[RobertP]

Well the remains of my business is going out the door one piece at a time.
Yesterday 2 guys with 2 lorries and a 5 ton forklift turned up to remove one of the biggest machines. It weighs 11 tonnes but they handled it like it was nothing. Very impressive team.

This is how the workshop used to look....


Removal time - a strap on the forktruck is towing...

Now the crane is towing.


It really is 11 tonnes




The machines paid for themselves many time over through the years. Still makes you think though when something that cost 165k sells for 9. If manufacturing were not in the toilet it would have sold for 25+ easily... but don't get me started
Just looking forward to when it is all over now - should be by the end of the month.

[digitalfailure]

If manufacturing were not in the toilet

Ain't that the truth

We make nothing worth mentioning in this country anymore, I worry for the future.

Did you get the idea, the removal team had done that before Their excellence in their art has come at the expense of you and countless thousands of business's who've gone to the wall.

It's good you can look forward to the end of the era though, as one chapter closes another will open.
I'll cross my fingers for you and hope that the next chapter for you is a happy one.

[Boon]

Originally Posted by digitalfailure

Ain't that the truth


It's good you can look forward to the end of the era though, as one chapter closes another will open.
I'll cross my fingers for you and hope that the next chapter for you is a happy one.

Ditto, i think its a crying shame that this once proud nation, now BUYS everything from abroad, god help us...

i would also like to ask, what did the machines do???

[Warspite]

Makes me wonder how you got all that equipment in there - or did you just build your business around it.

Sad in one respect, but hopefully a decision that hopefully saves you from alot of stress and trouble in the longer term.

Good luck for the future.

[Venomator]

Originally Posted by RobertP

Well the remains of my business is going out the door one piece at a time.
Yesterday 2 guys with 2 lorries and a 5 ton forklift turned up to remove one of the biggest machines. It weighs 11 tonnes but they handled it like it was nothing. Very impressive team.

Just looking forward to when it is all over now - should be by the end of the month.

And you thought to share it with us ?

Courageous you are man ! I sincerely hope you land on your feet. It cannot be easy.

The shots are worthy !

[Matty]

The company i work for manufacture, its a dying industry for sure, Im sure Robert will be ok!

[RobertP]

Don't worry about me - selling the factory is a nice financial cushion

The Safan Challengers are computer controlled sheet metal punching machines. A sheet of steel 2 metres long or more is hand loaded on then the green button pressed. The sheet is moved about and a seletion from a turret of 20 tools punches holes and cuts profiles following the program.You can see a punched sheet in the foreground in the first picture. I did all the programming and tool setting. The workshop staff then run as many sheets as the job needed.

On the left in the top picture are press brakes which then bent the parts to shape. Spot welders or TIG / MIG welding to assemble and then into the paint shop...then electrical assembly test and pack.

A guy told us yesterday Philips lighting has given up the fight and bought a manufacturer in China to switch production there.

[Dave]

Unscroupilous people would have burned the place down & claimed the insurance. Heard that too many times from builders on jobs losing money

Anyway glad it's all coming to an end now Robert & you can concentrate on your B&W photography

[RobertP]

Originally Posted by DJW

Unscroupilous people would have burned the place down & claimed the insurance. Heard that too many times from builders on jobs losing money

Anyway glad it's all coming to an end now Robert & you can concentrate on your B&W photography

Don't know if you remember the saatchi art fire when Tracey Emmen lost her tent... that building was less than 100 yards away. We were locked out for a week while they made gas cylinders safe. Have to confess a slight feeling of wrong building! when we got there after following the smoke trail when going to work that morning the fire was raging

I may find time to try monochrome ... don't promise to like it though

[Arkady]

It's the difference between little wax crayons and a nice 2B pencil...

[Rich]

This is the thing with international fair trade, it kills business in countries where the cost of living is higher and the economy is stronger. Its up to the goverment to help people in this position to retrain imo.
You would think that as a country our high tech industries (IT, Programming etc) would be able to make up for the loss of industrial and manufacturing incmome, but now thats being shipped to India for peanuts too.
Having said that, things are so bad in places like India for a lot of people that you get the feeling it is all for the greater good of mankind in general.
The stronger their economy becomes the more chance they could have of combating poverty. Who knows where the world is taking us!

[Arkady]

Tis true - you have to take a global view on it all at some point.

We'll end up as administrators and advisors.
Actually, I think we should take back the Empire - it'd only take a fortnight to do all of Africa and India - the Americans are too occupied in Iraq to bother us and the Russians are too busy keeping it all together at home to notice.

Then we can all dress in white linen again and work in Calcutta for the Foreign Office.

Works for me...

[Rich]