One thing that I am worrying about spyderco

L

lreed

Joined
Dec 7, 2001
Messages
538
As a long time spyderco fan, I can't help noticing that recently spyderco are putting out a lot of new models and sprint runs. I love those new models and sprint runs! Actually, I am eagerly waiting for the new perrin and ti Lil'T. But I also understand that every new model takes quite a amount of resource in designing, engineering, testing, manufacturing and marketing. I really hope the costs involved in these new models will not swamp the spyderco company's long term growth.

Sorry for being such a bummer, I guess I am just a little bit frustrated after reading the sad news about camillus, and all those new models they put out in the last two years...
 
Spyderco is a very small company(37 people I believe in the Colorado location) so they have much more versatility. Larger companies are very slow to react to market demands, and even slower to react to internal problems. Too much bureacracy(spelling?) to be efficient.

Sal's no dummy, he knows what his company is capable of, and what it's not capable of. If it's not a good idea for Spyderco, it won't happen. Not to mention the Sal's presence on many forums gives him a greater perspective into market demands. He's got his finger on the pulse so to speak.

I can see your reasons for being worried, but I'd like to hope Spyderco will be around for years to come, if only so I can have something to spend my money on.:thumbup:
 
I can't speak for Sal, but from my observation it seems that Spyderco has begun to learn the value of limited edition type runs. The collector market is smaller than the general user market, and sprint runs capitalize on designs that have already paid most of their engineering and tooling costs and development time. Sprint runs give collectors more variety, while extending the market life of designs that have otherwise hit market saturation with both collectors and general users. Collectors are happy, Spyderco can pay its bills and develop more new designs.
 
Hi Carlos! I'm glad to know that spyderco's doing good with these sprint runs. I was wondering whether spyderco has been kinda desperate in finding a goodselling new design and losing money in all these experiments.
 
Still, I would hate for Spyderco to end up like Case...it seems that nearly everthing Case (Zippo) makes is a limited edition "collectors" piece!:grumpy:
 
Hi lreed,

Thanx for your concern, appreciate.

I certainly don't know as much as everyone thinks I do, but we have a good staff and, as mentioned, I do get a lot of ouside input.

We're tryng to do about 4 sprints per year. Many of the older models are being requested, and usually, the original run wasn't very large so they're difficult to find.

We always change them in some way, usually a steel upgrade and/or color, to make them different. The low number produced ususally ensures their selling out.

We also consistently refine our core models, such as the Endura and Delica 4's.

I won't say we're getting rich, and we've had our hard times, but we work hard and hang in there. These are tough times in the knife industry. Many companies are making spring loaded models, which sell well. We're a bit slow on that because of local laws.

We've been widening our offerings quite a bit in the past few years. Small, large, many types of locks, non-locking folders (notch-joints & magnetic "locks"), socially friendly models as well as MBC.

We have more Fixed blades in the works (Schempp's, Hossum's, Martin & Perrin's). We have a number of custom collaborations. We're also not afraid to experiment with some amateur designs (not custom knife makers); Dialex, Chad, Breeden, etc.

The new byrd brand is being well received.

We're looking into more hi-line models.

We'll try hard stay around.

Thanx for the concern & support.

sal
 
Sal, Thank you for all you have done for spyderco and we knife fans! I really appreciate those new models came out during the past years and anticipate the up coming future of spyderco.
 
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