All the comments about the PowerRoll and its maker remind my of my
brief experience selling Ampico and Duo-Art recuts. While I sympathize
with the customers who have either waited a long time for delivery or
experienced quality problems, I think it is unfair to place all the
blame on Larry.
I don't know Larry Broadmoore, and know even less about the PowerRoll,
but I suspect that the volume of business he's doing gives him very
little clout with his suppliers who are more likely the source of the
problems.
I certainly was not making a huge amount of money selling rolls (nobody
does these days!), and the abuse I took from people who whined about
delivery times, or complained about the quality of the recuts Play-Rite
was supplying me with, made me happy to leave the business altogether.
Ray Siou warned me, but I didn't listen. ;-)
To Larry's critics I say, "Walk a mile in his shoes." I certainly
sympathize with you, but I sympathize with Larry as well. I don't
think Larry ever expected to get rich selling PowerRoll. I'm pretty
sure his was a labor of love as was mine. While suppliers may
disappoint, nothing hurts more than the angry words of a customer!
I admire Larry for his persistence. I know some of his customers have
already been patient, but I think some of them need to understand that
Larry is in no bed of roses either. I don't see a larger concern like
QRS jumping into the business of making PowerRoll. A hybrid electro-
pneumatic system like that would be such a low-volume business that
only a "cottage industry" company could make it economically feasible.
For what it's worth!
Ed Chaban
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