HayDR
Veteran Member, Approved Advertiser
If so where is the powder paint finish?
Who is Hawkline?
Do they have a web site?
Only Landscape equipment?
Who is Hawkline?
Do they have a web site?
Only Landscape equipment?
Hawkline 3rd New First Choice MFG?
- Thread starter HayDR
- Start date
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OP
HayDR
Veteran Member, Approved Advertiser
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.
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
Elite Member
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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.
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
Platinum Member
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.
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
Super Member
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
Elite Member
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- 3,373
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- Fort Wayne, IN
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- John Deere 4200 MFWD HST w/ JD 420 FEL w/ 61" loader bucket & toothbar & JD 37 BH w/ 12" bucket
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.
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
Platinum Member
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
Gold Member
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- Jan 8, 2002
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- Southern Maine
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- Cub Cadet 7234, John Deere X300 Riding Lawn Mower
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.
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
Platinum Member
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.
I'm glad you like your rake and hope you will consider us for your future implement needs. I also appreciate the positive feedback.
