Re: [Leica] outsourcing components

[Dan Cardish <dcardish@microtec.net>]

Are you suggesting that all Apple does is assemble the iMac computer?  Is
that all they do?   Who designed it?  Who determines the specifications of
all of the component parts that go into the iMac?  Who costs out the
manufacturing process?   Who manufacturers it?  Apple does.

I don't think you are in agreement with Erwin Puts as per the idea that
Leica is an assembler of cameras.  He certainly stated the contrary, and I
doubt that your condescending email will convince him otherwise.

Dan C.

At 09:38 PM 01-08-99 EDT, you wrote:
>In a message dated 8/1/99 2:18:39 PM Central Daylight Time, 
>imxputs@knoware.nl writes:
>
><< Most modern companies in 
> the western world do the three things that they know best: design a 
> product, find suppliers for many components and assemble the product 
> to their specification and design/production philosophy. >>
>
>Mr. Puts took issue with my suggestion that Solms is an assembler rather
than 
>a precision manufacturer since he earlier advised Solms was outsourcing the 
>parts used in the cameras.  Then in his later post he takes issue with that 
>conclusion but wrote the above which appears to support my conclusion that 
>Solms is an assembler as opposed to a manufacturer.  Mr. Puts also 
>illustrated his suggestion with companies such as Porsche, BMW, Nikon,
Apple, 
>IBM, etc.  Quite frankly, I do not find any similarity between the precision 
>products manufactured by the carmakers and the cameras and I have not heard 
>Apple and IBM suggest they are manufacturers of their PC's even though IBM 
>makes some fine hard drives.
>
>Therefore, we must be in agreement that Solms is an assembler rather than a 
>manufacturer like E. Leitz Wetzlar.  As assembler, we must hope Solms will 
>set up quality control stations to check the camera parts it buys on the 
>market that go into the cameras so the customer can be assured the cameras 
>will work right out of the box.
>
>Thanks again, Mr. Puts, for further clarifying the "assembler" nature of the 
>company. 
>
>