Scheppach buy Kity factory?

[RoyS]

I was drooling over new machines in my 'local' store (Norfolk Saw Services - 45 miles away!) and talking to the owner, who told me that last week Scheppach had bought the Kity French factory, apparently so that they could be seen as more 'French' and so improve sales in France. But they have not bought the Kity name.

If this is true, then surely there can be no way back for Kity?

Best wishes - Roy

 

[Alf]

Hmm, that doesn't sound good. I found the following report, which also mentions Scheppach: Google translation. Seems they were certainly interested so it's quite likely. I think that's pretty bad news for woodworkers; as the report says, Kity and Scheppach were direct competitors and presumably kept each other on their toes.

Cheers, Alf

 

[menatnma]

While no secret, it is true that Scheppach have indeed bought the Kity factory in France and everything that goes with it, machines, spare parts and the name Kity itself. There are no plans as yet to resell the Kity brand in the Uk as far as this writer is aware, that is not to say that the machines that are available from the factory at present will not be sold, but as from whom or where I do not thave that info,being a mere cog in the machine as you might say. There are plans to find an outlet to sell Kity spares and NMA are looking into this, but how far down the road we are yet is unknown.
What might be is that the kIty combi maybe the first machine to be re-dressed in blue and gold and as Roy has said previous, it is a means to an end so that Scheppach can gain a market share in France for the Scheppach brand. The French tend only to buy French machines so we are told.
Rumours of blending the two names together cannot be ruled out but would you buy a machine if it was a Schitty machine
On a saner note, while taking on ALfs comments about keeping on each other toes, I personally do not think that Scheppach will ride roughshod over customers of the Kity brand as they are busy bringing in their own new range of cast iron machines over the coming months. Pictures are being sent to Charley and a review may be on the cards of the new machines in the next few days,pictures first, reviews later. the machines are the HMS260, TS2000, TS2500 AND TS4010 along with new lathes, mortisers and a dinky little Basato 1,.the planers are due in April and the others mid-May,give or take a bit. More info from us at NMA.
Hope this helps people and am sure that after more than 30 years of importing Scheppach into this country, that NMA will be still be able to offer people good quality machines in which ever guise they come dressed up in.

Richard. one on the menatnma

 

[Alf]

I wasn't suggesting anybody was going to be rode over roughshod, I just can't think who an equivalent competitor would be, now Kity's no more. Sure Scheppach have all this new stuff coming out, but that was presumably planned while Kity were still in business? Just seems to me that there's less imperative to develop new products when Scheppach have that particular niche of the market to themselves. Understandable, but as I said, not so good for the customer.

Cheers, Alf

 

[Chris Knight]

Alf,

I suspect the Far Eastern manufacturers will be enough to keep Sheppach on their toes and perhaps with Kity gone, Sheppach's margins will increase a bit from economies of scale (rather than through higher prices) thus enabling them to compete more effectively by buidling in extra quality or whatever.

 

[Alf]

Chris,

The niche I was thinking of discounted Far Eastern built machinery, after all there's more than one buyer who will always prefer to buy European-built over Chiwanese, despite the improvements in the quality of the latter. But never mind, I don't care enough about the subject to continue to argue my opinion anyway. :wink:

Cheers, Alf

P.S. Suggestion to Scheppach: change your name to Kity 'cos it's easier to spell...

 

[kityuser]

and of course EVERYBODY knows how to say kity

:lol: