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2007-02-19, 11:57am
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jul 10, 2005
Posts: 270
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Bethlehem No Longer Making Torches....
Due to Bethlehem's recent decision to stop making their torches I felt I should make my stand public.
We at Generations Glass have used Bethlehem torches for a number of years. They have always been great torches and very reliable.
I have never claimed they are "THE BEST" torches but do feel that they are one of the best. Different torches have different characteristics and like many different torches for this reason.
We will continue to carry Bethlehem torches for as long as we are able to get them. Bethlehem will still honor their warranty on all of their torches.
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Kristian Turley
Old School Glass
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2007-02-19, 12:11pm
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one day at a time
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Wow, I didn't have a clue! Why??! Is there any info out there about this? I'd like to know what could have made this company make such a drastic decision. 
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2007-02-19, 12:16pm
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Senior Member
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Kristian, I love the Piranha you sold me 2 years ago along with GREAT customer service. Now I'm really glad to have it.
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Suzanne
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2007-02-19, 12:20pm
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The whole torch thing probably ended up being from the whole price battle that started when Cosmo was told to up his prices and he decided to drop the bethlehem line and it made a lot of talk. I've never used a beth and don't doubt that they are great torches.
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Emmanuel Germain
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2007-02-19, 12:30pm
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ManBearPig
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I don't think for a second that I had anything to do with them stopping production (although, in my head, I'd love to think that I had that kind of power). After talking to a friend who works closely with Bethlehem, but not an employee, I heard that what I went through was just the tip of the iceberg.
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2007-02-19, 1:43pm
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I don't think for a second Cosmo had anything to do with it either. Beth has been making torches for 50 years, as a side line type thing. It was never their focus. I am sad to see them stop. They make a very good torch. I have two of them. I imagine that it is not the most lucrative business to be in as a sideline and requires more the focus given to it by other torch companies.
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Pam
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2007-02-19, 1:45pm
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Oh yeah, it's all Cosmo's fault 
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2007-02-19, 1:52pm
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ManBearPig
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Quote:
Originally Posted by squid
Oh yeah, it's all Cosmo's fault |
You must have been talking to my girlfriend...
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2007-02-19, 5:19pm
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Wow! Cosmo's even more powerful than I thought 
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Julie
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2007-02-21, 12:58pm
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<--- Time traveler
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I saw a post on The GLDG indicating they had reversed their decision:
http://www.thegldg.com/forum/showpos...9&postcount=53
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2007-02-21, 1:00pm
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Yep. The front page is back to normal again. Yay!
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2007-02-21, 1:15pm
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Safety ALWAYS
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Welllll...don't get your hopes up just yet. What *has* happened is that all the distributors have been cut off -- no more torches will be available to distributors after orders placed prior to 2/13/2007 are filled.
After those torches are gone, if you want a beth, you will have to go direct to the factory.
Actually, I'm wondering if this wasn't all some great big kerfuffle to push the distributors out of the picture. Now, Beth can sell direct, get more $$ per torch, and not have to deal with any price-fixing issues in the distribution network.
Like I posted over on GLDG -- crazy like a fox...
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2007-02-21, 1:16pm
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...yep, its true
Good News!!!!
We were just told by the owner that due to the overwhelming response to our announcement, we will
continue to manufacture burners.
Thank for your interest and concern,
Paula Martinko
Bethlehem Apparatus Co., Inc.
(610) 838-7034 Phone
(610) 838-6333 Fax
pmartinko@bethapp.com
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2007-02-21, 1:21pm
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tinkmartin.etsy.com
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeAurelius
Welllll...don't get your hopes up just yet. What *has* happened is that all the distributors have been cut off -- no more torches will be available to distributors after orders placed prior to 2/13/2007 are filled.
After those torches are gone, if you want a beth, you will have to go direct to the factory.
Actually, I'm wondering if this wasn't all some great big kerfuffle to push the distributors out of the picture. Now, Beth can sell direct, get more $$ per torch, and not have to deal with any price-fixing issues in the distribution network.
Like I posted over on GLDG -- crazy like a fox...
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Well that wouldn't be very bright, would it? I mean, IMO of course, distributors are the backbone of their bottom line. Cutting out the distributors would be a huge case of "penny wise and pound foolish".
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2007-02-21, 1:33pm
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Safety ALWAYS
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Location: Sauk Rapids, Minnesota
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mmmmmmmmmm......well, let's see here, <just thinking aloud>
Corporation board of directors votes to discontinue product line.
President writes and posts letter discussing same on home page of company.
Certain employees of the company now say that no one knows what is going to happen to the product line, but they are starting a list of people who want them to keep on making torches.
I don't see very bright people here....and then of course there is the price fixing issue from several months ago.......no, I'm fairly certain that Bethlehem does not employ bright people. 
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2007-02-21, 1:34pm
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Safety ALWAYS
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Join Date: Jun 10, 2005
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Quote:
Originally Posted by phab
...yep, its true
Good News!!!!
We were just told by the owner that due to the overwhelming response to our announcement, we will
continue to manufacture burners.
Thank for your interest and concern,
Paula Martinko
Bethlehem Apparatus Co., Inc.
(610) 838-7034 Phone
(610) 838-6333 Fax
pmartinko@bethapp.com |
ROFLMAO -- now, will they be keeping the distribution network intact. That's the question I'm interested in seeing answered......
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2007-02-21, 1:42pm
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Junior Member
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeAurelius
ROFLMAO -- now, will they be keeping the distribution network intact. That's the question I'm interested in seeing answered......
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...im thinking that they will keep the distributors stocked with product. i dont think there is any advantage to be the sole distributor unless they want to keep it small, real small.
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2007-02-21, 2:14pm
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Safety ALWAYS
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I disagree. They can sell as many torches as they make and get to keep *all* the money that way, plus there won't be a hassle with pricing.
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2007-02-21, 5:04pm
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Gentleman of Leisure
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I sure hope the news is good!...
This was the email I got on the 19th...
Quote:
2/19/2007
Dear Dale,
As of today, Bethlehem is planning on discontinuing torch manufacturing at
the end of the year. We will have them available on line or by calling
Bethlehem Apparatus Co., Inc. at 610-838-7034. They will be sold at our
list price and no discounts available. The message on the website was
accurate and we removed it this morning intentionally. If I can assist
further, please advise.
Jerry C. Odenwelder, Ph.D.
Technical Sales Manager
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Dale
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2007-02-21, 5:17pm
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In search of her path....
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I talked to my wholesaler yesterday and they are a pretty large wholesaler, as far as through them what they have on hand is it and they will not be filling any more orders or getting any more so I dont think the distributorships will be intact.
Quote:
Originally Posted by phab
...im thinking that they will keep the distributors stocked with product. i dont think there is any advantage to be the sole distributor unless they want to keep it small, real small.
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2007-02-21, 6:29pm
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ManBearPig
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Quote:
Originally Posted by IF-Designs
I talked to my wholesaler yesterday and they are a pretty large wholesaler, as far as through them what they have on hand is it and they will not be filling any more orders or getting any more so I dont think the distributorships will be intact.
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Don't know if you use the same wholesaler as I do, but I was told the same thing by mine.
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2007-02-21, 6:52pm
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I'd be happy if they made the torches and sold them through their website. I have made money off the torch line, but more than that, I want people to still be able to get these torches. I don't care if I'm in the loop. They are good torches and lampworkers bennefit from having them available.
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"Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for." -Bob Marley
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2007-02-21, 7:10pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Smiley
I'd be happy if they made the torches and sold them through their website. I have made money off the torch line, but more than that, I want people to still be able to get these torches. I don't care if I'm in the loop. They are good torches and lampworkers bennefit from having them available. |
I was hoping to save up money and purchase a Barracuda eventually as my next torch.
This caused a real panic in my heart that they won't be available by the time I get enough money saved. 
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2007-02-21, 8:57pm
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Junior Member
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Quote:
Originally Posted by IF-Designs
I talked to my wholesaler yesterday and they are a pretty large wholesaler, as far as through them what they have on hand is it and they will not be filling any more orders or getting any more so I dont think the distributorships will be intact.
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...that was what they knew yesterday. the decision to keep the burner division going just happened today according to the email i got.
whatever will be, will be, but all we can do right now is speculate. im just happy that they are going to keep at it, not because im a gung ho beth fanatic (i do own a cuda and i like it a lot) but because im a believer in american made products.
this means someone whos job was in jepordy yesterday will still have a job tomorrow.
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2007-02-22, 10:12am
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Safety ALWAYS
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It is as I suspected. And it is official now.
Bethlehem *WILL* continue to manufacture torches.
**BUT** if you want a torch from them you have to go direct to Bethlehem. They have dissolved their distribution network. None of the current distributors will receive torches beyond what they had on order prior to Feb 13, 2007.
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2007-02-22, 10:27am
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In search of her path....
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I will agree with you there...im happy the workers who are in the burner division will still have their jobs...that is a good thing indeed.
Quote:
Originally Posted by phab
...that was what they knew yesterday. the decision to keep the burner division going just happened today according to the email i got.
whatever will be, will be, but all we can do right now is speculate. im just happy that they are going to keep at it, not because im a gung ho beth fanatic (i do own a cuda and i like it a lot) but because im a believer in american made products.
this means someone whos job was in jepordy yesterday will still have a job tomorrow.
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