Shop-Vac closed
- Thread starter tom slick
- Start date
well that sucks
This past year is pushing certain businesses not run well or hurting over the cliff.
Crazy even there webpage returns a 404 Not Found error. At least put a message up.
Crazy even there webpage returns a 404 Not Found error. At least put a message up.
JHZR2
Staff member
Look at the PF video on vacs. HF sells two different ones alone, and one was close to the winner. HD sells a ton of store brand (Ridgid), so I suspect shop vac was hurting for a while.
As with any decent American made product, they will just produce something very similar and sell it for 30% less.
"In a letter reportedly given to workers, Shop-Vac says that they are in dire financial conditions due to the global pandemic and financial crisis"
toolguyd.com
It looks like SV had a buyer on the table and they walked. As mentioned above the company has problems. We went through this in the mid 2000's. Its all a rebuilding process that will take many years to fix.
What Could Have Contributed to Shop-Vac’s Financial Problems?
What could have led to Shop-Vac’s financial troubles?
toolguyd.com
It looks like SV had a buyer on the table and they walked. As mentioned above the company has problems. We went through this in the mid 2000's. Its all a rebuilding process that will take many years to fix.
My daughter just drove by the plant in Williamsport on the way home from NY to PA this morning and said that there is a large banner on the building that says "NOW HIRING"!
Possibly updated article here about their closing: https://www.inquirer.com/business/shop-vac-closure-covid-layoffs-williamsport-miller-20201109.html
And I just realized this is why I haven't been able to find Shop-Vac branded replacement filter bags at Walmart!
And I just realized this is why I haven't been able to find Shop-Vac branded replacement filter bags at Walmart!
I just went to their website today to look for a new shop vac and saw it was now under a recovery firm or something. Got to reading and saw all of this stuff. Bummer.
The deal is done. According to this article the company assets were purchased by Hangzhou Great Star and production is going to continue. There is still new inventory in mainstream stores.
JHZR2
Staff member
So now under Chinese ownership? I guess better than being closed and only made in China....
Countdown to offshoring in 10...9...8...
Countdown to offshoring in 10...9...8...
The value of a established brand name cannot be underestimated. Shop Vac became the generic name of that piece of equipment. “Can I borrow your shop vac?” Yes, there will be Shop Vacs made in China soon.
Reading into the original article it looks as though the company may not have been managed too terribly well (see quote below) and after sale fell through the family said to hell with it, shut it down. I hope tracing CARES act funding they obtained (if any) is par for the course for situations like these.
"Jason Fink, president and CEO of the Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce, said ownership did not reach out to the community for assistance in any of its challenges, noting that if it had, there might have been a better outcome for the employees and the business."
"Jason Fink, president and CEO of the Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce, said ownership did not reach out to the community for assistance in any of its challenges, noting that if it had, there might have been a better outcome for the employees and the business."
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2020
- Messages
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This is pretty shocking to say the least, WHY? It's really one of those inexplicable situations. I bet the county would have been willing to give them huge tax breaks just for the asking which might have kept the company solvent until a suitable buyer could have been found, and kept the employees working. Very strange.
I will say that the Chinese while I don't care for their ownership of things has shown that they will keep plants operating in the USA or even open new plants and employ a lot of Americans, like the auto glass company recently that opened a huge new plant in the midwest.
Yes, that's sad.
They once called to interview me for a job---the telephonic kind of interview, not in-person at the plant.
They once called to interview me for a job---the telephonic kind of interview, not in-person at the plant.
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