Rebadging

[Cliff_Johns]

I've seen a lot of comments about rebadging tractors between brand names. Usually it's derisive, but I'd like to point out that rebadging isn't always the right term and having another company built part or all of your tractor isn't always a bad thing.

Just because a particular factory in China makes a Table Saw for Hong, Grizzly, DeWalt and Delta, does not mean that the Delta is a rebadged Hong. It often means that the same factory makes them -- that's all. Sometimes it means that the same assembly line makes them, but for key components, they pull parts from one box for Grizzly and another for Delta. Sometimes, machining stops at one stage for one brand and a different stage for another brand producing a smoother or flatter table top. Sometimes the brand name is attached, after the final quality control points.

My point is, that a factory is often building machines to the spec of the badge, not building a bunch of machines then putting the badge on them. And just because you look at the two and they look the same does not mean they are.

Of course, sometimes rebadging really is rebadging, but you can't know that without actually going to the factory and watching every step of the process.

Please believe I'm not defending/attacking or complaining. Just observing that our use of the term "rebadged" may be misleading or wrong in many cases.

In the current TBN climate, I admit I'm a little hesitant to post this, but I think it's an important distinction to make. I hope I haven't offended anyone.


Cliff

 

[KiotiJohn]

It was 95 degrees here today. Is that the kind of climate to which you refer? LOL
I don't see why anyone should be offended by your post. It's true now, and has always been true that companies make product for many others, and the quality is built to the standard of the badge, and always has been. If you were to buy a can of peas from "Green Giant," you may find that the peas all tend to be around the same size and few will be poor quality. That same factory may be making store brands for 20 other companies, and you may notice that the peas are of varying size, and sometimes more of them are split, or squashed. It's an old story that many people refuse to believe, and they continue to pay more for a brand name than for a generic that really has few differences that really matter. Of course, in heavy equipment, the changes can be more dramatic, and the longevity of the item may be shorter in a lesser quality build. John

 

[Soundguy]

I hear oil filter companies do that as well.

And speaking of partial assemblies.. that is a big market too.

While in college, I worked at a water meter factory. Big outfit ( ABB ).. and had very little competition around here. In fact.. their main competitor often bought incomplete assemblies from us and sold them as their own.

We would assemble the actual casting and meter body, and ship the meter head. Normally the meter head was held to the body by a black plastic ( or brass ) cowling.. and then had a flip top lid with sn and name. The units we sent to the 'other' company had no cowling or lid.. they used their own.

Townships and city public works department also sent us specs for their meters, and we built them to their specs and popped a lid on them with their cities name on it.

And yes.. they went on a different assemply line.. and had to test to different specs ( accuracy, leak, and freeze-pop tests ) than our regular production run.

I hadn't thought about that copmpaired to tractor assembly lines until now.. makes a bunch of sense now...

Soundguy

 

[rockyridgefarm]

So many times a re-badge could be a better not inferior product than a complete in house one...

 

[sweettractors]

<font color="blue"> It's true now, and has always been true that companies make product for many others, and the quality is built to the standard of the badge, and always has been. </font>

That has been my experience also. I worked for Mallory Capacitor back in the sixties and ran a machine that stamped the specs and Badge on the capacitor. The same capacitor may have had Bendix, Philco,Delco,Curtis Mathis etc stamped across the case. However, in acuality, the supervisors that instructed the assembly process made clear to the employees that for XYZ company you dont need to be so particular and crank out as many product as possible as quick as possible or maybe for another company with a big contract coming up for renewal, the employees were instructed to put extra effort into making sure everything was double checked for accuracy.-I see the same thing happening today in most all areas of production that do rebadging --Ken Sweet
Sweet Farm Equipment LLC *New Disc Mowers and Hay Tedders In Stock Today*

 

[cowboydoc]

That's a very good post Cliff.

 

[Bellville]

<font color="blue"> "In the current TBN climate, I admit I'm a little hesitant to post this, but I think it's an important distinction to make. I hope I haven't offended anyone. "

</font>

Cliff, I am kind of glad you said that, I have only been here since last summer, but I too have noticed a little change in the climate in the last couple of months. Thought maybe I was the only one.

No offense taken, nice post.


Thanks

 

[boustany]

One day I was at an appliance factory which made fridges and stoves. As it happened, I was in the market for a new fridge. I noticed that, although this factory made about 6 well known brands of fridges (sold by different companies, etc.), all the 'guts were exactly the same. The only difference was the shape of the doors and the trim.

So, I asked the guy running the operation what the difference was between Fridge 'G' and Fridge 'E'. He said the doors and the trim. I said 'but Fridge G has double the warranty, and costs a lot more'. He said they were identical, except the doors and trim, and the warranty (and pricing) was simply marketing.

The way I look at it, if I buy a Chinese product, I'm getting Chinese quality. If I buy a domestic product, I'm getting domestic quality. Now, it may be that a Chinese Delta is better than a Chinese Grizzly, or even domestic Delta. It could be, who knows. Or (more likely) they are both virtually identical and the difference is in the marketing because that how business works these days.

I used to work for a Dutch electronics company who discovered that people were paying for their name, not what they made, so they started making all their stuff in Korea, and then China. They also 'outsourced' their customer service and warranty repair, so pretty much, all they are is a nameplate (at least in consumer electronics). Curriously, people eventually figured that out too.

It may be that, as happened in Japan (and I am told has started to happen with Korea), their quality ends up being superior to 'our' quality (being Canadian, that means your quality - after all, these are all imports from my perspective).

But in the meantime, I'm taking a big risk by paying a premium price for a Chinese saw (or whatever) because a US firm put its name on it. The way I see it, I had may as well save the money, or pay the premium for somethign I know is better, or at least I can tell is different.

 

[Poppa]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( 'but Fridge G has double the warranty, and costs a lot more'. )</font>

Nothing wrong with that, people do it all the time. Call it an extended warranty

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( But in the meantime, I'm taking a big risk by paying a premium price for a Chinese saw (or whatever) because a US firm put its name on it. The way I see it, I had may as well save the money, or pay the premium for somethign I know is better, or at least I can tell is different.
)</font>

I don't see how you are taking a BIG RISK. I agree you might be paying more for the same thing. And I agree that possibly that might not be worth it but how is that a big risk? Besides as you said at the top of your post, for that extra money you are getting the longer warranty.



It appears to me that your post does show that this rebadging works in all directions. Soundguy and others have talked about different specs for different badges, you have talked about identical specs for different badges. Seems to me that once again this all comes down to buying what you are comfortable with from a dealer you are comfortable with. Everyone has lemons and everyone has great products. You just have to hope for the best.

Mike

 

[Soundguy]

Funny you mention about same inside guts.

Early this year When my 1 year old sears ( kenmore ) fridge compressor died.. the sear guy came out and had to order the compressor.. it came to my house directly.. and was from maytag.. go figure..

Soundguy