Don Terrill’s Speed-Talk

tjs44 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 03, 2020 1:22 pm Comp has a separate lobe catalog so its EZ to pic lobes and order a custom cam.Big issue is the availability of billet cores.Took 6 weeks for a friend of mines cam and im on 4 weeks right now with no billet cores.Not sure what the issue is but hear it from other makers.Maybe Mike can chime in on the core issues.Tom

I have been told before they have a specific core supplier for their shelf stuff and any custom stuff may be longer depending on core type and firing order options. That said they also have some proprietary deal with speciality stuff that their core supplier will not supply to other cam grinders regardless of who or how many cores are wanted.

I understand a really custom cam like a RA V tunnel port pontiac cam as it is done from a round billet.Just dont understand a stock type core with stock firing order is not in stock?It took 12 weeks to get a V done.Maybe the new owner does not want any cores on hand.Tom

I was told by a reliable source that they have several suppliers for cam cores depending on the intended application.
That said I tried a while back to get a specific cam core for an engine that I wanted to use the LS firing order and they told me they were doing a run for comp and they ordered all the blanks they had on hand and the blanks that were in process of being made for the next several months.
Now if they are keeping the local guys in the US that busy the rest of the stuff must also be made off shore or some secret location eleswhere

Walter R. Malik wrote: ↑Mon Feb 03, 2020 10:35 am I heard that the Comp Group sold their controlling interest in a lot of companies, last week.

WoW ... it was Edelbrock who bought the controlling interest in the Comp Group.

Walter R. Malik wrote: ↑Wed Feb 05, 2020 11:58 am

Walter R. Malik wrote: ↑Mon Feb 03, 2020 10:35 am I heard that the Comp Group sold their controlling interest in a lot of companies, last week.

WoW ... it was Edelbrock who bought the controlling interest in the Comp Group.

Yep, but no word on what happens with Lunati and Crane. It looks like they were not part of the deal.

I have no idea how this is going to turn out, but history tells us that being bought out by a private equity firm, normally doesn't end well.
This same private equity firm put a halt to Edelbrock doing any new development, and fired their head engineer.

pdq67 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 03, 2020 11:24 am
Does Ed still answer the phone in the afternoon OR has he left us??

pdq67

As I understand it, Ed goes into the plant a couple of times a week, but spends most of his time tinkering with projects in his personal shop. He has pretty much left management of the company to Richard, Ron and the others.

CamKing wrote: ↑Wed Feb 05, 2020 12:10 pm I have no idea how this is going to turn out, but history tells us that being bought out by a private equity firm, normally doesn't end well.

Isn't that the truth.

CamKing wrote: ↑Wed Feb 05, 2020 12:10 pmYep, but no word on what happens with Lunati and Crane. It looks like they were not part of the deal.

I have no idea how this is going to turn out, but history tells us that being bought out by a private equity firm, normally doesn't end well.
This same private equity firm put a halt to Edelbrock doing any new development, and fired their head engineer.

So this process was setup by the "Holley Group" model, Jeff King did this to Holley and to Auto Meter. You can gain a lot more leverage for Chinese production if you're making more stuff, so you gather a few companies under one roof and slowly eliminate engineering as you move production to China.

They did it loud and proud with Holley Group, they were far more subtle with Auto Meter to avoid industry disturbance. Most people don't realize that Auto Meter owns Stack, Spek, Dedenbear, COBB, etc. Auto Meter isn't really an aftermarket performance company anymore, the majority of their profits come from the test equipment they sell to Autozone and Oreily. They're learning, and if I'm not mistaken it's the same investment group that did both companies and that is now doing this. I'd heard word Auto Meter group was being readied for sale, maybe this is their next project.

This is not the best news for sure. I used Tim Cole for years at comp. He was a real help to me. Maybe we can hope for a different out come on this purchase than we have seen in the past. Like was said before they will most likely use up all the profit and credit then take the money and run!

CamKing wrote: ↑Wed Feb 05, 2020 12:10 pm

Walter R. Malik wrote: ↑Wed Feb 05, 2020 11:58 am

Walter R. Malik wrote: ↑Mon Feb 03, 2020 10:35 am I heard that the Comp Group sold their controlling interest in a lot of companies, last week.

WoW ... it was Edelbrock who bought the controlling interest in the Comp Group.

Yep, but no word on what happens with Lunati and Crane. It looks like they were not part of the deal.

I have no idea how this is going to turn out, but history tells us that being bought out by a private equity firm, normally doesn't end well.
This same private equity firm put a halt to Edelbrock doing any new development, and fired their head engineer.

If what has happened in the past with other companies happens here, it means surely there will be no further development and simply resting your product line-up on whatever you already have.

Walter R. Malik wrote: ↑Wed Feb 05, 2020 3:33 pm If what has happened in the past with other companies happens here, it means surely there will be no further development and simply resting your product line-up on whatever you already have.

Stagnant product line will be made cheaper and some of that savings put towards re-advertising the now junk product usually

Sad part is, most of us depend on acquisitions like this, and subsequent stock increase, to maintain growth of our retirement portfolios. Just the way it is...

In shops like Crane, Lunati, and Comp,I wonder what % of their profile designs are actually sold 90% of the time... I wouldn’t be shocked if like the same 20 master designs make up 90% of the sales.

So who's going to be left for personal relationships, LS firing orders on Gen 1 SBCs, class-specific customs, etc? Mike, Bullet, Isky and Erson?

Brian Pitcher direct number 1-800-539-8635

FWIW, the official announcement on COMP's web site: http://www.cpgnation.com/industrial-opp ... nce-group/