

Lots of business go thru major shakeups. Sometimes very good personnel are dismissed due to no fault of their own other than being there when the shakeup occurred.

 

It would not be unusual  for the ownership to make those changes without any obligation to explain themselves to anyone outside of management, even perhaps those employees who were affected. 

 

Sometimes change provides new opportunities that are more beneficial than the original status quo. 

 

A private INVESTMENT group would certainly want to see an adequate return on investment and would make whatever changes deemed necessary to achieve their goals if they are not being met. 

 

This is not the first nor last time a company will go thru this kind of shakeup. Hopefully all those who were terminated, laid off, or whatever will go on to a better opportunity.

[AvantSrt8]

Hopefully they were smart enough to keep the guy working on the new catch can design. 

[TA340]

There are a lot better places for private equity firms to make money than in automotive. Ask Chrysler, Delphi, and the half dozen foundries that have gone bankrupt in the last 10 years just to name a few. Was a disaster for all of them.

[TimeWaitsFNM]

Very odd choice, I'd assume they expected some synergy with another investment or more.  Magnuson maybe but even then that seems small scale.

[KeavDog]

Do manufacturers do better than performance shops.  Though a bunch of manufactures started out as performance shops like Edelbrock.

Wonder what it takes for a shop to turn a corner financially.

And I wonder what the liabilities are if any.

[AvantSrt8]

Very odd choice, I'd assume they expected some synergy with another investment or more.  Magnuson maybe but even then that seems small scale.

 

 

Automotive aftermarket product manufacturing and distribution is what this PE company specializes.in. It's not an odd choice for them. If Im not mistaken, i read somewhere the founder of Dynojet is on their board.

[BuilderBill]

Being purchased or "funded" by an investment group is a double edged sward.

Paramount was recently contacted by a friend that owns an investment firm.

After listening to the proposal and taking it over with Mary, we decided to say no.

I want to keep control and invest in equipment that I believe is necessary to continue building Paramount.

For an investor have a say in those type of decisions would not help Paramount.

Soo....bottom line, investors invest in a company to make GOOD returns, SHORT term typically....

Bill

[TNCHARGER]

Hopefully they were smart enough to keep the guy working on the new catch can design. 

..........

[rtr0id]

Hopefully they were smart enough to keep the guy working on the new catch can design. 

 

hey now, catch cans are the road to recovery for API but just they lead me to my demise. When I asked for an update on Friday I was again put off till Monday or Tuesday.  this is getting fucking old

 

[ironchallenger]

id tell you tony that i could help you but linda would come in here and tell you my life story.



In terms of investors.... i wouldnt let one step in lnside our operations. Theres too much risk to ever make any investor happy. You are basically held down on a leash with them with no real room to expand. Only shrink

[Linda's FF]

id tell you tony that i could help you but linda would come in here and tell you my life story.



In terms of investors.... i wouldnt let one step in lnside our operations. Theres too much risk to ever make any investor happy. You are basically held down on a leash with them with no real room to expand. Only shrink

Haha Mani you tell on your self, the pockets of information in this and other forums have lots of stories.  

 

Geeze Tony I think you better get some pictures of your stand alone to see if it's actually still together.

 

How many catch cans are being made to tie up a machine for a week?  Great excuse!

You know they meant to say 2 weeks   ......Christmas is coming, maybe they'll throw in a New Free Catch Can.....ummmm nah it'll cut into the bottom line. 

 

Sorry Tony, but I do hope this issue get's resolved. 

 

Linda  

[BuckeyeGuy]

....bottom line, investors invest in a company to make GOOD returns, SHORT term typically....

Bill

 

 

You hit the nail on the head.  I work for a multi-national, foreign owned $3 Billion company.  Reorganizations come typically every two years on some scale.  Investors want returns now - not 5 years from now and this really at times drives decisions that a private owner would never make.  And yes, the reorgs at times impact some of the best employees (sometimes also the highest paid) but usually there is never anything personal with the decisions (unfortunately) they are just business decisions.

 

 

Doesn't mean the company is in trouble financially, they are just trying something different to increase profits.  Glad to see AJ and Don land on their feet off and running !

[monty1269]

 

Geeze Tony I think you better get some pictures of your stand alone to see if it's actually still together.

 

 

 

It isnt....at least the original one. They already sabotaged, molested, and gang raped that one.... Who knows WTF is on there now. A miss-mash bunch of part and pieces from who knows where,

[BuilderBill]

It isnt....at least the original one. They already sabotaged, molested, and gang raped that one.... Who knows WTF is on there now. A miss-mash bunch of part and pieces from who knows where,

What standalone is it?

NAG1 standalone?

Bill

[Tout]

What standalone is it?

NAG1 standalone?

Bill

Bill, it's for the 8 rib KB belt system,there were a few made some said they worked some not, but there are plenty of guys running the KB set up without issues which Tony could be using.