ARB to continue its Australian Manufacturing

[BrianW]

I received a call from the NSW Sales Manager, who offered to sort my previous issues and told me that ARB has recognised a problem and let go a number of their sales staff and are training new staff in the hope of providing better customer relations.

[piggy]

Originally Posted by Richo

Ok. I will write them a letter a day for the next year demanding they start making limited numbers of components to suit your needs.
I'm sure they'll agree.

Maybe TJM and Kaymar could also join in on a group loss making exercise.

Meanwhile, there's plenty of US manufacturers making chero gear available from vendors on here.

wow, I have been reading threw this thread, as I work for ARB's rival company im always interested to hear what other manufactures are upto.
with the roumer of ARB moving their manufacturing facilities overseas well that would be true , but not to the extent of getting rid of their killsyth facility.
For a long time now TJM has had an offshore manufacturing facility, & ARB poo-pooed the idea with comments of the product being cheap chinese crap.
what we did due to the economic state of this country thanks to old Red Gillard & the likes of K Rud, & their prior work mates ect is to purchase our own manufacturing facility that is managed & staffed by our own employes, only manufacturing products that are guided by our our Australian Design Regulations (ADR) that complies with all Australian rules & insurance regulations. In doing it this way we are in-control of our own product & its quality & ARB would have the same procedures set in place.
All R-&-D, testing & minor manufacturing is still done here in Aus.
ARB will never get rid of its Kilsyth facility, just like TJM their Auzzi facility's are still manufacturing at 100% & need the O/S facilities just to keep up.
Even have a look at the auto industry for example, Nissan have manufacturing facilities in Spain, Thailand & Japan, Toyota have the same, I even Jeep arnt totally made in the USA any more.
Its just disappointing that major Australian companies are being forced overseas to be able to make a dollar here in Australia.

as for bad staff & bad service at times, we have all been guilty of that unfortunately. I feel that some staff should have just stayed in bed some days, & I know that is no excuse, but with constant training on continually changing products & all the feed back from customers like yourselfs can only make the likes of ARB & TJM or OPPISITE LOCK improve.
cheers piggy.

[The Buzzcutter]

The nature of this thread has changed and now seems to be focused on customer service more than the original point of why ARB Australian manufactured product costs less to buy in the states and ship back to oz than it does in local stores.

Personally I have been in the coopers plains store a few times and had no problem with the service, (no problem in that it has been no better or worse than any other similar type store) but to be honest there would be no level of service that is going to convince me it is worth paying the premium prices being charged and that is why after getting all the quotes for comparison I took the $20k that I have spent so far and dealt with other vendors.

Good luck with the customer service drive and I am all for buying local, but for me I just want someone knowledgable who gives good advice and offers me good product at a reasonable price.