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Quoted from today's Syracuse Post Standard by express permission of writer Charley Hannagan:
Camillus company's building, trademarks and engineering drawings to go on the block.
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
By Charley Hannagan Staff writer
The auction of the old Camillus Cutlery operations has whetted the interest of companies from as far away as Africa.
Companies from Mexico and Egypt and domestic knife-makers have called Stampler Auctions in Florida expressing an interest in the sale, said company President Harry Stampler.
Even with the interest, it's unlikely the auction scheduled for Sept. 17-19 at the old factory on Main Street, in Camillus, produces a buyer who will reopen the plant, he said. The lender, Brown Bark I, a Texas group, held "serious discussions" with someone who might have had an interest in the plant, but nothing came of it, he said.
"I think they've exhausted all avenues trying to make a deal because that would have been in the best interest of the village for employment purposes, for tax purposes, to try to have the plant up and running," Stampler said.
It's likely the 100,000-square- foot plant could be sold to someone to redevelop it as a mix of offices, residences and stores, he said.
The auction that begins at 10 a.m. daily includes the historic factory where knives were made for the military and for Boy Scouts and outdoorsmen.
Knife companies likely will be interested in the intellectual property, names, trademarks, Web sites, patents and engineering drawings scheduled to be auctioned. The new owners of those items can use them to begin making Camillus products at domestic or foreign factories.
Companies looking to pick up used equipment also will be interested in the lathes, grinders and other machines for sale and 150,000 pounds of metals.
Stewart Taylor, owner of Taylor Brands LLC in Tennessee, said he knows of several startup knife companies planning to attend to bid on equipment.
"We're doing some subcontract work with these companies to make some products in the United States. I know what kind of equipment they're hunting for. This is going to be an opportunity for those companies," he said.
Some companies also will be interested in the 30,000 knives that were in progress when the factory closed in February. Buyers of those items can finish and resell them.
The auction also will likely draw a number of former employees back for a last look at the factory, said Phil Gibbs, a former design engineer who works for an Arkansas knife-maker. "I think there will be a lot of rubbernecking."
Contact Charley Hannagan at channagan@syracuse.com or 470-2161.
http://www.syracuse.com/poststandard/stories/index.ssf?/base/business-10/1188983083253240.xml&coll=1
I had hoped to attend the auction if only to meet some of the great folks I have met in this forum, and to see the factory. I would have been in the "rubbernecking" catagory, and sure, in hopes of picking up some small momento from the factory. A tang stamp would have satisfied me. Or pictures. Lots of pictures of both the factory and the people who make it great. Alas, I cannot work out the time and logistics. And no offer of a ride on a corporate jet headed that way seems to be forthcoming. I'll post more updates as they come my way.
Codger
Camillus company's building, trademarks and engineering drawings to go on the block.
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
By Charley Hannagan Staff writer
The auction of the old Camillus Cutlery operations has whetted the interest of companies from as far away as Africa.
Companies from Mexico and Egypt and domestic knife-makers have called Stampler Auctions in Florida expressing an interest in the sale, said company President Harry Stampler.
Even with the interest, it's unlikely the auction scheduled for Sept. 17-19 at the old factory on Main Street, in Camillus, produces a buyer who will reopen the plant, he said. The lender, Brown Bark I, a Texas group, held "serious discussions" with someone who might have had an interest in the plant, but nothing came of it, he said.
"I think they've exhausted all avenues trying to make a deal because that would have been in the best interest of the village for employment purposes, for tax purposes, to try to have the plant up and running," Stampler said.
It's likely the 100,000-square- foot plant could be sold to someone to redevelop it as a mix of offices, residences and stores, he said.
The auction that begins at 10 a.m. daily includes the historic factory where knives were made for the military and for Boy Scouts and outdoorsmen.
Knife companies likely will be interested in the intellectual property, names, trademarks, Web sites, patents and engineering drawings scheduled to be auctioned. The new owners of those items can use them to begin making Camillus products at domestic or foreign factories.
Companies looking to pick up used equipment also will be interested in the lathes, grinders and other machines for sale and 150,000 pounds of metals.
Stewart Taylor, owner of Taylor Brands LLC in Tennessee, said he knows of several startup knife companies planning to attend to bid on equipment.
"We're doing some subcontract work with these companies to make some products in the United States. I know what kind of equipment they're hunting for. This is going to be an opportunity for those companies," he said.
Some companies also will be interested in the 30,000 knives that were in progress when the factory closed in February. Buyers of those items can finish and resell them.
The auction also will likely draw a number of former employees back for a last look at the factory, said Phil Gibbs, a former design engineer who works for an Arkansas knife-maker. "I think there will be a lot of rubbernecking."
Contact Charley Hannagan at channagan@syracuse.com or 470-2161.
http://www.syracuse.com/poststandard/stories/index.ssf?/base/business-10/1188983083253240.xml&coll=1
I had hoped to attend the auction if only to meet some of the great folks I have met in this forum, and to see the factory. I would have been in the "rubbernecking" catagory, and sure, in hopes of picking up some small momento from the factory. A tang stamp would have satisfied me. Or pictures. Lots of pictures of both the factory and the people who make it great. Alas, I cannot work out the time and logistics. And no offer of a ride on a corporate jet headed that way seems to be forthcoming. I'll post more updates as they come my way.
Codger
