"Kirby will just be a name on Chinese clone vacuums"

[tase]

<p class="p1">I had watched a video of a Kirby G3 Trash find by a Youtuber I frequently watch, and since I had commented on a post I keep getting notifications for comments posted.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">I am the only icon that you can see fully (also "Mr.")</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">You'll probably want to look at the image before reading what I have to say.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">First and foremost, I really doubt Kirby will stop making Old Style bags any time soon. They have too many Kirbys that use them. (HII - Sentria 2010(ish))</p>
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<p class="p1">Second, did they seriously stop making the light bulbs? I know you can still purchase light bulbs for older machines like Sanitronics so I'd assume they didn't discontinue the bulbs.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">The last topic of discussion is that Kirby (like Fantom or Kenmore) will be a name printed on plastic vacs that are sold in Walmart. I presume this guy means within the next 20 years. </p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
 


<p class="p1">I really, really don't think Kirby will ever get to this level of filth. Sure their selling scheme is pretty bad (D2D is no longer a really practical sales model, though it does work,) but Kirby has too high of an ego to ever do this. They pull in a lot of cash for their current Kirbys. I presume innovation costs are pretty low with how close all the machines within the last 20 years are. One of the reasons Kirbys sell are due to their longevity and reliability. Them becoming a "name" for plastic vacs is not how Kirby is. They are proud of their history. They sell a lot of machines due to their ego. I just don't see this in the future of Kirby.</p>
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<p class="p1">However, I'd love to see where this topic goes. Share your opinion on whether or not $2000 Kirbys will become a thing of the past.</p>
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[bikerray]

I can still get parts for Kirbys that are 60 years old, I can't see a Kirby from Asia having parts still available 10 minutes after the boat arrives from China.

 

[madabouthoovers]

They will be made in China if TTI decide on a hostile takeover of Kirby. I'm surprised TTI haven't been sniffing around for taking over Tacony, Miele or SEBO too. They seem to like swallowing everything that stands in their way, and transferring it all to China. TTI are like the BORG, and China is the BORG CUBE. (Star trek fans will know what I mean)

 

[sptyks]

That Borg analogy is an excellent one madabouthoovers!!!

 

[stricklybojack]

No Hostile take over of Kirby is going to happen

The company is owned by Berkshire Hathaway with a current market value of $312 billion, with no consequential debt and usually about $40-$50 billion in "cash and equivalents" on hand at any given time.
They own Geico Insurance, a large share of Coca Cola and the entire BNSF Railway. That names only a few of the dozens of large, and extremely large holdings of the mega conglomerate. Kirby is one of their smallest.

http://finance.yahoo.com/q;_ylt=AnG...&uhb=uhb2&type=2button&fr=uh3_finance_vert_gs

 

[super-sweeper]

The Chinese Kirby

Is a fate no Vacuum collector dreams of. Kirby is one of the last few QUALITY vacuum producers out there today. TTI wouldn't know QUALITY if it shot them in the foot. TTI usually buys out the bankrupt companies (Remember, Hoover was owned by Maytag before being sold to TTI, and Oreck filed Bankruptcy before being bought-out). Has there been a Case of Hostile Take-Over?

 

[madabouthoovers]

You could say that TTI are like vultures in that respect, only preying on weak or failing companies, in order to eliminate their own competition one by one. So Kirby is part of a large conglomerate now then. The time to worry is when a company falls into Chinese hands - you know quality will then decline markedly. The Chinese like to pile it high and sell it cheap. Much like Walmart.

 

[kirbyloverdan]

I am so

Sick of the TTI bashing . If it wasn't for them there would be NO Hoover Oreck Royal or Dirt Devil .
They make quality vacuums and will bring manufacturing back to the USA .
I own MANY Chinese Hoovers and the machines are amazing in quality . They don't offer five year warrantys on their products because they are junk they are built to a higher standard they pay more and get a better product . Oreck will continue to be made in the US along side of other vacuums including Hoover and Royal . They are a family owned company from Europe who truly care about their brands and products they produce . Unions killed products made in the US companies had no choice but to move operations to China or risk going out of business .

Dan

 

[super-sweeper]

Dan,

I agree with you about TTI "Saving" Hoover, Oreck and the rest. Hoovers are a half-decent vacuum considering they're made in china, but still could not compete with the metal uprights of yesteryear. Oreck is still in the US, For now. The day TTI manufactures in the U.S.A is the day they gain my support. Still, TTI has had some hits-and-misses. Wasn't it the T-Series Hoover that had a cord-fire problem? I remember reading something along the lines of that. Dirt Devil is still on the cheap end, remember the ALUMINUM motor windings in the Featherlite model a while back? TTI,or China for that matter, only produce a vacuum to the cost desired to the manufacturer, and is TTI not the manufacturer themselves?

 

[ralph123]

While anythings possible, and ultimately Warren Buffett is most interested in generating profits, I don't think it's very likely that he sells Kirby any time soon.

the negative comments on youtube about Kirby sound like whining from either a competitor or a disgruntled lunatic. How exactly has "Kirby gotten progressively worse over the years?" Why would they discontinue making bags for Kirbys? Bags are a big moneymaker.

Hopefully it's not the kiss of death, but Consumer Reports has been very complimentary of Kirby vacuums as of late.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

I too hope Kirby stays in the U.S. for the foreseeable future.

I mean, its main competitor Royal didn't reach 100 years until three years after TTI took over that company.

~Ben

 

[tolivac]

What Royal machines handled by TTI are still made here?Any recently purchased metal Royals I have were built in China.They are still good machines-but two dealerships I know have dropped TTI from their lines of machines they carry.Both dealers don't like how TTI does business.

 

[kirbyloverdan]

None

Yet Rex . That's the opinion of two vacuum shops you have that with any brand in a business .

Dan

 

[tolivac]

Oh yes,know of a third--they dropped the Royal lines.The dealers carry other brands-namely Tacony type machines.At least many of their models are made in the country where they are going to be sold and used-US.Don't understand TTI-the metal Royal machines are primarily sold and used in the US-would make more sense to continue building them here-shipping costs are going to eat up the "savings" of building them in China.It will happen eventually.

 

[kirbyloverdan]

And here in

NJ there are four vacuum shops that I know of carry Hoover and Royal metal . Being a former vacuum shop owner you carry brands that you like PERIOD . Ownership has its privilege's and the products you believe in you carry .

Dan

 

[tolivac]

To get a Royal machine in my area have to go to Goldsboro or Kinston-there are two dealers in those towns that stock Royals.One of the dealers I knew of in Greeville is out of business-the owner died.the other is still going strong.another is one that is in Viginia-near Wash DC.However there are lots of other dealers in the Wash DC area that stock Royal-TTI.

 

[electromatik]

While it may be easy to blame China for many of our woes, it isn't quite that simple. The truth is, China is not free of woes either. Did you know that China has LOST manufacturing jobs over the past 10 years? Did you know that Chinese automobile companies are LOSING market share to foreign owned companies? Did you know that GM and Volkswagen sell more cars in China than Toyota, Honda, and Nissan? It's not all Walmart's fault either. Roughly 60% of the products they sell were sourced from the U.S. It's also false that U.S. manufacturing is in decline. Output has grown by 40% since 1975. U.S. industrial output is more than double Germany and almost double Japan's. It is neck and neck with China's output. The U.S. is the world's largest producer of MANY things... Medical and surgical equipment, paper, computer chips, plastics, advanced polymers, advanced fibers and textiles, fiber optical cable, aircraft and components, software, biotechnology products, scientific instruments, manufactured and modular buildings, heavy machinery, locomotives, consumer goods (detergents, cleaners, soaps, toothpaste, mouthwash, toothpicks, cosmetics, bleach, toiletries, colognes, perfumes, dental products, etc). It's also one of the top 5 producers of automobiles and components, machine tools, ships, yachts, boats, chemicals, steel, appliances, and aluminum. The next time someone tells you we don't make anything anymore, you can correct them. Germany has done well despite being a high wage "union" country with manufacturing. Does anyone really think that Mercedes Benz and BMW are hurting??? NO. Germany dominates the luxury car market worldwide. It's appliance industry ain't hurting either. In fact, Germany's industrial output has thrived. It's not solely about wages. It's about quality and competitive advantage and transportation costs. It's not so simple. China's wages are rising so fast that their cost advantage has almost been erased compared to the west. I'll never figure out why Americans are so cowardly and fearful. Rather than just give up and resenting others we should double down on it.

 

[kirbysthebest]

Thought I doubt that Kirby

will be assembled in China anytime soon, they are already using "globally sourced parts.

Kirby bags are now "Assembled in China from US sourced materials." I asked the local dealer about this, stating that I would pay extra for the US made parts. They advised that "Kirby sold their equipment and the bags are now made in China (Period).

Again doubt that Buffett will sell off Kirby, because he buys what he likes, and he likes the Kirby system. But he is not beyond turning a profit, and if that includes "globally sourcing parts" it will happen.

 

[ncovert]

I don't think Kirby stopped making replacement lightbulbs for the older vacuums. I seriously doubt they'll quit making the old-style bags either.


 


I think Kirby needs to stop with the door to door sales, people don't want to sit through a huge sales pitch with less-than-competent salespeople. Drop the giant price tag as well. Make the distributors Kirby stores, where people can go see a demo if they want to see a demo.


 


On another note, why the ugly black censor bars? It's Youtube. Anyone can see the comments. I know EXACTLY what video it is.