We are opening a new tanning service.
The niche we are developing in this business is express service for the taxidermist who truly needs capes and skins wet-tanned as quickly as possible for taxidermy. We won't be doing any dry tanning.
We've been using novel methods and proprietary chemistry for over eight years now with fabulous results.
We will not take on more customers than we can effectively serve. If you want personal TLC for your capes and you need them fast, give us a call to schedule your shipment.
Central Express Tannery - 618-658-9209 www.centralexpresstannery.com
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You are very expensive for commercial tanning. Most tanneries are at least competitive. You are way out of the ballpark. What is your turnaround for that price?
Our service includes splitting, fleshing, turning ears, and processing the capes to a full wet syn-tan. We then damp tumble, bag, freeze, and ship within ten business days.
No one else uses our chemistry or methods.
Our service is definitely not for everyone, but as I said we are filling a niche of immediacy that many need from time to time.
A letter costs 37 cents to mail, or over $11 for overnight. You probably save 3 or 4 days. That's nearly 30 times as much in cost, but when you need it, you use it and are glad the service is available.
My question is this.
Are you going to "disappear" like you've done, on your Auto Tanner customers, after x or y years? You know, be unavailable by phone, unavailable for months via e-mail, yank your website, farm out your supplies to distributors?
If someone is depending on you, especially "tanning/yesterday", and you pull that on them, that's just not good business.
3 one-liners as testimonials do not convince me.
I'll continue to send my skins to other tanneries until this co. has proven itself with longevity and consistently good customer service.
Mr. Dash,
Those are some pretty hard hitting questions. I wonder if Steve will have an answer for the statements you have put forth.
You certainly "Ain't Skeered" of throwing rocks at people. How about a name to go with your poignant observations?
Yes some bashing but as long as known Steve and where going back years, he's still around and helps out as much as he can. How long are you going to be here? LOL. Not as long as Steve.
And you were really much nicer than you could have been.
The Automatic Tanner is now owned by Dan Rinehart Taxidermy Supply. Dan is a great guy and runs a great business. I'm assuming that's what you mean by disappearing.
I made the colossal mistake a few years ago of turning my production over to another company. Though we had a pretty good record of shipping orders in a timely fashion for several years, we always had a backlog spike during the heat of the season.
Making machines is a lot different than pouring deerheads or doing taxidermy. I thought turning it over to experts would be a good thing that would solve our backorders. It didn't turn out that way.
In fact, I don't see how it could have been any worse.
When I took back our production responsibility from the other company, (admittedly after waiting way too long) I had no facility or trained people. I was starting from scratch with an in-season call volume that reachs 12-15 per hour some days.
The only thing about the business that never changed was the value of the product. What you're actually saying is this "You made such a good product and so many people wanted it that you couldn't keep up."
That's why we dropped the website and the advertising.
SO, that's my tale of woe my friends.
During the slow months of summer, I write. God has blessed me that now I have a screenplay that looks like it's going into production mid 2006 to be made into a feature film. There are tentative plans for a sequel and a TV series.
Unfortunately the reality of the situation is I'll probably get fired from the "writing staff" because there is no way I'm moving. Last time I was in California I almost got robbed, I spent 2 hours on a 12 mile drive to the airport, and I didn't see a single deer.
Again, we've structured the tannery business and set the pricing in such a way so as to avoid problems. I offer a good service to people who need it, but "just say no" is stamped on my forehead. First come first served and when our schedule is full, that's it. We keep a waiting list.
I appreciate your questions and am happy to answer them because they are well-founded and have intrinsic merit.
One of the negative externalities of everything that is good about this forum is that any simpering cowardly fool can snipe from behind anonymous keystrokes and hurt people who don't deserve it.
I'm not applying any of those adjectives to you. I do have a hard time respecting someone who doesn't have the huevos to face the object of his comments.
To answer some emails:
The working title is "Supra-Blue", science fiction/fact, and you'll have to see it to believe it. Very exciting cutting edge stuff.
We did sell to Dan because of this project. While it is a little frustrating because we were just getting out of the woods production- wise, it is a win/win. Dan is going to do a great job and I'm sure some will notice a service improvement.
In addition, Dan has already secured very good FINANCING for anyone who qualifies. You can get your tanning machine for about $60 a month.
How does the tannery fit in? Very nicely. Again the two businesses are worlds apart in nearly every respect. I like it because I can completely control the pertinent parameters, and it just feels good to see shipments go out the door on time.
This is Robert in Texas, Just wanted to wish you luck in your new business. You know I have been in it for 20yrs, There was only two commercial tannery when I started, in Texas. But look in each state and count the business of all kinds not many commercial tannery. And the Taxidemist keep the bar raised high for the tannery, that makes us better and more competitive. This board get a little rough at times, but you can pick there minds and learn a lot from it. but the only difference between a Tannery and a Taxidemist, we dont have to be artistic.
Long time man! Last I heard Dallas was about to swallow you guys. Did you get rich in the real estate boom?
Yeah if I have questions I'll give YOU a call. I know you're an expert in this business.