The straight goods on Bowtech and Excalibur

[Bugflipper]

Biil T, sorry I can't see it with the same enthusiasm as you. If they were that worried about quality and customer service they would have gotten their own company in line before buying another. I do truly see the intent a lot of you folks have. Keep everyone on the up and up so folks will keep buying their products, so excalibur will weather the storm and stay in business. Sorry I can't be one of those supporters. Luckily I doubt very many excalibur owners were bowtech owners, as if you have excalibur you have one of the top ones and don't really need to be shopping for other brands. For those that had bowtech before excalibur then they see things from a totally different viewpoint.

I will approach this from an archery shop owner's prospective. I sell you a bad item. You come back and let me know there is a problem. I contact bowtech and get the same run around as everyone does. Time goes on, many emails back and forth trying to get them to honor their defective product. Finally a certified letter of legal intent is sent and they finally honor the fellow's defective product. Now he has been calling or coming by once a week and you look like the doushbag that is dropping the ball. He finally gets his factory repaired item back months later and it is defective as well. It gets shipped back immediately and the whole game begins again. This has happened many times to me, although I must admit only 8 or 10 were defective the second time.

This is why I only had bowtech for 1 year. Now I can't say that any of the customers would have been a repeat customer had they bought a different brand and had a different experience. But I can say for sure that when you are selling folks something you better stand behind it and be there for them in good times and bad to assist. If they have a negative experience with your company odds are they will find another. That's just the nature of things.

[mndoggie]

All the replies and viewpoints are interesting.

I've worked for a few companies over the years that have been bought out.

I'm trying to think of any long established company, with great products and a good customer base, that was bought out and things got actually better.

(start up companies with new technologies don't count)

Still thinking...

[awshucks]

The world didn't end when Mangrove bought them.....

[Boo]

The world didn't end when Mangrove bought them.....

Dan, of course you are right. The world didn't end them even though many didn't believe it at the time. If it had we wouldn't have the opportunity to mistrust, trash, surmise from an arm chair and generally bite the hand that once fed us. Not to mention if the world came to an end the many could not cry foul and yell "The sky is falllllllling!"

[Hi5]

[quote="Bugflipper"]Biil T, sorry I can't see it with the same enthusiasm as you. If they were that worried about quality and customer service they would have gotten their own company in line before buying another.................

Not necessarily.

Research and Development costs money. Training personnel costs money. Developing a network of good, wholesome, dealers costs money. Setting up an efficient factory costs money. Building a reputation costs money. All that takes money. And time.

So, if a package is available that has all these components, why not buy it and run with it? Why spend money fixing your old operation if you can buy one at the right price that already runs well?

A Manager is only as good as his support staff. As a Forum visitor, I only get a dim peek into the Excalibur operations, and that from a distance. It sure seems that there is a good crew in place. Hopefully the new owners will be happy not trying to fix something that isn't broken.

What it boils down to is whether the new owners will be satisfied with the profitability of the present operation. If they start to sacrifice quality and customer service in order to increase profitability, that's when the problems start. All we realistically can hope for is that there isn't need for much change and that the new owners recognize that.

[Ont_Excal]

Fact is that Bowtech now owns Excalibur.

http://nep.com/portfolio/bowtech/

http://nep.com/news/norwest-equity-part ... -crossbow/

[wilkster]

so if i am not mistaken bowtech and excalibur are owned by the same company/firm? it is not that bowtech is in command ,they are sister companies with separate names,separate facilities,excalibur remains in canada and bowtech in the states? so if you dont like bowtech and the way they conduct buisness you dont have to buy there products? does bowtech even own bowtech? i am missing something?

[taz3]

While the optimists are laughing, keep in mind the pessimists here are the truest definition of BRAND LOYALTY there is. There are very few companies that have this, yet they all strive to achieve this, and while all of the uncertainty swirls around the world of archery, all this chatter is by far, the biggest compliment a business could ever receive.

There are an awful lot of diverse customers here, that have had their needs met, and their expectations exceeded by Excalibur product and customer service. I would have been more disappointed to see any less of a reaction. I think it is important that we all respect each others opinions here, whether we agree with them or not.

We are all entitled to love it, hate it, or just be content with it, by choice.

[Tim50]

The world didn't end when Mangrove bought them.....

BUT maybe it is a little off track! The TacZone scope has not been well received. Many people have had issues with it's touchy focus issue. I'm sure Excal reads the forums. One would have thought Excal would address this one "flaw" in an otherwise outstanding Matrix package! I called CS to voice my problem with the TacZone and they offered me NO solution. They did not suggest it may just be MY scope (they know better) & send it back to be looked at. When I inquired if the 2014 TacZone scope would be revamped/changed at all the CS Rep asked for what reason. When I pushed a little that MY scope issue was unacceptable she relented and gave me an option. Box up my TacZone scope & return it with a check for $100 & she would upgrade me to a ShadowZone! I did not want a ShadowZone I wanted MY TackZone to function like an Excal scope should! The TacZone is, IMO, the perfect compliment of size & weight for the Matrix platform! For Excal to ignore a known problem with this scope & then not even attempt to fix the issue this year??This is NOT what I had come to expect from the OLD Excal. So Dan & Boo you are right the world did not end with the LAST buy out but now I can see some Excal owners with the signs proclaiming "The END is NEAR!!"

[awshucks]

Cheap Excal scopes have been a problem long before Mangrove bought in.

I had a Tactzone, came on a 380 and I found it fine. They have a lifetime warranty.......

I've often stated I felt the Vari-zone was a good deal. I know the current speeds may prohibit their use.

Too bad........

[Normous]

Box up my TacZone scope & return it with a check for $100 & she would upgrade me to a ShadowZone! I did not want a ShadowZone

Are you certain about that? The ShadowZone lists for $190 and the TactZone lists for $220. Why $100 upgrade for a scope that costs less?

[Carnivorous]

I give SixLomaz the "Doom and Gloom" Forum award for 2014. This merger does not worry me at all since Bill T is no dummy and my many experiences talking to him since 1991 instill confidence in Excalibur for years to come.

Well said Norm!

You can really tell deer hunting season is over for most of us for the next 9 months and we are a bit on the edge and freaking out at the drop of a dime!!!

All I know is my matrix bow will last my lifetime and I fear nothing!!

Jeff

[Lake shooter]

I give SixLomaz the "Doom and Gloom" Forum award for 2014. This merger does not worry me at all since Bill T is no dummy and my many experiences talking to him since 1991 instill confidence in Excalibur for years to come.

Well said Norm!

You can really tell deer hunting season is over for most of us for the next 9 months and we are a bit on the edge and freaking out at the drop of a dime!!!

All I know is my matrix bow will last my lifetime and I fear nothing!!

Jeff

Amen to that..........

[amythntr]

Norwest Equity Partners' Portfolio Company, BOWTECH, Acquires Excalibur Crossbow
Partnership aligns leading archery brands and creates the industry’s broadest product and service offering
Norwest Equity Partners
4 hours ago

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Norwest Equity Partners (“NEP”), a leading middle market equity investment firm, has announced that its portfolio company, BOWTECH (or “the Company”), a leading archery equipment manufacturer, has acquired Excalibur Crossbow, a leading crossbow manufacturer. The transaction closed on December 31, 2013. BOWTECH was a former subsidiary of Savage Sports Corporation until June 2013 when Savage was acquired by Alliant Techsystems, Inc. (ATK) and BOWTECH was spun out and retained by NEP as a standalone portfolio company.

Excalibur’s expertise, quality and innovation in recurve crossbows and archery accessories segments align perfectly with BOWTECH’s leadership position in the compound bow category. This strategic acquisition allows BOWTECH to provide the industry’s broadest assortment of high quality brands and products to customers.

“BOWTECH brings the most innovative design and technology to the compound bow category. Excalibur shares these values and its recurve crossbows are the finest in the market. Excalibur is a perfect addition to our company’s product and brand portfolio,” said Ron Johnson, CEO of BOWTECH.

“The combination of these two companies is a perfect partnership for both to leverage each other’s reputation and position in the archery industry. Together they are well-positioned for continued success and will benefit from their respective product lines and brands – it is a win-win outcome for both businesses,” stated Tim DeVries, NEP Managing General Partner and BOWTECH board member.

Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Eugene, Oregon, BOWTECH serves the archery and outdoor industries and manufactures and distributes the world’s finest compound bows and archery related equipment. The Company has a worldwide, multi-channel distribution network and sells products under the BOWTECH, Diamond, Stryker, and Octane brand names.

Excalibur manufactures and distributes efficient, reliable, and accurate hunting recurve crossbows and other archery accessories to customers worldwide. Excalibur is located in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada and was founded in 1983.

“By bringing these companies together we will be better positioned to offer our customers and consumers more comprehensive and innovative archery product solutions and services. We plan to continue operating both companies while sharing and leveraging our significant expertise, industry know-how, and talented employees,” Johnson continued.

Please visit www.bowtecharchery.com or www.excaliburcrossbow.com to learn more.


Contact:
Norwest Equity Partners
Heather Goodwin, 612-215-1676
Director of Marketing
[email protected]
www.nep.com
View Comments

Just came across this on Yahoo...

[DaveShooter]

Biil T, sorry I can't see it with the same enthusiasm as you. If they were that worried about quality and customer service they would have gotten their own company in line before buying another.................

Not necessarily.

Research and Development costs money. Training personnel costs money. Developing a network of good, wholesome, dealers costs money. Setting up an efficient factory costs money. Building a reputation costs money. All that takes money. And time.

So, if a package is available that has all these components, why not buy it and run with it? Why spend money fixing your old operation if you can buy one at the right price that already runs well?

A Manager is only as good as his support staff. As a Forum visitor, I only get a dim peek into the Excalibur operations, and that from a distance. It sure seems that there is a good crew in place. Hopefully the new owners will be happy not trying to fix something that isn't broken.

What it boils down to is whether the new owners will be satisfied with the profitability of the present operation. If they start to sacrifice quality and customer service in order to increase profitability, that's when the problems start. All we realistically can hope for is that there isn't need for much change and that the new owners recognize that.

Excalibur -YES but Bowtech-A big NO Thanks!!!!!-Hey look Bill-T- You have the right to sale your company to the Dogs if that is what you like- But I do hope this doesn't come back to bite you in the Ass in the End!!!!!