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Starting over in the shop, Hard times ahead?

wgnrr1

Hot Rolled
Joined
Feb 14, 2008
Location
Spooner, WI
Hello Gang,

I see I have not been active on the forums since 2012, and a lot has happened. I went full time in my shop in May of 2012, and had a great business going. Fast forward to 2016, my best customer(65%) starts having financial trouble, and starts playing games with all their vendors. So, I tell them we are done! At this point, I had a job offer to go back to locomotive repairs, so I took it. I still ran the shop on the side, picked up a few customers. December of 2019, I had enough of working outside and fixing things caused by gross stupidity, so I left to go back to the shop. First couple months were looking very promising, meetings with new potential customers, P.O.s coming in. Everything looked good, word got out I was back in the game. Then COVID-19 hit! Orders pushed back, customers laying off, production slowdowns. So, I went back to doing locomotive work as a contractor. At least I'm not on the clock anymore, and I go in as I want or for emergencies.

I pushed the advertising early on this year, and did a little throughout the year. I've started doing some YouTube videos. Just hoping things would change. I'm going into winter with very little in the shop, but do have that contract work, luckily. I really want to be machining and welding.

I've been working with a couple other shops, doing the stuff they cant do. They are seeing things tanking now too. I've been working on a potential product with a friend, but we are seeing that market struggling also.

I'm not giving up on anything, and the shop is all paid for. So, I'm here to stay!

Where do you see things headed? What advice do you guys have?
 
We are busier than ever. I expect to get a bunch of work that I missed out on last year too. I had a few new purchasing agents give my work to someone else and they gave all of their work out for the year in January. This happens a lot in industry.

I am getting more and more calls looking for shops that are actually staying open through all of this. We see help wanted signs everywhere and all manufacturing is busy here in New England.

Except for aerospace of course. That is high dollar and CT has a lot of it. That sector is down for sure.
 
You used to post all the top then nothing. Good to hear you're still kicking.

My impression is things are very strong in general unless you own a bar or restaurant or are a landlord to one of those.

The only only doom and gloom folks I know are in their 80's and using Covid as their reason for slowing down/downsizing finally. Everyone else is balls to the wall it seems.
 
We are busier than ever. I expect to get a bunch of work that I missed out on last year too. I had a few new purchasing agents give my work to someone else and they gave all of their work out for the year in January. This happens a lot in industry.

I am getting more and more calls looking for shops that are actually staying open through all of this. We see help wanted signs everywhere and all manufacturing is busy here in New England.

Except for aerospace of course. That is high dollar and CT has a lot of it. That sector is down for sure.

Oh yes, that true except for the companies doing work for Sikorsky.... The real struggle is for those doing work for Pratt & Whitney and Boeing these big guys are in trouble for now.

Idk honestly what's gonna happen next, but I opened my own shop in the middle of this PoS time in CT where probably half manufacturing companies are struggling. But no loans, no big overhead, and a perfectly structured proficient team, great work ethics must get us going. We're only 3 months into the business on our own, achieving some good stuff during hard times. - Of course all of this will only work if Covid finally stops one day.

And to specifically answer your question with my opinion: I started a shop during this time for 1 reason, I'm betting that when COVID ends and people start flying again, the world get normal to where it was the demand will be much higher than supply because a lot of shops didn't/won't survive this time. And by the time - I will be all setup with paid of idling machines and stock on hand to fulfill that demand.

^ little bit of my thinking lol
 
You used to post all the top then nothing. Good to hear you're still kicking.

Everyone else is balls to the wall it seems.

I'm still kicking. Lol. Somedays tho, not as hard.

Things have slowed in northern WI badly. With the locomotive work, I get to see the railroad end of one of my shop customers. Monthly car loads have dropped in the last 3 years, but this year has seen a significant hit. I know that its not going out on truck. That customer had a contractor in several times this year doing major track upgrades, so the rail service is vital to them. Just not sure where its all headed.
 
Oh yes, that true except for the companies doing work for Sikorsky.... The real struggle is for those doing work for Pratt & Whitney and Boeing these big guys are in trouble for now.

Idk honestly what's gonna happen next, but I opened my own shop in the middle of this PoS time in CT where probably half manufacturing companies are struggling. But no loans, no big overhead, and a perfectly structured proficient team, great work ethics must get us going. We're only 3 months into the business on our own, achieving some good stuff during hard times. - Of course all of this will only work if Covid finally stops one day.

And to specifically answer your question with my opinion: I started a shop during this time for 1 reason, I'm betting that when COVID ends and people start flying again, the world get normal to where it was the demand will be much higher than supply because a lot of shops didn't/won't survive this time. And by the time - I will be all setup with paid of idling machines and stock on hand to fulfill that demand.

^ little bit of my thinking lol

I have a sales rep in Waterbury and he knows almost all the manufacturers in the state. Aerospace gets high dollar work so they avoid the lower cost products and stick to high dollar only. This sucks hard when airplanes start dropping out of the sky and no one is traveling anymore. They cant really shift to general manufacturing as easy as some of us.

He said he is 95% doing everything on the phone and emails. It sucks for the personal side of things. Business is always done better face to face. He gets a lot of commissions from Aero too. Not so much right now.
 
Oh yes, that true except for the companies doing work for Sikorsky.... The real struggle is for those doing work for Pratt & Whitney and Boeing these big guys are in trouble for now.

Idk honestly what's gonna happen next, but I opened my own shop in the middle of this PoS time in CT where probably half manufacturing companies are struggling. But no loans, no big overhead, and a perfectly structured proficient team, great work ethics must get us going. We're only 3 months into the business on our own, achieving some good stuff during hard times. - Of course all of this will only work if Covid finally stops one day.

And to specifically answer your question with my opinion: I started a shop during this time for 1 reason, I'm betting that when COVID ends and people start flying again, the world get normal to where it was the demand will be much higher than supply because a lot of shops didn't/won't survive this time. And by the time - I will be all setup with paid of idling machines and stock on hand to fulfill that demand.

^ little bit of my thinking lol
Have you stopped by AGR up in Bristol they're making machines that make syringes which seem to be in high demand right now.

If I were a shop that were slow right now I think I would go on the Thomasnet.com and try to find any shop making medical equipment and knock on their door.

We're in aerospace and if it weren't for the military I don't know if they'd be able to keep there doors open right now.

On the plus side I did hear news about a customer (major European airline) wanting to start back up a $3.5million project that won't go online for a year and a half that will land right on my desk so maybe 2021 sees commercial aerospace start to wake back up from a deep sleep? Should have the vaccine in wide use by mid year which hopefully combined with all the old planes they retired recently can pave the way for a bounce in the industry.



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We have been doing strong through out. Guess I'm lucky, have not missed any work, and got a 5% raise a while ago. We do electronic stuff for multiple industries
 
Hello Gang, I've started doing some YouTube videos. Just hoping things would change.

I'm not giving up on anything, and the shop is all paid for. So, I'm here to stay!

Where do you see things headed? What advice do you guys have?

Well, you have a damn fine start going on your youtube channel! :cheers:

As for predictions, I don't really have one. I am balls out busy right now.
But, in my market, that can all go away in one phone calls time.
I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared shitless. Only time will tell.............
 
Well, you have a damn fine start going on your youtube channel! :cheers:

I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared shitless. Only time will tell.............

Thanks you wheelieking, and thanks for subscribing to my channel

I'm scared of what's to come too. I'm safe as it's all paid for and I can always work at McDonald's or get a hotdog cart. But still scared. Glad I have lots of ammo and food!

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Thanks you wheelieking, and thanks for subscribing to my channel

I'm scared of what's to come too. I'm safe as it's all paid for and I can always work at McDonald's or get a hotdog cart. But still scared. Glad I have lots of ammo and food!

Sent from my moto e6 using Tapatalk

Glad to see you back on the forum! Pretty slow here, but going to try to shift into a little different market so we do better next yr.
 
Starting up in hard times is definite plus ......those who start up in the boom straight away are worrying about tax minimisation and overcommit themselves on leases and debt,both business and personal.
 
What happened to the side business with the strip club?
Covid slow that down too?
 
What happened to the side business with the strip club?
Covid slow that down too?
Lol, that was so close to happening. Had it all together and a deal made, then the moron decided it was worth way more.

He went tits up about 6 months later. Lost everything, started dealing drugs to make payments and wound up in prison.

I kept going in the shop and am way happier not having all that drama, but it sure made money when we were looking at it. Some people just don't know how to manage money.

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I'm not giving up on anything, and the shop is all paid for. So, I'm here to stay!

Where do you see things headed? What advice do you guys have?

Right off, you'll be successful.
Other than that, the future is unknown. But - just keep powering through. Regardless of who is in office, you still have the ability to forge ahead.
Do it. I am.
I looking forward to the day when I turn my own key in the lock.
 
If I had to throw in my two cents... start thinking about the implications of self driving vehicles, passenger and freight. You think the world has seen disruption this year? Ha. Position yourself to survive that transition, because it is inevitably coming.

No youtube videos of the strip club??? :(
 
Topper, any product opportunities evident from your locomotive service work? Some magic widget that saves X hours for $Y? A patent-protected device for an industry already used to high costs could be a winning product.
 








 
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