I remembered Heathkit as having first been an airframe manufacturer which got
into electronics after the War. I just checked the history, one version of
which can be found here: http://www.heathkit.nu/heathkit_nu_HeathStory.html.
Apparently the company was sold to Daystrom as early as 1955. Zenith bought it
in 1979, after the company had diversified far afield from the electronics kit
market. My first TX was a DX-20, which I built in 1957. I remember later kits
coming out into at least the middle 70s. My last one was an HW-101, more or
less 1973, and there were several years of good kits after that. So it lasted
at least that long under Daystrom, a substantial corporation by that time.
It may be that Heath’s demise came less from a lack of entrepreneurship than
from a lack of focus on the market where it had mastered its route to success.
The introduction of personal computers at around the same time probably played
a role as well. It would be interesting to know whether any of the MBAs on the
list know of a Heath Inc. B-school case.
The “Lazarus Loop” may be well named – apparently the company had cycled
through bankruptcy more than once even in its early days. The site noted above
tells the tale.
R.I.P.
Ted, KN1CBR
------------------------------
Message: 30
Date: Mon, 8 Aug 2016 12:01:37 -0700 (MST)
From: ab2tc <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Not so OT: The Heathkit clocks are back!
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Hi,
I share the feelings of most of the most recent posters. I have no idea who
is behind the new P.O. box in Santa Cruz which according to Wikipedia was
established in October 2015. I wish them luck, crossing my fingers, but not
holding much hope for their success.
Now, to the OT: part. Elecraft is living proof that the demise of Heathkit
didn't have to be an inevitable thing. Heathkit died, not only because
technology changed but more so by serious corporate mismanagement. Once the
original company was sold to Zenith, the writing was on the wall. Had
entrepreneurial folks, that were probably very similar in talent to Eric and
Wayne remained in control, Heathkit could have survived to this day. I am
one of the old-timers who remembers the heyday of Heathkit and considers its
demise nothing short of a national tragedy (yes, we built Heathkits in
Norway, too).
AB2TC - Knut
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