Why can't Edcor ship faster?

[DeathRex]

I built a new amp, a 6AV5GA, using Tom's method, and a Hammond 1441-22BK. Well it took me 3 days to draw out the component placement and build the chassis. Also ordered parts from Edcor and Mouser. The Mouser stuff came in and got installed and now I'm having to wait 5 weeks for the Edcors to come in. And starting this year they charge your credit card as soon as you place the order. I guess with the free time I have not building the amp, I can pay interest instead.

I like Edcors, but can't they build transformers quicker, like 2 weeks. Might have to try the Tomiko's or Hammonds next time.

[TomMcNally]

The 6AV5GA is Ed Brown and Soren J's design ... and a nice one.

Edcor builds transformers to order, they don't have them sitting
around, which gives us the advantage of a better price, as they
aren't carrying stock of oddball stuff that doesn't sell well.

I would assume they have a 4 week backlog, which is good for
us too, we know they are doing some business and will be
around for awhile.

I don't have a problem with being charged up front, again, it
helps bring the cost down ... no, not the miniscule amount of
interest that may accrue, but the fact that "you ordered 'em,
you bought 'em" ... no cancellations !

I realize patience is required with such a long lead time.
I'm waiting on a power transformer and three outputs
for a three channel amp I'm going to build on or about
February 8th, 2012 ...

[cbates55]

To give you an idea of the wait I ordered back on 12/19/11 and it was just shipped a few days back. But I knew from the start that it would take about that long to get it sent. From all I've heard though the wait is well worth it in the end.

[EWBrown]

Any transformer manufacturer who builds to order, will take 4 or more weeks to deliver, whether Edcor or Magnequest.

Though Edcor does have some very popular transformers, which are always good, and high-volume, sellers, I wonder why they don't maintain a small stock of some ready to go for faster shipping to customers.
But then I was never any good at business logistics, I probably couldn't sell ice water in Saudi Arabia, either

I figure that the GXSE15-8-5Ks must sell like Big Macs or Whoppers, these days

/ed B

[DeathRex]

You'd think that GXSE15-8-5Ks, selling for $37 would take about 1/2 hour to make. Maybe 3/4 to an hour for the large power transformers. Five weeks would be a BIG backlog. Maybe hire a temp or five to get it down to a week, and maybe they'll have fewer people canceling their credit cards and get more orders. Or maybe they have such a backlog because Tom orders GXSEs by the case.

I most certainly would not want to keep all those power transformers in stock, but if you find you're selling 20 of a certain transformer a month, instead of making 2 for a customer, maybe make the 20. Don't have to change the settings on the machine, and it would be oh so much easier to fill the order.

I figure that the GXSE15-8-5Ks must sell like Big Macs or Whoppers, these days

/ed B

Especially with all the free advertising and good reviews from you and George.

[SteveH]

Its all about risk and free cash flow.

If we look at the audio transformer business (especially the ones we are after), its a small niche business (in the grand scheme of things). I would imagine that most of Edcor's business comes from building transformers for industrial controls, power supplies (not the tube type), automation, etc. It simply may not make sense to tie up raw materials on items which may sit on the shelf for a bit - when you potentially may have a large (read: important) order which needs addressing ASAP. Keep in mind - WE wait 4 weeks...I imagine some/most PO customers may not. Also in large industry (as least in chemicals and products where I have experience) - a 3-4 week lead time is quite acceptable for a finished product assembly.
Another factor that may come into play is the cost of the raw materials (especially copper). Due to this, Edcor may not feel comfortable in keeping huge sums of raw materials on hand - so they may do weekly POs to keep their inventory market price relevant. So the 4 week time may not be how long it takes them to make the tranny - but rather how long it takes them to execute supply planning, order execution, transit, manufacturing, QC, etc.

Not making any excuses or anything...Just saying what I've seen elsewhere.

[EWBrown]

I usually order 8 Edcor SE OPTs at a time, as the individual boxes for the XSE / GXSE fit inside very neatly, 8 trannies to one of their standard size shipping boxes. No shake, rattle or roll during shipping

I haven't yet ordered any of their power trannies of PP outputs, but that will be in the future... I still have a near lifetime supply of power transformers in all sizes from tiny preamp, to "big beast" power amp power supply requirement capabilities

Edcor is still a great deal, prices are good, and I can deal with the 4 weeks lead time.

/ed B in NC ,awake way too late at night to be making any sense at all...

[burnedfingers]

When I worked in a factory 22 yrs ago the idea of manufacturing it when needed was call "Just in time". When something was ordered it was scheduled and manufactured. The bean counters consider this to be the most efficient manner with respect to cash flow. Having been there it doesn't make much sense to tool up a machine to manufacture say 100 parts and then do the same thing 1 week later. I finally got management to see the light in the department I was in charge of and got the quantity minimum run to 1000pcs. This saved 60 hrs of setup time alone not to mention the wait time.

I've never been to the Edcor facility so I cannot comment on their policies. If it were me and I ran a business making transformers I would look at the usage per year per item and tool up and manufacture at least 25-30% of the total for that item. In the long run this policy would cut down considerable on the setup/tooling costs and would probably offset the cost of the additional inventory sitting boxed up on the shelf ready to go out to the customer when ordered.

[Geek]

Problem with transformers is copper ain't cheap!

Much of what Edcor does is pure custom.... prices would likely go up with an inventory

Cheers!

[burnedfingers]

Copper isn't cheap but unfortunately they have to have spools of it on hand in order to make their transformers. In my opinion it makes little difference if they have 5 spools of XX ga wire on the shelf or 3 spools of XX and 20 transformers. The transformers can be sold quickly and the money put back into stock. Its as simple as this to me...a small company trying to make it with little idea on how to do it efficiently. Sure they make good transformers but you have to ask how long the average person should have to wait for the product they wish to make. Too long a wait and the customers will be to another supplier even if they have to pay more for what they wish to buy.

[cbates55]

Copper isn't cheap but unfortunately they have to have spools of it on hand in order to make their transformers. In my opinion it makes little difference if they have 5 spools of XX ga wire on the shelf or 3 spools of XX and 20 transformers. The transformers can be sold quickly and the money put back into stock. Its as simple as this to me...a small company trying to make it with little idea on how to do it efficiently. Sure they make good transformers but you have to ask how long the average person should have to wait for the product they wish to make. Too long a wait and the customers will be to another supplier even if they have to pay more for what they wish to buy.

Not discounting what you said above, but stock on a shelf means money being wasted until it sells. It costs money to build them in labor (wages and all the other overhead to labor) and materials, plus the cost of shelf space, building space and the costs that go into keeping up a bigger building.

What they could do better at stopping people from going to the competition is be more pro-active in letting Joe customer know about the wait and that they are custom built per each order. This will help allot and go a long ways because Joe customer will feel more special about the way they are treated.

[Geek]

Not discounting what you said above, but stock on a shelf means money being wasted until it sells.

Yup!

Accountants figure stock as a liability to the company until it moves. Too much stock could go as far as damaging Edcor's overall value in an audit... and therefore their credit.

Cheers!

[DeathRex]

Even keeping no stock you still should be able to make a transformer in 30 minutes to an hour. I've ordered from Edcor 6 times and everone has been 4-5 weeks. Hasn't been a problem before because I had lots of chassis work to do.

Has anyone ordered from Edcor and they didn't have a 4-5 week wait? Maybe hire another worker and eventually get the wait time down to 1 to 2 weeks. Are they really made in Chian and shipped on a boat that takes a month to get here and then the endbells put on for made in USA?

Looking at their factory on google maps, it looks like they have little room for inventory, being what looks like a 7500 sqft building. Maybe that's how they keep the prices low. Tiny compared to Atwater Kent's building.

[cbates55]

I think what some of you are missing here is the transformers that we are ordering are the small fries and not the large P.O. orders done by another company building hundreds to thousands of items at a time. Yes it could be a pain waiting on our one or two maybe up to 20 item order of transformers. As far as not being made in the US I highly doubt it, as it says right on the transformer Made in USA right under the hand in the ok symbol.

Besides I wouldn't be shocked if even the big P.O. orders take about the same time to be filled. Face it not all things can be had right then and there as if you are ordering through a drive through window. To be honest I ordered from them because of the price knowing full well it would take 3 to 4 weeks to get it.

[TomMcNally]

Their web site says:

When will my order ship?
EDCOR builds to order. Please allow 4 to 5 weeks, as stated in the shopping cart, before the order is shipped.

I don't mind the wait, the price and quality is well worth it. It's the way they do business, so either accept it or buy Canadian.