Quantegy closes its doors

[idylldon]

Brad Blackwood posted this over on his forum at PSW today:

Lifted from the Studer List.

I just talked to Steve Smith to get the story on Quantegy. Steve retired from Quantegy Oct 1, but continued as a consultant until December. The primary problem forcing the shutting of Quantegy was cash flow. Video tape sales had declined to the point that there were not sufficient funds to pay oxide, base film, and other vendors.

Over fifty parties had considered buying Quantegy in the past five years, but no one was able to put together a financial plan that made any sense. In addition, raw materials were becoming increasingly difficult to obtain. Dupont stopped making 1.5 mil basefilm, flanges had quadrupled in price in the past six years, and oxide manufactures were disinclined to produce audio oxides because of the spiraling decline in demand. Ampex sold 250,000 reels of two inch in 1992. Quantegy sold 2,500 in 2004.

Apparently some investors bought two coating lines from Emtec after its demise and are planning to manufacture in the Netherlands. So there is some hope for analog. Quantegy will not rise again. I suggest people buy tape stocks as soon as they can.

Sorry to add to the noise, but this is as straight a story as is available on Quantegy.

Fred Layn

Seems kind of grim at this point.

Cheers,
--
Don

[Girl Toes]

Brad Blackwood posted this over on his forum at PSW today:

Lifted from the Studer List.

I just talked to Steve Smith to get the story on Quantegy. Steve retired from Quantegy Oct 1, but continued as a consultant until December. The primary problem forcing the shutting of Quantegy was cash flow. Video tape sales had declined to the point that there were not sufficient funds to pay oxide, base film, and other vendors.

Over fifty parties had considered buying Quantegy in the past five years, but no one was able to put together a financial plan that made any sense. In addition, raw materials were becoming increasingly difficult to obtain. Dupont stopped making 1.5 mil basefilm, flanges had quadrupled in price in the past six years, and oxide manufactures were disinclined to produce audio oxides because of the spiraling decline in demand. Ampex sold 250,000 reels of two inch in 1992. Quantegy sold 2,500 in 2004.

Apparently some investors bought two coating lines from Emtec after its demise and are planning to manufacture in the Netherlands. So there is some hope for analog. Quantegy will not rise again. I suggest people buy tape stocks as soon as they can.

Sorry to add to the noise, but this is as straight a story as is available on Quantegy.

Fred Layn

Seems kind of grim at this point.

Cheers,
--
Don

Yeah, but we still have some hope left in ATR.

[misterock]

What is the process involved in making audio tape? What machines do you need?

It sounds like the raw materials are becoming scarce. What is involved in developing the raw materials?

Does anyone know the answers?

[sonicmook56]

What is the process involved in making audio tape? What machines do you need?

It sounds like the raw materials are becoming scarce. What is involved in developing the raw materials?

Does anyone know the answers?

It's easy. Just go to yr' kitchen and fetch a big pot and brew up some magnetic shit. let simmer for 3 hours, (4 for high altitude) Take the paint brush yr' pappy gave ya to paint the barn, and slop magnetic goo all over clear packing tape.

[joel hamilton]

http://search.ebay.com/quantegy_W0QQfromZR40QQsojsZ1

[bigtoe]

"Lifted from the Studer List.

I just talked to Steve Smith to get the story on Quantegy. Steve retired from Quantegy Oct 1, but continued as a consultant until December. The primary problem forcing the shutting of Quantegy was cash flow. Video tape sales had declined to the point that there were not sufficient funds to pay oxide, base film, and other vendors.

Over fifty parties had considered buying Quantegy in the past five years, but no one was able to put together a financial plan that made any sense. In addition, raw materials were becoming increasingly difficult to obtain. Dupont stopped making 1.5 mil basefilm, flanges had quadrupled in price in the past six years, and oxide manufactures were disinclined to produce audio oxides because of the spiraling decline in demand. Ampex sold 250,000 reels of two inch in 1992. Quantegy sold 2,500 in 2004.

Apparently some investors bought two coating lines from Emtec after its demise and are planning to manufacture in the Netherlands. So there is some hope for analog. Quantegy will not rise again. I suggest people buy tape stocks as soon as they can.

Sorry to add to the noise, but this is as straight a story as is available on Quantegy.

Fred Layn"

fuck. sorry...FUCK.

MIke

[goose]

Apparently Q has filed chapter 11 according to the Wall Street Journal,
today page 1.

[Arthur Slugworth]

Oh man... That Qumapex assembly line and the big clean room come with $200 million in debt attached? Nobody in their right mind is going to assume that to supply 20-40K reels per annum to us scattered rag-tag surviving music lovers. (AKA-Luddite's) How about the military industrial complex needs for nuke-proof data archive? Our only hope? Sheesh...
Next thing you know we are gonna all have to do 6 months in the gulf with an M-16 to get a few reels. And even then half your reel will have to be reserved for 'Jesusland' propaganda purposes.

CRUSHED BY THE WHEELS OF INDUSTRY part 2029

In the looking for the rainbow in the hailstorm dept:
At least this has brought us all together! I'm amazed by the number of very smart and very decent people posting relevant and hilarious shit on this board. I just wish I had tuned in sooner.

Onward Analogue Soldiers!
Why we fight... Why I cry...