[TenTec] Alpha Amplifiers and TEN-TEC Merge

Mon May 12 13:15:11 EDT 2014

I agree. AT&T swallowing up BellSouth is one thing. This is an entirely
different scale.

Reed / WW3A

On Mon, May 12, 2014 at 1:11 PM, Barry N1EU <barry.n1eu at gmail.com> wrote:

> No way "all resources are devoted to that end for at least a couple of
> years" for this case.  No way.
>
> Barry N1EU
>
>
> On Mon, May 12, 2014 at 4:50 PM, thomas branton via TenTec <
> tentec at contesting.com> wrote:
>
> > Even though its called a merger I think this may be more of an
> > acquisition.  In a merger, both companies cease to exist and a new third
> > company emerges.  In an acquisition one company actually acquires the
> other
> > and the latter ceases to exist.   Its perhaps more of an academic
> > difference that anything else and what the future holds for both
> companies
> > is uncertain.  In the airline industry have mergers created a better
> > airline?  I think most pilots would tell you no.  Perhaps it did allow
> two
> > airlines who would not have been able to survive and compete to continue
> to
> > operate in a merged and usually more chaotic fashion.
> >
> > I was surprised at how small both companies are.  RF Concepts is by far
> > the smaller with 10 to 20 employees and just over a million in revenues.
> > Ten-Tec is the larger with 50 to 100 employees and about 5 million in
> > revenues.  Its not unheard of but when a much smaller company acquires a
> > larger, it usually means there is an interesting back-story there.
>  Likely
> > we will never know since both are privately held and finding financial
> > information is very difficult.  To do an acquisition like this takes a
> lot
> > of financing.  There must be a return on that money to make it profitable
> > so any product that is not returning on its investment, is gone.  I would
> > rather it had been Berkshire Hathaway that had bought Ten-Tec.
> >
> > Bottom line, if we were waiting for the new Orion III, there may be a
> long
> > wait.   Its not impossible that it will someday arrive but the process of
> > merger/acquisition is usually so traumatic for both companies that all
> > resources are devoted to that end for at least a couple of years.  Let's
> > wish both blue skies and fair winds and support our American
> manufacturers.
> >
> > Tom KF5WBS
> > On Monday, May 12, 2014 10:05 AM, Steven Kline <skline4 at verizon.net>
> > wrote:
> >
> > Yes.  I received just a little bit ago Mike.
> >
> > This will prove interesting.
> >
> > Steve - W5JK
> >
> >
> >
> > On May 12, 2014, at 9:55 AM, Mike Pagel, K9UW <k9uw at wi-net.com> wrote:
> >
> > >
> > >
> > > Has anyone else seen this? I received it as an email newsletter from
> > > Alpha.
> > >
> > > 73, de Mike, K9UW
> > >
> > > ALPHA AMPLIFIERS AND TEN-TEC MERGE UNDER RF
> > > CONCEPTS BANNER
> > >
> > > LONGMONT, Colo.- May 9, 2014 - Announcing today the
> > > merger of Longmont, Colorado -based RF Concepts LLC / Alpha Amplifiers
> > > and Sevierville, Tenn.-based TEN-TEC Inc., RF Concepts Chairman Michael
> > > Seedman, AA6DY, declared the union the perfect combination of amateur
> > > radio brands. The merger creates a multi-million-dollar company with
> > > products that span QRP transceivers to full-legal-limit amplifiers and
> > > establishes an organization with the size and scale to continue to
> > > innovate into the next decade and beyond.
> > >
> > > RF Concepts/Alpha Amplifiers
> > > has been building amplifiers continuously since the early 1970s and has
> > > put more than 13,000 amplifiers in the hands of demanding amateur radio
> > > operators. Alpha Amplifiers are considered "the finest line of linear
> > > amplifiers in the world" by the ham community. TEN-TEC, founded in
> 1968,
> > > produces top-of-the-line receivers, transceivers, amplifiers and tuners
> > > and is known worldwide for the reliability and performance of its
> > > products.
> > >
> > > "For more than 40 years, Alpha Amplifiers and TEN-TEC have
> > > shared a reputation in the amateur radio market for offering
> > > exceptionally well-engineered, American-made products backed by
> > > extraordinary customer service," said Seedman. "Alpha Amplifiers is
> > > known for 'key down performance,' and TEN-TEC is known for pushing the
> > > boundaries of transceiver performance and capabilities.
> > >
> > > "The merger of
> > > these brands under the RF Concepts banner makes perfect sense," added
> > > Seedman, "not only in terms of creating a powerful product line, but
> > > also in terms of positioning our company for the future. This merger
> > > more than doubles the size of our business allowing us to invest more
> > > capital in innovative engineering and customer-driven product
> > > development."
> > >
> > > RF Concepts' operations will now be shared between its
> > > Longmont Colorado facility and its Sevierville Tennessee facility. The
> > > company is currently seeking a new operations facility in the
> > > Sevierville area to more efficiently house factory operations, part of
> > > the engineering resources, and technical and customer support services.
> > > The Colorado facility will house engineering resources, technical and
> > > customer support services, and much of the front-office operations.
> > >
> > >
> > > Both Jim Wharton, NO4A, who in January of this year took the reins of
> > > TEN-TEC upon the retirement of founder Jack Burchfield, K4JU and Ken
> > > Long, N0QO, who has been overseeing the operations at Alpha Amplifiers
> > > will be Presidents of their respective group, working together to build
> > > a strong, innovative company.
> > >
> > > "Ken and I have spent quite a bit of
> > > time discussing our short- and long-term focus over the last few weeks
> > > and I feel our responsibilities are very clearly defined.", said
> > > Wharton.
> > >
> > > "Jim and I have a lot of work to do to make sure the merging
> > > of these two brands goes as smoothly as possible." added Long.
> > >
> > > The
> > > merger announcement comes just days before one of the signature amateur
> > > radio events in North America-the Dayton (Ohio) Hamvention-where more
> > > than 75,000 hams are expected to converge on the Hara Arena Complex to
> > > discover the latest innovations in amateur radio. Both Alpha Amplifiers
> > > and TEN-TEC will operate separate booths at this years show (May 16 -
> > > 18). Both booths will feature new products and special offers to
> > > commemorate the merger. At booths 209-210 in the North Hall, Alpha
> > > Amplifiers will be demonstrating the soon-to-be released DreamTuner
> 4040
> > > Automatic Antenna Tuner, a graphically based, 4KW Autotuner. At booths
> > > 458-450 in the East Hall, TEN-TEC will unveil the Patriot, an open
> > > source, arduino-based SSB transceiver.
> > >
> > > About RF Concepts/Alpha
> > > Amplifiers
> > >
> > > RF Concepts/Alpha Amplifiers manufactures high-end linear
> > > amplifiers for ham radio enthusiasts. Based in Longmont, Colo., the
> > > company is known worldwide for its quality amplifiers. Alpha Amplifiers
> > > have been continuously manufactured in the United States since the
> early
> > > 1970s.
> > >
> > > About TEN-TEC
> > >
> > > TEN-TEC Inc. was founded in 1968 to provide
> > > beautifully engineered, well-crafted, well-supported and
> high-performing
> > > products to the amateur radio market. For 46 years the Sevierville,
> > > Tenn.-based company has passionately designed, crafted and tested
> > > premium products which have earned the company a solid reputation and
> > > loyal brand followers throughout the world.
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > TenTec mailing list
> > > TenTec at contesting.com
> > > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > TenTec mailing list
> > TenTec at contesting.com
> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
> > _______________________________________________
> > TenTec mailing list
> > TenTec at contesting.com
> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
> >
> _______________________________________________
> TenTec mailing list
> TenTec at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
>