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Author Topic: LaVezzi Discontinues Film Parts Manufacturing Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 11-09-2010 09:25 AM                     I have been at a job site for quite a while so have not yet seen the actual letter which is probably sitting in a pile of mail... but I heard from a reliable source that LaVezzi is shutting down it's film projector parts division at the end of this month. This is certainly a milestone as well as a major nail in the coffin for filum. LaVezzi has been manufacturing film projector parts since the early 1900's. Has anyone else received the letter yet and could you please post it here? Thanks!  |  IP: Logged Pete Naples Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1565 From: Dunfermline, Scotland Registered: Feb 2001 posted 11-09-2010 02:59 PM                     Mark, I heard the same thing on the grapevine this week.  |  IP: Logged Dick Prather Master Film Handler Posts: 259 From: Portland, OR, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 11-09-2010 03:10 PM                     Mark, there are two letters or fax to LaVezzi dealers. Dated Oct 15th, 2010. As of Nov 15th, 2010 LaVezzi will no longer make aperture plates. Dated Nov 5th, 2010. As of Nov 30th, 2010 LaVezzi will no longer have any production runs of sprockets or motion picure parts including Christie Ultramittents & components. They will manufacture these items when depleted as custom orders in the future. I guess I understand from a cost wise position but it was nice to buy really good parts from the manufacture. Dick  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 11-09-2010 04:46 PM                     The jist of what I've heard is that they are going back to being an OEM supplier. So the likes of Strong or Wolk can still buy stuff at production run quantities but they are no longer going to stock individual items on the shelf. Note, this is not the first time that LaVezzi has done this. It wasn't until Norm, previously of Wolk, went to LaVezzi that they started to offer their parts to dealers again. He set up the web site and the whole shopping cart thing. However, quite some time ago, Norm passed away (Cancer) so it has been on a bit of an auto-pilot. One sucky thing about it is that while you may be able to get a VKF sprocket from Wolk or Strong for your Simplex/Century...I doubt that a Positrol will be an option. Then again, there are probably enough on the LaVezzi shelf to satisfy what remaining demand there is. It wouldn't surprise me that they just don't want to pay a person to manage the relatively small amount of day-to-day parts and furthermore, they probably had to decide to do a run on a particular part and realized that it might be 10-years before they would deplete said part at present consumption. Right now, they are probably only supplying repair parts as new production has all but stopped in the US (for domestic distribution, I hear there are still exports due to the weak dollar and some countries still solidly on film). Steve  |  IP: Logged Ottilie Young Film Handler Posts: 15 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: Feb 2007 posted 11-20-2010 10:07 AM                     Hi All: I'd heard this too and started to worry, but then someone suggested that as theatres bring on digital projectors, there'll be all the old 35mm projectors that could be used for parts for art houses, etc. Does that make sense? Ottilie  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 11-20-2010 01:45 PM                     Its not just that...the fact is new projector sales are way down...about zero for the USA. What Strong makes new, film wise, is for overseas. So new projector parts are to serve for strictly the repair market. LaVezzi's major contribution to cinema parts is in their sprockets and intermittent parts. Since the VKF came out (and since most systems are on platters)...just how many here are changing out their sprockets on a regular basis? What is the percentage of intermittents that get rebuilt/year (more than sprockets). This is becoming a niche market for them...it does not warrant placing many 10s of thousands of dollars on the shelf waiting for the day that some might be sold. By and large, you have three big parts distributors already in Christie, Strong and Wolk. Many of the parts are either repackaged LaVezzi or not even that discrete. Just as a reminder...LaVezzi has ceased direct distributing in the past. For the most part, Wolk took up the slack. It wasn't until Norm, formerly of Wolk, went to LaVezzi that they brought direct distribution back...Norm is gone...as is the new projector business. It will be up to Christie, Strong and Wolk to decide how many units of the LaVezzi parts they wish to put on the shelves. I suspect, Wolk may be the last one standing as they have always catered to small runs and obsolete equipment. And then you through in the abundance of used equipment out there cutting in on new sales as well as parts sales and you can can finally see why LaVezzi would take this move. It makes decent sense. Though certainly not a pleasant turn of events. I wish these companies figured out how to make low-volume runs of things rather than always having to gear up for the big run. In PCBs...folks have figured it out. Steve  |  IP: Logged

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