Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Kneisley Update

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Posted by Mike Hagan (Member # 3771) on 05-03-2006, 11:55 AM:

Hello everyone on the film-tech forums. I had heard rumors that information about Kneisley was being posted here, so I thought I would come and join the discussion.

As mentioned in previous posts, Kneisley Electric was purchased in early March. The name is now Kneisley Manufacturing. The manufacturing plant is still located in Toledo, Ohio. Billing is being done out of our Liberty, MO office.

Before acquisition, the company, as mentioned by many of you was in dire financial straits and was barely hanging on... the previous owner had given orders to close the doors. Kneisley was going to be out of business. The purchase of the company has allowed for Kneisley's continued success. We began operations in earnest acquiring needed materials to fill the back-log of orders for all of our lines of business (cinema industry, glass industry products, and transformers for the lighting industry). (Several earlier posts mentioning government contracts were incorrect. Kneisley has no government contracts.) Betty left Kneisley and is apparently enjoying her retirement. At 81 years of age and working for Kneisley for 40 years, she has certainly earned it!

I am proud to report that Kneisley is now flourishing. Production of existing orders and for stock items is underway and our staff is truly excited to be "back at work"! New dealer letters have been sent to cinema customers and we are establishing a new dealer network. Parts are available and will be shipped in a timely manner. New equipment including the Xenex I lamphouse, Xenex II lamphouse, and rectifiers (all considered by many the best in the business) are also available and will be shipped in a timely manner.

Should anyone have further questions, please feel free to post here or to contact Kneisley in Toledo at 419-241-1219. Chakauna (pronounced Sha-Kawn-uh) will be happy to speak with you about any of your needs.

If you are in the Toledo area, feel free to stop in and see for yourself. And, as mentioned elsewhere, make sure to eat at Tony Packo's. I had a very enjoyable time there during the acquisition process.

Thanks,
Mike Hagan
Kneisley Manufacturing Company

Posted by Cory Isemann (Member # 2517) on 05-03-2006, 11:59 AM:

Check this out - prior discussions

[Wink]

Posted by Mike Hagan (Member # 3771) on 05-09-2006, 10:13 AM:

Cory,

Thank you for the link. Rest assured, we are no longer "just holding on", we are financially stable, have inventory in place, and have been able to send any orders the same day the order came in.

Mike Hagan
Kneisley Manufacturing Company

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 05-09-2006, 05:12 PM:

Hey Mike,

This is very good news indeed. Kneisley is one of the few truly All-American companies where Made in America wasn't a half truth and where the CEO of the company wasn't afraid to get on the phone and talk a green kid (me when I had hair) through replacing a ballast resistor, even sending a replacement to us at no charge. Kneisley is not only Made in America, but Proud to be Made in the Heartland of America. I hope you put that sticker on every piece of equipment that leaves your plant. It would have been very sad indeed if the company were to have vanished from the exhibition industry landscape.

Best of luck to you and the entire company. May it thrive and prosper for many more generations.

Posted by Cory Isemann (Member # 2517) on 05-10-2006, 09:00 AM:

quote: Franky
Best of luck to you and the entire company. May it thrive and prosper for many more generations.

Amen to that!

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 05-12-2006, 04:47 AM:

Hi, Mike! Welcome to the group. Glad to hear the company is going to be okay.

quote: Mike Hagan
New equipment including the Xenex I lamphouse, Xenex II lamphouse, and rectifiers (all considered by many the best in the business) are also available

The rectifiers are definitely heavy-duty, no complaints there. I don't think I ever had to replace a diode in one of them.

The igniters in the lamphouses were a bit noisy/hashy, though. [Frown]

Maybe the operating frequency?

quote: Mike Hagan
If you are in the Toledo area, feel free to stop in and see for yourself.

Thanks for the invitation! [Smile]

Can I get a tractor-trailer in (and OUT of!!) there? Any low clearances (less than 13'6") along the way from the interstate? I was just up that way a few weeks ago.

Posted by Joshua Waaland (Member # 287) on 05-12-2006, 07:09 AM:

quote: Tim Reed
Any low clearances (less than 13'6") along the way from the interstate?

Good Question! There are many low bridges in Toledo. Especially towards the glass manufacturing side of town (which is the older side of town). I used to drive an F350 with a box through town and delivered equipment to dive bars and restaurants. I remember some bridges that I barely just fit under.

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 05-12-2006, 09:19 AM:

Joshua, I feel for ya. I'd hate to do downtown deliveries anywhere! [Smile]

If the Kneisley plant was located directly off a state route, low clearances would be in the Motor Carrier's Atlas, but in town, it's anyone's guess.

Posted by Mike Hagan (Member # 3771) on 05-15-2006, 10:14 AM:

The following will allow access to Kneisley without too much hassle...

The Phillips exit off I-75 (206) has easy access to Kneisley with no underpasses at all. Take Phillips south to Mahattan, 1 block or so (stoplight) left at light to Lagrange. Right on Lagrange about 7 or 8 blocks and Kneisley is on the right (brick building on corner of Delaware and Lagrange).

Posted by Alan Gouger (Member # 543) on 05-19-2006, 10:15 AM:

Hi Mike

Please ck PM, thank you [Smile]

Posted by Mike Hagan (Member # 3771) on 05-22-2006, 01:53 PM:

To anyone interested, a new Kneisley website is available at www.kneisley.com . The site is very basic and is still under construction... But, the key component is the link showing the new dealer network.

Alan -- I've sent you a return PM.

Posted by Joshua Waaland (Member # 287) on 05-22-2006, 03:23 PM:

Mike,

Do you have any plans to make more of the conversion kits for carbon arc lamphouses? I know there probably isn't a big market for them out there but I wanted to get my hands on some so I could retrofit my old Peerless lamphouses over to xenon.

Posted by Alan Gouger (Member # 543) on 05-22-2006, 05:19 PM:

Hi Mike

Thank you for the positive answer. Thanks!!

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 05-26-2006, 08:18 AM:

quote: Joshua Waaland
Do you have any plans to make more of the conversion kits for carbon arc lamphouses?

Or, what about the one for 1500-series B&H 16mm projectors? [Smile]