SP died???

Rokudon · Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 11:45 am Post subject: SP died???

I was just looking up some background information about the entire K2/WGP thing against Action Markers today to support a point I was making (very similar to how Maglite killed a small company called Arc), and stumbled upon what appears to be that Smart Parts has finally shut down? I'm still trying to track down if its true or not, but I'm sure glad for the electro market at the moment..

anyone else can confirm this?
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mmmm bow....

Dwight D . Maxwell · Executive Moderator Joined: 01 Jun 2006 Posts: 11231

No, but if that is true then it is some MAJOR news! Shocked

We definitely need more info on this...
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Rabid Wombat · Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 2:51 pm Post subject:

Last I read they were temporarily shutting down to restructure but they were supposed to be back on line my now…
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Pump Scout · UberMan Joined: 28 Mar 2004 Posts: 737 Location: Wisconsin

That's the official word - "restructuring". They've sold off SP Europe to MAXS (I think), and haven't reopened the doors stateside. Their in-house pro team has seen every one of its players bail for other teams, and every one of their pro-level sponsorships has buckled (Dynasty-Eclipse, Naughty Dogs-DYE, All Americans-gone, Aftermath-DYE, Mutiny-unknown yet, but not Luxes). Their core staff stateside was let go over the last few months as well, and there was talk that DYE would be taking over production of the Luxe. Not sure if that's on their Asia machines or in the San Diego location.

HOWEVER, the Gardner brothers were (are still?) deeply involved in the .50 "revolution" with Richmond Italia. The guns they're putting on their site are strongly similar to the Vibe, SP1, and Luxe. What's going to be really interesting is if they've been forced to partner with Richmond to get around their own patent... due to it being bank property.

I don't have any real insider info. This is pretty much things that are public info combined with some personal experience in companies going belly up, and what that looks like. It sure looks all the world like what's going on with SP right now.
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Brewtt · Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 7:50 pm Post subject:

http://www.mcarterbrown.com/forums/paintball-news/104126-pbn-sp-closes-temporarily.html
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Frost · Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 7:15 pm Post subject:

I BLAME the poor economy thanks to the obamination.
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procarbinefreak · DaMan Joined: 17 Mar 2004 Posts: 1739 Location: Milwaukee

lol @ frost.
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Rokudon · Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2010 4:36 pm Post subject:

sounds interesting, i hope that if they start back up again they're not going to continue with the patent wars.

does this mean people can start making freak insert -esque systems now? >_>
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Pump Scout · UberMan Joined: 28 Mar 2004 Posts: 737 Location: Wisconsin

Someone still holds those patents - all the ones Smart Parts relied upon. Whether it's the Gardners or the bank is the question right now. Final disposition of said patents will determine who can and can't be making things.

Personally, I miss the old Powerlyte insert barrels. Those things were serious tubes. I'd dig one up again, except they didn't go small enough for today's .678-ish paint.
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