Although this says they are "suspending manufacturing" it probably means they are done. Perhaps they will look for a buyer but I think that is a tough sell.
I suspect they will attempt to sell the assets, including patents. If not, the family will continue to own the rights. The only patent I believe that has any value is the one I wrote on truncated half-sine. Others either have little value, are easily circumvented, or are near expiration.
Cost of manufacturing hasn't really been an issue for White's. Their labor market is exceptionally cheap and they do most everything in-house. What has hurt them the most is sales/marketing. They hung onto the distributor/dealer model for too long, and when they finally decided to go online & big-box they just didn't have the people and structure to do it right. The second thing that hurt them was engineering turnover. It created huge gaps in products and in the ability to continue innovating.
The best approach would be to offer direct sales, without somehow upsetting the distribution chain.
Garrett Announces Acquisition
Garland, TX, October 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Garrett Electronics, a design and manufacturing company specializing in sport and security metal detectors, announced the acquisition of certain assets of White’s Electronics.
White’s, who had been in business since 1950 as a premier manufacturer of metal detection products, announced the suspension of operations on June 18, 2020 in a memo to its dealers. White’s founders, Kenneth and Olive White, built their business the same way Garrett’s founders, Charles and Eleanor Garrett, did, by innovating and committing to producing high quality products in the United States. White’s current principals, Kenneth R. and Mary White, are choosing to fold the White’s legacy in with Garrett Metal Detectors as a way of extending their “Made in the USA” tradition.
Garrett CEO Steve Novakovich commented, “The White family and the Garrett family have had a high level of respect for one another as competitors in the sport market for decades. Now we at Garrett are proud to combine our respective legacies as Garrett continues on as the premier American metal detector company.”
The transaction includes White’s trademarks, intellectual property, tooling, and other assets. It does not include White’s real estate in Oregon or Scotland. Garrett intends to rigorously defend all of White’s trademarks, patents, and other IP wherever infringement may occur.
Novakovich continued, “Garrett recognizes that the White’s brand has a loyal following in the US and around the world. We are pleased to welcome those customers to Garrett, and we hope we can earn your future business.”
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