Schulze is out of business!

[don ferrette]

Sent an e-mail to Schulze last night about sending in a couple ESC's for routine service and firmware upgrade. This morning in my e-mail inbox this reply was waiting-

Dear customers,
Schulze Elektronik GmbH is out of business.
We try to offer a short-term solution - particularly for the service sector.
Matthias Schulze

It was an automated reply but it did request a return receipt so they are apparently checking the e-mails. I responded asking Matthias for service suggestions so hopefully there will still be service/repair options. A bummer for sure as the Schulze stuff was top flight.

[Ken Haines]

Wow...that is a huge blow to our hobby.
In my recent dealings (the past 3-4 years) Matthias has been very personable
and always a great help. That puts us in a great delema for sales especially in
the large controller arena. But as you stated the service and repair area will
put us all in quite a big jam unless someone in their company continues to offer that support.
Please keep us informed of any more news.
Thanks,
Ken

[Rocstar]

http://www.schulze-elektronik-gmbh.com/index_uk.htm

[RIPFENCE]

this really sucks.

[Doug Smock]

The best of the best out of business. This sucks indeed!

[Fluid]

Another example of the result when consumers go for the low price rather than for the value. But Schulze were in a pretty tough market for years and yet managed to scrape by. Too bad.


.

[Rumdog]

The problem is that if everyone had to buy a schulze to play toy boats, hardly anyone would be playing. Even schulze controllers had their problems. Sucks to see them go, but I'd most likely never own one anyhow.

[cybercrxt]

Time we support Joe Ford at Castle and keep suggestions going to them about offering other hydra ice products. I have owned the ice airplane controllers, and hydra ice controllers and have yet to loose one and data logged over 360 amps draw...and i think Brian Buaas will agree in his testing. I know there were loose boards when they first came out, but they took care of that. Other than that, lets support a US design company, and a design team that supports rc boating even tho the rc boating side of their business is only a few % of their total sales.

I have seen Schulze controllers have their share of problems like everyone else. They should have never redone the 40.160 to the new model...that was probably the beginning of the end.

Mike

[Fluid]

Schulze was not competing with HobbyWing 180s or Swordfish 200s - they were never an entry-level controller. They did just fine for many years as a premium high voltage ESC maker without competing against the Chinese stuff. Then the Chinese started making "high end" controllers to compete with Schulze, and some consumers bought them even though their performance was not even close - witness the FC300s etc. In a poor economy Schulze kept selling into a niche market which could not support more than a few vendors - too little consumer dollars/euros to divide. Once there were too many choices their share became too small to support their business.

[ray schrauwen]

Way back I had lightly mentioned that things are going to change drastically in regards to buying outside of country.

I will mention it again..

Laws have been passed to faze out middle men... I know Schulze is not a middle man but, those like I-care are.

These laws were setup to slowly (like slowly boiling frog) breakdown all middlemen. As you can see on Ebay who is selling mainly? China.

If you think they are just better at it, you have been fooled and don't keep track of laws being passed in your own country.

What will happen, slowly, is ALL middlemen and companies like Castle will be squeezed out of business. Things like Craigslist, garage sales, Kajiji, etc. will get shut down too, it is planned, period.

It was so long ago I can't remember the who or where it came from but, it is happening. In about 2-5 years depending on whatever else happens in this crazy world, you will say goodbye to many middlemen retailers if not all of them. If it is made in China, it will be shipped direct from China. You may be able to go to a 'display' store where you can look at a sample and maybe test it or fondle it but, you will place your order there or online and it will be shipped direct; Zero customer service.

It is happening in Japan, so will it happen here, so it is written.

So, enjoy the material world we have today but, don't make it your religion. For your spiritual world is crying out for attention and if you feed it, you just may survive with your soul intact.

Sorry for the heavy shiet.

[Cooper]

I think it's more simple than that, more of supply and demand. I was considering two of their controllers for next years winter build, wanted high quality. Guess ill stick with cc. Hope they don't get squeezed out by the demand for cheep china junk. If anybody talks to castle mention a new style heatsink for the ice series, allowing waterlines to be clamped easier. (More spacing between the tubes).

[Rumdog]

Swordfish.

[sjslhill]

Hobby Biz

Really tough market, try stocking LiPoly packs and have the next generation come out which makes everything else worthless.

Another example of the result when consumers go for the low price rather than for the value. But Schulze were in a pretty tough market for years and yet managed to scrape by. Too bad.


.

[sjslhill]

Wow

Exactly well said......you on facebook?

Way back I had lightly mentioned that things are going to change drastically in regards to buying outside of country.

I will mention it again..

Laws have been passed to faze out middle men... I know Schulze is not a middle man but, those like I-care are.

These laws were setup to slowly (like slowly boiling frog) breakdown all middlemen. As you can see on Ebay who is selling mainly? China.

If you think they are just better at it, you have been fooled and don't keep track of laws being passed in your own country.

What will happen, slowly, is ALL middlemen and companies like Castle will be squeezed out of business. Things like Craigslist, garage sales, Kajiji, etc. will get shut down too, it is planned, period.

It was so long ago I can't remember the who or where it came from but, it is happening. In about 2-5 years depending on whatever else happens in this crazy world, you will say goodbye to many middlemen retailers if not all of them. If it is made in China, it will be shipped direct from China. You may be able to go to a 'display' store where you can look at a sample and maybe test it or fondle it but, you will place your order there or online and it will be shipped direct; Zero customer service.

It is happening in Japan, so will it happen here, so it is written.

So, enjoy the material world we have today but, don't make it your religion. For your spiritual world is crying out for attention and if you feed it, you just may survive with your soul intact.

Sorry for the heavy shiet.

[sjslhill]

3 cheers for Steve holding on!