new miller machine rollout / good for everlast

[Paul Moir]

The design for our unit started right here in the US.

Ya know that's a strike against to some of us out here. (Not representitive of most of your customers I'm sure, and not necessarily a strike against compared to Chinese engineering...)

So for the uninitiated, what's the typical Miller difference between MSRP and what you actually pay? 30%?

[performance]

Not sure I understand Paul...We began our process on our welder and features with a lot of customer input and requests and went from there, from broad, general to specific features, functionality etc....then when we were ready with the primary concept and process tree including design parameters, we went to the factory with our design, they worked on it from there, with continual visits to the factory for testing, and then preproduction testing with a limited build in the US, reworked a few things, and then came back to the factory with alterations and a few workarounds etc, and the incorporated them, and came back with a little more testing rounds and then finalization, then went to the factory with production. There are significant changes in some functionality from our original design for reliability, simplicity etc. This has been a cooperative effort on both sides of the aisle.

The MSRP is usually never paid for with Miller, however, most local retail chains price their units not so much as a % discount off mrsp, but focus on a percent markup over cost...Usually 5-25% margin. My guess is that on average, it's probably 15-25% off msrp if you buy locally.

[Paul Moir]

Ahh, just ribbin' ya. As a customer, I really do appreciate your product and efforts. But I gotta get you back for 100 years of Detroit rust buckets. But seriously, outside the US "made in the USA" isn't a great calling card anymore.

Thanks for the info: puts it in perspective. I'm very happy with my Everlast machine and wouldn't hesitate to buy another. I've messed around with some of Miller's electronics and haven't been really impressed, but I've never had to cut a cheque for their gear!

[geezer]

Ahh, just ribbin' ya. As a customer, I really do appreciate your product and efforts. But I gotta get you back for 100 years of Detroit rust buckets. But seriously, outside the US "made in the USA" isn't a great calling card anymore.

Thanks for the info: puts it in perspective. I'm very happy with my Everlast machine and wouldn't hesitate to buy another. I've messed around with some of Miller's electronics and haven't been really impressed, but I've never had to cut a cheque for their gear!

Yeah Paul I hear you,,,you are old school like me,,,know value when you see it,,,ditto on the Everlast support,,

[fdcmiami]

Yeah Paul I hear you,,,you are old school like me,,,know value when you see it,,,ditto on the Everlast support,,

http://www.millerchina.com/Ch/

i track itw, miller actually has five plants in china. or, they had four and were opening another; not sure of status of fifth

i would not hold this against miller, it mostly their fans that are in denial about the manufacturing locations. they could not survive in a global market without taking advantage of the

reduced labor costs offered by other countries.

[geezer]

"fans that are in denial",,,they say the worst deception is self deception,,,we live in a gobal world and some people live in their own little world,,,Good to hear from you fdcmiami,,,you have shed light on the subject,,,

[performance]

Looking over on the WW thread about this unit, it's like there's blue drool coming out the sides of their mouths. Honestly they don't realize that the likely reason they have brought out something like the 280, is because of pressure from the 250EX and the warm reception of both hobby guys and professionals it and other units like it have gotten. The blue guys upper management are nearly always poking around our booths at shows...trying to be vague, but specific enough to know these products have gotten under their skin...and under their bottom line. They will always have the blue elite buyers who can afford such expenditures, but where we are building brand loyalty is with guys who are getting started in this business, or retired but don't want to quit. We're also getting into a number of welding schools. Had a call from a welding teacher today about a unit to go into a trade school as a replacement for a blue unit...quite frequent occurrence these days. No, we're not up to Miller's stellar reputation yet, but when they have set the entry bar sooo high, they've alienated lots of people who are trying to put food on the table with the least amount of investment, and have turned many our way.