441 Clone Factory Name and Location?

[graywolf]

Speaking from hearsay: it seems like there are a few companies casting the housings (very expensive facility needed) and thousands of companies manufacturing parts. Parts ranging from better than OEM quality, to pot metal. Without that expert how can you tell what you are buying?

On the other hand, not being much margin at the dealer level? I think it depends on the dealer, as I see the JUKI DNU-1541s (as an example) selling from $1300 to $2600. Now, I realize there may be a difference in the motor and table you are getting, but not that much. I am willing to believe that a good dealer checking out and adjusting everything may make the machine worth $1500~$1600, but not a thousand bucks more than that. It seems some dealers ARE making real good money!

I will not get into used sewing machine sellers', except to say that almost anyone withing 100 miles of me wants more for their old worn out machine than I can buy a new one, including shipping, for. Sigh!

[Art]

First of all, Chinese foundries are a thing of wonder and horror.  If they had OSHA folks over there, well they would go yelling and screaming in terror from the foundry.  Ditto some of the other factories.  I imported leather working machines a few years ago, and know what they landed for and given all the work and marketing, there is enough room to pay everyone and the rent, but nobody's living high.  Brand name machines are a little different, but places like Reliable keep dealers relatively honest.  Frankly, some leather machine dealers are delivering 1,000 machines a year, some a lot less, and some a very few more.  Some distributors that are also importers, and often sole importers, keep their prices high so as to not step on their dealers toes.  There are so few leather machine dealers, their competition (especially on price) keeps the margins pretty thin.

It's a business, you can make a living, it helps if the wife works.

Art

[Darren Brosowski]

The worldwide market for 441 machines is 2-3000 per year and by Chinese standards this is tiny.

Several companies might assemble the parts but when you consider that the moulds for the casting cost $US50,000 there is only on company that is casting the bodies. The forge tooling for the two conrods is probably another $US10,000 so there is only one supplier.

The important thing is who sets the machine up before it is delivered. Some work beautifully out of the box but others take a lot of work to get running.