OK Some news here.

It's called doing business ... And no other explanation is required.

 

Frank, this is actually the second time in (I believe) 6 years that a different capital group has owned them. Good to know that they are secure enough to have investment groups interested in them. Puts some much needed security and professionalism into this industry

 

Mike, you are correct....RFE Investment Partners invested 14.2 million in 2003.....hence the takeover of many smaller suppliers....they then became a portfolio company of private equity group Gridiron Capital LLC....recently, investment bank Harris Williams & Company handled the sale to Levine Leichtman Capital Partners in Calf.....IMO, Mckenzie will be taken public with an IPO, exposing every Tom, Dick and Harry in the taxidermy business to the manipulation of the big pockets of Wall Street......no longer will our material expense be controlled by those that supplied us with our products and had concerned interest in this entity, the ABM administration is taking away our freedom to bear arms....the problem will become apparent when our cost for supplies rises on the greed of Venture Capitalists that use shorting, naked shorting and black hole shorting to make money on the backs of hard working taxidermists that already sell themselves short....those few taxidermists that can see the writing on the wall will survive and prosper....fingers crossed... and there will be an end to the 300.00 deer guy, a huge change for all the new taxidermists that continue to think that they will make a living doing taxidermy at depressed prices....once an industry is marked as profitable to investors, and taken from private to public, our business model will have to change to support the changes handed to us....keep in mind, this is all my opinion after almost 40 years in this business as well as being a on line stock trader for the last 15....good luck to everyone, however IMO, big changes are right around the corner.

 

Or we just buy from other suppliers.


Are you another incarnation of ByGolly/Story Lady?

 

Marshy Creek
You hit the nail RIGHT ON ITS HEAD !

 

RC.......thank you......fact is, anyone with any vision should see the writing on the wall......beyond oil, tecks, and American inforstructuer, the US has been selling everything to cover the US debt........when the Venture Capitalist focus on the bottom of the pile, taxidermists, some better wake up....we are not sovern country any more.....we are getting sold out every day buy a government that is supposed to be for the people as the constitution states.....however, a new world currency is evident in the future....this is a long be fief of the Free Masons......our debt holers, can call that note due at any time, and is the reason why so many Russian and Asian country's have taken hold of US land and companies.......the US is in dire straights.....believe or not....if you don't think that those Venture Capitalists won't take control, of stupid taxidermists, there is a new lesson to be learned.....believe it or not, it's time to separate the men from to boy's in this industry......recognise what is happening and prepare for it......be a survivor and not a looser

 

Marshy Creek's "prepare for it " statement is code for "in house manufacturing of supplies/products" as in the "OLD" days. All you may have to buy is glass eyes. Some will make those also,the fish guys. Have you noticed the small companies are making a return. Maybe they know something us dumb taxidermists don't. The base of the taxidermy pyramid was widened by the major suppliers to sell more supplies, to anyone. I think the base will be narrowed soon. If you judge this "industry" on the "Bell Curve" the top third will survive with adjustments, the middle third those that are limping along into the future are in trouble, the bottom third, those that are out of business they just don't know it yet ,are all done. A bigger suprise is in store for the hunters that spend all kinds of money to turn things into dead meat and scum bag the price of taxidermy when they get home.

 

Mckenzie is run by competent people who understand the taxidermy industry, and more importantly taxidermists. That is why they have done so well and gone so far. They are fully aware if they raise prices too drastically they will lose business.

 

now wait,If it's the end of the $300 taxidermist,isn't that the Nirvana ya'll have all been looking for to solve all of the problems in the world?I thought the $300 taxidermist was the root of all evil,so this must be a good thing ,right?

 

Aaron.....with all do respect.......Tom Powell deserves a huge amount of credit for driving the bus for as long as he has....however, once big money targets, invests and buys out the nucleolus of this industry in terms of supplies, and takes our supplier from private to public, greed is only a few steps away.......remember, a good amount of our needs connect us to big industry....in product material as well a government regulation.....if anyone thinks that higher prices are just around the corner, then they need to understand what our government has become........greedy......when Venture Capitalists reach so deep in the barrel to grab the purse strings of our profession, than it says two things...unemployed hunters and fisherman fall back on what they enjoy, and use that desire and interest to become taxidermists....hence the influx of new members to this forum....secondly, well established taxidermists, must continue to raise prices to meet the expense of producing high end work as well as higher overhead, shipping as well as thousands of new taxidermists in this industry....this is surely a turning point, and those that can see what is happening will fare well...and those that have chosen to fall back and think that cheap prices will cut it, will only help the the established taxidermist to continue business as usual but at a higher price....If our supreme leader has his way, we Americans will not bear arms and we will be all out of business

 

Millions of hard working americans(myself included) are not going to give up on the second amendment, even though out government has. As far as the industry, the strong will survive with high quality work. I for one have several clients that have tried to do some work on their own and realize how much work is really involved to produce high quality work. They happen to be some of my best clients. When it's all said and done, if all this comes true, the small business suppliers will get the upper hand in time. Atleast the ones that really believe in the industry and not the government.

 

Gab
The 300 dollar is not going away very soon he is going the be the new low guy at $550-650 . He is the same low guy from 20 years ago that was $150.00.
I see deer soon to be $950.00 to 1,100.00. Everything will stay relative for a spell ,then changes will happen.
PS: Don't forget to vote in November get your friends to do it too. I know taxidermists,hunter, gun owner guys that have NEVER voted. I also know of one who voted for Obama and will again, hunter,taxidermist and gun owner. George is correct," taxidermists are a bunch of dummies that don't play well with others.

 

Capital investment changes at McKenzie will not erode the dedication to innovative products and service that McKenzie has provided for decades. McKenzie's profit is directly related to the continued success of each individual taxidermist who purchases their products. The growth at McKenzie is a reflection of intelligent management and marketing.

 

Rick, PLEASE STOP making common sense and stating FACT. It may injure some members

 

I see both sides of the fence and with that have been on both sides of it. I worked for two smaller companies that were bought out. The one closed its doors when the bottom line was flat for to long and moved them over seas. The other made money BUT had investors screaming at the board to make more and more. So they did and let go half the work force. Me personally would rather deal with a small company. I will be making purchases elsewhere from now on. BTW don't you work for them Rick???

 

As long as they let the taxidermists keep doing the day to day running of the business they will be fine.

 

Perhaps some of our so called taxidermists will have to do a little more research and not depend on the snap together products used today.
They could learn sculpting , molding and modeling and become more independent of supply companies.
Just a thought. But then again they wouldn't survive without big name suppliers.
Whats happened to old fashion creativity and hard work?

 

Wow, so I guess if any start up supply company is out there they had better be careful not to grow 'too big' or some of there customer base will leave. Very typical.

I use EVERYBODY, big, small, I use them. I do not purchase on the class warfare program.