Hawkline 3rd New First Choice MFG?

HayDR · Jan 17, 2003

If so where is the powder paint finish?
Who is Hawkline?
Do they have a web site?
Only Landscape equipment?

HayDR · Jan 17, 2003

Hawkline MFG

HawkLine LLC, to be located in Mt. Orab (Brown County), will receive a 65 percent tax credit for a five-year term to begin operations. The start-up company plans to manufacture agriculture implements specifically targeted to small farmers and landscapers with farm-type tractors under 50 horsepower. The implements include rotary cutters, landscaping blades, disc harrows, light plows and utility trailers. HawkLine plans to lease approximately 85,000 square feet of space to house its operation. Ohio was in competition with Kentucky and Alabama for this $852,155 project that is expected to create 65 jobs within the first three years of operation.

Gary_in_Indiana · Jan 18, 2003

If Hawkline is going to be a First Choice supplier I'm happy to see First Choice manufacturing staying here in the midwest. We certainly need the employers here.

I would think First Choice would continue to specify powder coat paint in your choice of four colors on their line as it's been such selling point for them up to this point.

As to who they might be, I can only guess that it's something being started by people defecting from some other manufacturer who believe they can "build a better mousetrap," so to speak. A neighboring community here had one medical replacement joint manufacturing company a few years back. Today that same community has four. I'm sure that's not coincidence.

Personally, I can't see why the actual manufacturer of their equipment would matter that much, anyhow. If I buy a Chevy I don't worry about who actually built and supplied the seating or steering wheel for it. Similarly, if I'm happy with First Choice and want to buy a new implement I'm not going to give much consideration to whether it's manufactured by Company A or Company B. Many brand name products have more than one supplier manufacturing the same product simultaneously. It's the design, adherence to specifications and quality control which matter, whether it's manufacturing being done in-house or outside by one or more suppliers (or some combination thereof).

If they're simply going to be a supplier to people like FC, I can't imagine why they'd want to have a public website. The FC spec's will likely differ from the spec's of anyone else for whom they're doing work.

JimMc · Jan 18, 2003

Midwest supplied their product to FC to market. FC did not supply specs, design, prototying, fixturing, engineering, or any financing for product development. The same is true for FC finish mowers, tillers, disc mowers, etc. FC imported a product already being built and available from a variety of vendors.

So, if FC uses another vendor the design specs will change as they did when FC changed from Caroni to Sicma mowers.

Should FC get another manufacturer to reverse engineer an exact copy of the Midwest product, they have several gotcha's in store as certain design elements are protected.

DK35vince · Jan 18, 2003

It seems to me if First Choice has multiple manufacturers for all their implements(changing constantly) it would make it difficult to get parts in the future.

Gary_in_Indiana · Jan 18, 2003

Jim,

I'll certainly bow to your superior knowledge on the FC/MW deal. I was speaking in more general terms and not specifically to what the terms of the FC/MW deal were. I should have delineated that more clearly than I did.

The situation I described, as I'm sure you know, is quite common. Sears, for example, puts many of the products they sell under their name and other brands up for competative bid annually. I worked years ago in a tire manufacturing plant and we bid every year. Sears set the standards and we bid to deliver based on those specs. While not necessarily likely, it was certainly possible to go to Sears and buy a "set" of four tires and have one made in each of four different plants owned by four different tire makers.

JimMc · Jan 19, 2003

No problem, Gary. I just wanted to clarify. We've worked hard at product development. I guess I'm a little sensitive about a few comments (not from TBN'ers) about the origin of the Midwest line.

MajMac392 · Jan 19, 2003

Jim,

Just a quick question from the uninformed. I don't have a lot of time to always read all the posts on this forum but from some comments in the past few months it sounded like FC was having some problems. Does your company still manufacture and supply to FC? I contacted you (and Pietor) last year when I was looking for a Landscape Rake. Based on your comments and other posts I read I picked up a Landscape Rake in Wilson last year, (no dealers in my area, So. Maine). The rake is excellent and I considered other FC implements in the future.

Thanks,
Dave M.

JimMc · Jan 20, 2003

I don't have any knowledge that FC is having any problems, but we no longer supply product to them. I don't have any direct knowledge of any plans to replace our product line with another company's either. So I guess I'm saying that anything I said regarding that would be speculation. That wouldn't be fair to FC or to the consumer.

I'm glad you like your rake and hope you will consider us for your future implement needs. I also appreciate the positive feedback.

kevincook · Jan 20, 2003

Jim,

Just so you know. The link in your signature has a typo and doesn't work. Your missing a "p".

BrettW · Jan 20, 2003

OK, OK,
Now you guys have me really confused. I'm about to buy an FC finish mower at what I consider to be a very good price. Do I need to be concerned as to who the actual manufacturer is? or is that something I really should know up front BEFORE I ever need a part. thanks, bw

Inspector507 · Jan 20, 2003

The "actual manufacturer" could be one of a few suppliers.

HayDR · Jan 20, 2003

The MFG of the FC finish mower is Sicma. Also sold under the names WAC, Big Bee, Kioti & some other brands from time to time. <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.sweettractors.com/>SICMA finish mowers</A>

Inspector507 · Jan 20, 2003

CCI,
And at one time WAC mowers were Caroni..........so ya never know these days.
The parts guy at WAC told me who the manufacturer for my mower was when I ordered parts. He said just buy Caroni parts if we don't have them.

JimMc · Jan 20, 2003

Anything you're looking to buy with the FC logo will at this point be the Sicma mower. No problems with that unit that I'm aware of. From what I've seen they hold up quite well and do a good job.

HayDR · Jan 20, 2003

Inspector507,
I hear WAC is close to being a "Loose Neutral" since all the help has gone to work for Hawkline.

Inspector507 · Jan 20, 2003

Doesn't surprise me.......State offers incentives, they end up paying higher wages.

JimMc · Jan 20, 2003

WAC still offers Caroni mowers. Just depends on the dealer and what's in stock. Don't know if they'll offer the Sicma in the future, though. My understanding is that Sicma had to re-label a bunch of units orignally destined for WAC and fire sale them under the brand label "Industrial" for some reason.

Anonymous Poster · Jan 21, 2003

Do I need to be concerned as to who the actual manufacturer is? or is that something I really should know up front BEFORE I ever need a part. thanks, bw

We stock everything that moves on that mower. In addition, we do have repair parts for all FC equipment.
Ken Sweet
Sweet Farm Equipment Co.
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.sweettractors.com>http://www.sweettractors.com</A>