Batson Changes Vendors

[Fishaddict]

Okay Mike... Whats this going to mean to us after everything is said and done???? Good, Bad, or Ugly???
Any thoughts.....

http://www.rodbuilding.org/read.php?...01034&t=101034

[Mike P]

Different Mike but I'll give my 2 cents.

Sounds to me like we're gonna pay Lamiglas/Loomis prices if we want a Batson blank that's made in the US.

The SW series was too good to be true---at those prices

Cascade used to make the IGSC blanks for Sabre before Pac Bay came into the picture, or so I've heard.

[mikecc]

Cascade used to make the IGSC blanks for Sabre before Pac Bay came into the picture, or so I've heard.

Thats when Bill Batson was the President of Pack Bay.He left the company thru a powershift in management.Then he opened up Batson/Rainshadow right down the street from Pack Bay. and took a lot of their business.

I don't know what the future prices will be ,but it does not sound good. Monday I will be ordering about 100 blanks ot secure my inventory for the season.

I will most likely stay away from the new blanks for aprox 6 mo till they figure out the production process. I don't want to be anybodys guinea pig.

[Mike P]

All Star bought out by Shakespeare Bet the first thing they do is move production overseas

Batson outsourcing production of their less expensive blanks overseas

Loomis taken over by Shimano and no longer offering blanks to builders

Looks like Lami is gonna be the only game in town, and how long can they continue to build affordable blanks in the US? They've already started offshore production of those Surf King factory rods.

[Saltheart]

Just speculation right now as to who will make the blanks. Lets see what happens.

I seldom built on the SW blanks but had high hopes for the SU blanks. lets see what happens.

[capesams]

from Bill batson himself.......materials, models, etc will not be changing,,the only change that's going to be happening is where they are made to keep the cost of blanks that you now enjoy at the same price......IF you still want the same blanks but want them made in the usa, thier going to cost you alot more because of rising labor rates.......this is what I was just told not 5 min's ago.