Strano Spring shipment has arrived (4/14) + a note on the product
04-14-2009, 01:05 PM
#1
Strano Spring shipment has arrived (4/14) + a note on the product The latest batch of the Strano Performance Lowering springs has arrived off the truck. I will be very busy over the next few days packing and shipping the 100 orders I have (and already have backorders on the next run....) so I will not be available much to answer the phones until I get the orders in hand processed and shipped and/or I run out of springs to pack.
It has come to my attention that another performance supplier, I'll call them "Company B" has decided to try and copy my springs. I guess they know a good idea when they see it. Of note, while Company B's new springs are much more like mine than ever before, they are still not the same. What's worse, a few months ago Company B was on their soapbox about how their previous springs were the cat's ***... What changed?
I digress...
Strano Springs are made in Germany, to spec my spec, by Vogtland. Vogtland's VVS alloy is proprietary, and only two mills in world make something similar (one in Germany that Vogtland uses, one in Japan that some Japanese springs use). Vogtland springs and VVS alloy are used on top series racing cars including IndyCar and NASCAR because of the tight quality control and lighter weight material. A spring that yields and have poor quality control isn't any good for setting up a car.
Betts Spring Company came to see me about making my springs. In the course of conversation I asked a lot of questions, mostly about material and it came up that they make "Company B's" springs for them, and that's how Betts found me. In the end I was told they could replicate the design with a similar (but not the same) material. Apparently this is what company "B" opted to do. I opted not to change because I'm after the quality control as much as the material. And if you do a little research, you'll find that Vogtland guarantees springs to be withing 2% of nominal, I could not find of get that sort of guarantee from Betts.
And as proof I'm not making this story up, here's a copy of a follow up e-mail I got from Betts Spring:
"Sam,
Thank you for the time you afforded me this last Monday. It was my pleasure meeting you.
In support of our conversation, please ship your samples, one each front and rear, to the attention of David McHale. Ship them to the address highlighted in red.
Also, please copy me on all e-mail or fax communications to any of the below listed contacts. This will allow me to manage and influence our Customer Service efforts.
Though I will always be available to you, I have, as agreed, listed (below) our key contacts in California. Joe Devany and Sarah Torres will be your main contacts.
Regards,
Jim
James B. Schultz
Engineering Sales
Betts Spring Company
---------------------------------------------------------------
Betts Spring Company address and contact information, as follows:
Betts Spring Company
2100 Williams Street
San Leandro, CA 94577"
So, here we are today with a company being ok with copying to the best they can what someone else designed. While it's a good copy, it's not exact, the materials differ, and I readily advertise who makes my springs, and *why* I have them made by Vogtland. Betts is one of a many companies in the US that can copy a spring someone else designed and builds. Copies are that, and if you know anything about copies, they are rarely as good as the original.
You can find more information about Vogtland here: http://vogtland-na.com/company.asp You'll note that Vogtland built products meet ISO TS 16949 and certified to DIN EN ISO 9001 standards. They also meet Germany's super strict TUV standards.
You can easily find information about the other suppliers mentioned, and of interest I found one line that caught my attention on the Betts sight: "Aggressively pursue cost reductions and eliminate waste to provide profitability for future growth of our employees and the company."
And that's what makes what I do and what others do different. I've never copied what others do, because if they have a good idea I don't see a need to re-invent the wheel. Strano Branded Products are new and specific to us, and designed with the experience and knowledge gained by years of testing, trial and error testing, and 9 SCCA National Championships.
And fwiw.... on my certified shipping scale the front springs are 7.5 pounds each, rears are 5 pounds each, for a total of 25 pounds per set. In a box, with the plastic wrapping on the individual spring the shipping weight is 27 pounds.
It has come to my attention that another performance supplier, I'll call them "Company B" has decided to try and copy my springs. I guess they know a good idea when they see it. Of note, while Company B's new springs are much more like mine than ever before, they are still not the same. What's worse, a few months ago Company B was on their soapbox about how their previous springs were the cat's ***... What changed?
I digress...
Strano Springs are made in Germany, to spec my spec, by Vogtland. Vogtland's VVS alloy is proprietary, and only two mills in world make something similar (one in Germany that Vogtland uses, one in Japan that some Japanese springs use). Vogtland springs and VVS alloy are used on top series racing cars including IndyCar and NASCAR because of the tight quality control and lighter weight material. A spring that yields and have poor quality control isn't any good for setting up a car.
Betts Spring Company came to see me about making my springs. In the course of conversation I asked a lot of questions, mostly about material and it came up that they make "Company B's" springs for them, and that's how Betts found me. In the end I was told they could replicate the design with a similar (but not the same) material. Apparently this is what company "B" opted to do. I opted not to change because I'm after the quality control as much as the material. And if you do a little research, you'll find that Vogtland guarantees springs to be withing 2% of nominal, I could not find of get that sort of guarantee from Betts.
And as proof I'm not making this story up, here's a copy of a follow up e-mail I got from Betts Spring:
"Sam,
Thank you for the time you afforded me this last Monday. It was my pleasure meeting you.
In support of our conversation, please ship your samples, one each front and rear, to the attention of David McHale. Ship them to the address highlighted in red.
Also, please copy me on all e-mail or fax communications to any of the below listed contacts. This will allow me to manage and influence our Customer Service efforts.
Though I will always be available to you, I have, as agreed, listed (below) our key contacts in California. Joe Devany and Sarah Torres will be your main contacts.
Regards,
Jim
James B. Schultz
Engineering Sales
Betts Spring Company
---------------------------------------------------------------
Betts Spring Company address and contact information, as follows:
Betts Spring Company
2100 Williams Street
San Leandro, CA 94577"
So, here we are today with a company being ok with copying to the best they can what someone else designed. While it's a good copy, it's not exact, the materials differ, and I readily advertise who makes my springs, and *why* I have them made by Vogtland. Betts is one of a many companies in the US that can copy a spring someone else designed and builds. Copies are that, and if you know anything about copies, they are rarely as good as the original.
You can find more information about Vogtland here: http://vogtland-na.com/company.asp You'll note that Vogtland built products meet ISO TS 16949 and certified to DIN EN ISO 9001 standards. They also meet Germany's super strict TUV standards.
You can easily find information about the other suppliers mentioned, and of interest I found one line that caught my attention on the Betts sight: "Aggressively pursue cost reductions and eliminate waste to provide profitability for future growth of our employees and the company."
And that's what makes what I do and what others do different. I've never copied what others do, because if they have a good idea I don't see a need to re-invent the wheel. Strano Branded Products are new and specific to us, and designed with the experience and knowledge gained by years of testing, trial and error testing, and 9 SCCA National Championships.
And fwiw.... on my certified shipping scale the front springs are 7.5 pounds each, rears are 5 pounds each, for a total of 25 pounds per set. In a box, with the plastic wrapping on the individual spring the shipping weight is 27 pounds.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
Trending Topics
04-14-2009, 04:20 PM
#8
Probably right after they copy my sway bars.... Why be original?
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
04-14-2009, 04:28 PM
#9
I think that you, and company "b" should meet up and duke it out like real suppliers. 
I've seen other multiple threads about this (IF in fact company "B" is the one that I have in my head) In the end, people will buy what they want and feel what's right.
I've seen other multiple threads about this (IF in fact company "B" is the one that I have in my head) In the end, people will buy what they want and feel what's right.
04-14-2009, 05:03 PM
#10
Hurray! Can't wait to get my springs Sam! My Koni 4/4's have been so lonely sitting on the floor in my bedroom 
I'm actually buying a house and will be moving in most likely in about two weeks. I'll actually have a garage! Thats where I'll be installing everything.
And "Company B" Won't be getting any of my business ever, next up, strano sway bars!
I'm actually buying a house and will be moving in most likely in about two weeks. I'll actually have a garage! Thats where I'll be installing everything. And "Company B" Won't be getting any of my business ever, next up, strano sway bars!
04-14-2009, 06:15 PM
#12
TECH Fanatic
Glad I already have mine... even if they aren't on the car yet. (Recent knee surgery has put my spring install on hold.
) 
04-14-2009, 07:10 PM
#14
Just so everyone knows, I've got every set ordered up to April 1st packed already. Working on the rest as fast as I can....
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
04-14-2009, 07:10 PM
#15
Completely uneventful this time (thank god).
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
04-14-2009, 09:08 PM
#18
Who made you wait this time??????
100 orders going out, you could have been one, right?
I have another order in, but it will be a while. It takes time to have them made and shipped from Germany. Approximately 12 weeks.
100 orders going out, you could have been one, right?
I have another order in, but it will be a while. It takes time to have them made and shipped from Germany. Approximately 12 weeks.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
04-14-2009, 09:11 PM
#19
TECH Enthusiast
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Your talking about BMR right? I thought it was a little strange how they were going to release new lowering springs for the F-Body after all this time, and when I saw them in the new products section your the first person I thought of, LOL.
