I doubt that it is good news for Ten-Tec enthusiasts.
Companies that are doing well financially are rarely for sale and/or its owners
are rarely willing to merge.
As a both past and currently self employed businessman, I speak from experience.
Also RF Concepts has gone through several owners in the last decade or so.
Founded as Ehrhorn Technological Operations, it's gone through a lot of
instability. Its relatively new owner is probably trying to create a big enough
asset/customer base to survive. Several other Amateur Radio linear amp makers
have left the market.
Just a few months ago Tokyo-Hypower declared bankruptcy, etc.
About 5 years ago Ten-Tec was booming with a huge military contract. Those
contracts have ended with the winding down of the Iraqi/Afghan wars. When they
began to greatly reduce their QST advertising, etc, I suspected that their
business was slowing.
Merging two companies that are financially weak rarely creates a stronger unit.
Look up Studebaker - Packard merger, Nash - Hudson Merger, etc.
73,
Doug/WA1TUT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
.
Date: Mon, 12 May 2014 10:13:16 -0500 (CDT)
From: Ron Notarius W3WN <wn3vaw@verizon.net>
To: tentec@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Alpha Amplifiers and TEN-TEC Merge
Message-ID:
<19619403.1437535.1399907596164.JavaMail.root@vms170025>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Knowing the quality and reputation of Alpha amps over the
years, while I admit I didn't see this one coming... I think
this will be good news in the long run. (Hope?)
By the way, anyone else notice the little "oh by the way"
mention in this release of the Patriot? "An open
source, Arduino-based SSB transceiver". Now, THAT'S
going to be interesting...
On 05/12/14, Cecil wrote:
And all under the RF Concepts banner...
I'm guessing the Ten-Tec amps will either be discontinued or
become the low end Alpha amps...there have been many asking
for a more affordable Alpha amp design.
This ought to be interesting...
Cecil
K5DL
Sent from my iPad
> On May 12, 2014, at 9:55 AM, "Mike Pagel, K9UW" <k9uw@wi-net.com>
wrote:
>
>
>
> Has anyone else seen this? I received it as an email
newsletter from
> Alpha.
>
> 73, de Mike, K9UW
>
> ALPHA AMPLIFIERS AND TEN-TEC MERGE UNDER RF
> CONCEPTS BANNER
>
> LONGMONT, Colo.- May 9, 2014 - Announcing today the
> merger of Longmont, Colorado -based RF Concepts LLC /
Alpha Amplifiers
> and Sevierville, Tenn.-based TEN-TEC Inc., RF Concepts
Chairman Michael
> Seedman, AA6DY, declared the union the perfect
combination of amateur
> radio brands. The merger creates a multi-million-dollar
company with
> products that span QRP transceivers to full-legal-limit
amplifiers and
> establishes an organization with the size and scale to
continue to
> innovate into the next decade and beyond.
>
> RF Concepts/Alpha Amplifiers
> has been building amplifiers continuously since the
early 1970s and has
> put more than 13,000 amplifiers in the hands of
demanding amateur radio
> operators. Alpha Amplifiers are considered "the finest
line of linear
> amplifiers in the world" by the ham community. TEN-TEC,
founded in 1968,
> produces top-of-the-line receivers, transceivers,
amplifiers and tuners
> and is known worldwide for the reliability and
performance of its
> products.
>
> "For more than 40 years, Alpha Amplifiers and TEN-TEC
have
> shared a reputation in the amateur radio market for
offering
> exceptionally well-engineered, American-made products
backed by
> extraordinary customer service," said Seedman. "Alpha
Amplifiers is
> known for 'key down performance,' and TEN-TEC is known
for pushing the
> boundaries of transceiver performance and capabilities.
>
> "The merger of
> these brands under the RF Concepts banner makes perfect
sense," added
> Seedman, "not only in terms of creating a powerful
product line, but
> also in terms of positioning our company for the
future. This merger
> more than doubles the size of our business allowing us
to invest more
> capital in innovative engineering and customer-driven
product
> development."
>
> RF Concepts' operations will now be shared between its
> Longmont Colorado facility and its Sevierville
Tennessee facility. The
> company is currently seeking a new operations facility
in the
> Sevierville area to more efficiently house factory
operations, part of
> the engineering resources, and technical and customer
support services.
> The Colorado facility will house engineering resources,
technical and
> customer support services, and much of the front-office
operations.
>
>
> Both Jim Wharton, NO4A, who in January of this year
took the reins of
> TEN-TEC upon the retirement of founder Jack Burchfield,
K4JU and Ken
> Long, N0QO, who has been overseeing the operations at
Alpha Amplifiers
> will be Presidents of their respective group, working
together to build
> a strong, innovative company.
>
> "Ken and I have spent quite a bit of
> time discussing our short- and long-term focus over the
last few weeks
> and I feel our responsibilities are very clearly
defined.", said
> Wharton.
>
> "Jim and I have a lot of work to do to make sure the
merging
> of these two brands goes as smoothly as possible."
added Long.
>
> The
> merger announcement comes just days before one of the
signature amateur
> radio events in North America-the Dayton (Ohio)
Hamvention-where more
> than 75,000 hams are expected to converge on the Hara
Arena Complex to
> discover the latest innovations in amateur radio. Both
Alpha Amplifiers
> and TEN-TEC will operate separate booths at this years
show (May 16 -
> 18). Both booths will feature new products and special
offers to
> commemorate the merger. At booths 209-210 in the North
Hall, Alpha
> Amplifiers will be demonstrating the soon-to-be
released DreamTuner 4040
> Automatic Antenna Tuner, a graphically based, 4KW
Autotuner. At booths
> 458-450 in the East Hall, TEN-TEC will unveil the
Patriot, an open
> source, arduino-based SSB transceiver.
>
> About RF Concepts/Alpha
> Amplifiers
>
> RF Concepts/Alpha Amplifiers manufactures high-end
linear
> amplifiers for ham radio enthusiasts. Based in
Longmont, Colo., the
> company is known worldwide for its quality amplifiers.
Alpha Amplifiers
> have been continuously manufactured in the United
States since the early
> 1970s.
>
> About TEN-TEC
>
> TEN-TEC Inc. was founded in 1968 to provide
> beautifully engineered, well-crafted, well-supported
and high-performing
> products to the amateur radio market. For 46 years the
Sevierville,
> Tenn.-based company has passionately designed, crafted
and tested
> premium products which have earned the company a solid
reputation and
> loyal brand followers throughout the world.
> _______________________________________________
> TenTec mailing list
> TenTec@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
_______________________________________________
TenTec mailing list
TenTec@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Mon, 12 May 2014 11:18:54 -0400
From: Dave Edwards <kd2e@comcast.net>
To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Fw: Alpha Amplifiers and TEN-TEC
Merge
Message-ID: <5370E65E.3010306@comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed
That would have been the same as closing the doors....like
HyGain, for
example!
...Dave
On 5/12/14, 11:06 AM, Robb Urie wrote:
> Interesting...better than an MFJ merger.
>
> N0RU
>
>
>
> From: RF Concepts/Alpha Amplifiers
> Sent: Monday, May 12, 2014 8:41 AM
> To: n0ru@arrl.net
> Subject: Alpha Amplifiers and TEN-TEC Merge
>
> Hi, just a reminder that you're receiving this email
because you have expressed an interest in RF Concepts/Alpha
Amplifiers. Don't forget to add newsletter@rfconcepts.com
to your address book so we'll be sure to land in your
inbox!
>
> You may unsubscribe if you no longer wish to receive
our emails.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Announcing the Merger of Alpha Amplifiers & Tentec
>
Alpha Amplifiers and TEN-TEC Merge Under RF Concepts Banner
>
>
>
>
LONGMONT, Colo.- May 9, 2014 - Announcing today the merger
of Longmont, Colorado -based RF Concepts LLC / Alpha
Amplifiers and Sevierville, Tenn.-based TEN-TEC Inc., RF
Concepts Chairman Michael Seedman, AA6DY, declared the union
the perfect combination of amateur radio brands. The merger
creates a multi-million-dollar company with products that
span QRP transceivers to full-legal-limit amplifiers and
establishes an organization with the size and scale to
continue to innovate into the next decade and beyond.
>
>
>
>
RF
Concepts/Alpha Amplifiers has been building amplifiers
continuously since the early 1970s and has put more than
13,000 amplifiers in the hands of demanding amateur radio
operators. Alpha Amplifiers are considered "the finest line
of linear amplifiers in the world" by the ham community.
TEN-TEC, founded in 1968, produces top-of-the-line
receivers, transceivers, amplifiers and tuners and is known
worldwide for the reliability and performance of its
products.
>
>
>
>
"For
more than 40 years, Alpha Amplifiers and TEN-TEC have shared
a reputation in the amateur radio market for offering
exceptionally well-engineered, American-made products backed
by extraordinary customer service," said Seedman. "Alpha
Amplifiers is known for 'key down performance,' and TEN-TEC
is known for pushing the boundaries of transceiver
performance and capabilities.
>
>
>
>
"The
merger of these brands under the RF Concepts banner makes
perfect sense," added Seedman, "not only in terms of
creating a powerful product line, but also in terms of
positioning our company for the future. This merger more
than doubles the size of our business allowing us to invest
more capital in innovative engineering and customer-driven
product development."
>
>
>
>
RF
Concepts' operations will now be shared between its Longmont
Colorado facility and its Sevierville Tennessee facility.
The company is currently seeking a new operations facility
in the Sevierville area to more efficiently house factory
operations, part of the engineering resources, and technical
and customer support services. The Colorado facility will
house engineering resources, technical and customer support
services, and much of the front-office operations.
>
>
>
>
Both
Jim Wharton, NO4A, who in January of this year took the
reins of TEN-TEC upon the retirement of founder Jack
Burchfield, K4JU and Ken Long, N0QO, who has been overseeing
the operations at Alpha Amplifiers will be Presidents of
their respective group, working together to build a strong,
innovative company.
>
>
>
>
"Ken
and I have spent quite a bit of time discussing our short-
and long-term focus over the last few weeks and I feel our
responsibilities are very clearly defined.", said Wharton.
>
>
>
>
"Jim
and I have a lot of work to do to make sure the merging of
these two brands goes as smoothly as possible." added Long.
>
>
>
>
The
merger announcement comes just days before one of the
signature amateur radio events in North America-the Dayton
(Ohio) Hamvention-where more than 75,000 hams are expected
to converge on the Hara Arena Complex to discover the latest
innovations in amateur radio. Both Alpha Amplifiers and
TEN-TEC will operate separate booths at this years show (May
16 - 18). Both booths will feature new products and special
offers to commemorate the merger. At booths 209-210 in the
North Hall, Alpha Amplifiers will be demonstrating the
soon-to-be released DreamTuner 4040 Automatic Antenna Tuner,
a graphically based, 4KW Autotuner. At booths 458-450 in the
East Hall, TEN-TEC will unveil the Patriot, an open source,
arduino-based SSB transceiver.
>
>
>
>
About RF Concepts/Alpha Amplifiers
>
>
RF
Concepts/Alpha Amplifiers manufactures high-end linear
amplifiers for ham radio enthusiasts. Based in Longmont,
Colo., the company is known worldwide for its quality
amplifiers. Alpha Amplifiers have been continuously
manufactured in the United States since the early 1970s.
>
>
>
>
About TEN-TEC
>
>
TEN-TEC Inc. was founded in 1968 to provide beautifully
engineered, well-crafted, well-supported and high-performing
products to the amateur radio market. For 46 years the
Sevierville, Tenn.-based company has passionately designed,
crafted and tested premium products which have earned the
company a solid reputation and loyal brand followers
throughout the world.
>
>
###
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Ken
Long
>
303-473-9232
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Forward this email
>
>
> This
email was sent to n0ru@arrl.net by info@rfconcepts.com
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