Graco monopoly | Ask Mason Knowles - SPF Consultant | Spray Foam Technical Questions and Answers | SprayFoam Magazine Q&A Forums

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Author	Comments
Gerry Wagoner Posted: Dec 27, 2007 09:32 AM	Graco monopoly Mase, you haven't weighed in on the latest Graco acquisition. What is your opinion? How could this corporate elimination of industry competition affect our industry? oG
mason Posted: Dec 27, 2007 12:31 PM	When my father first got started in the sprayfoam business, there was only one sprayfoam equipment manufacturer, Gusmer. Eventually other companies (such as Glasscraft and Graco) seeing a growing and profitable market used their existing technology to develop their own sprayfoam equipment. This is a little different in that Graco purchased rather than invented the equpment to become a small market monopoly. It is an interesting and unique situation for our industry. I think time will tell how it ultimately affects us. If Graco provides excellent quality equipment, keeps up with the demands and desire of the consumers and offers good technical support, then there may be little change in the SPF market place. However, if those elements are perceived to be lacking in the consumer's mind, then I could see an environment ripe for the development of start-up equipment manufacturing companies to compete against Graco.
Posted: Dec 27, 2007 05:29 PM	C'monnn free market! :)
quentin Posted: Jan 01, 2008 09:49 PM	After everything I learned happened when they bought out Gusmer I am not confident in them at all. I called my reps (Senators and congress rep) about it pointing out it was a monopoly that they should look in to as it could have a very serious effect on the market. If there was more information that had been let out to the consumers of the products instead of no one knowing how anything will be done I might not be worried but I am the suspicious type when it comes to a company keeping secrets like this. I see it constantly in the IT industry and it usually winds up with a bunch of people getting screwed and a few CEO types making out like bandits. That is part of why I am trying to get out of IT and in to foam!
Posted: Jan 02, 2008 08:41 PM	this equipment is not as complicated as it is made to be...and free enterprise will drive the market to provide new and improved technologies...(and i would doubt the graco corporate lawyers would have approved the merger if there would be monopoly/ricco type implications,,)
mason Posted: Jan 03, 2008 01:18 PM	I noticed that Gama is headed up by Dennis Commette who ran Gusmer for 30 plus years and the head of sales and service is Frank Sica, who in my opinion is one of the best technical guys in the sprayfoam equipment business. Sounds like a good way to start.
Timothy Sonney Posted: Jan 05, 2008 03:28 AM	how is, if any Dennis related to Doug?
ROBIN LONSDALE Posted: Jan 05, 2008 06:36 AM	Dennis is Doug s father
quentin Posted: Jan 05, 2008 05:01 PM	As a result of no one knowing what is going on wiht the buyout I am going to try for the E-30 instead of my origional plans but I still like the Probler gun better from everything I have seen and read so sticking to that. I don't like any company having that much control over any market though and it is never a great thing for an industry.

Author

Comments

Gerry Wagoner

Posted: Dec 27, 2007 09:32 AM

Graco monopoly

Mase, you haven't weighed in on the latest Graco acquisition.

What is your opinion?

How could this corporate elimination of industry competition affect our industry?

oG

mason

Posted: Dec 27, 2007 12:31 PM

When my father first got started in the sprayfoam business, there was only one sprayfoam equipment manufacturer, Gusmer. Eventually other companies (such as Glasscraft and Graco) seeing a growing and profitable market used their existing technology to develop their own sprayfoam equipment.

This is a little different in that Graco purchased rather than invented the equpment to become a small market monopoly.

It is an interesting and unique situation for our industry. I think time will tell how it ultimately affects us.

If Graco provides excellent quality equipment, keeps up with the demands and desire of the consumers and offers good technical support, then there may be little change in the SPF market place.

However, if those elements are perceived to be lacking in the consumer's mind, then I could see an environment ripe for the development of start-up equipment manufacturing companies to compete against Graco.

Posted: Dec 27, 2007 05:29 PM

C'monnn free market! :)

quentin

Posted: Jan 01, 2008 09:49 PM

After everything I learned happened when they bought out Gusmer I am not confident in them at all. I called my reps (Senators and congress rep) about it pointing out it was a monopoly that they should look in to as it could have a very serious effect on the market.

If there was more information that had been let out to the consumers of the products instead of no one knowing how anything will be done I might not be worried but I am the suspicious type when it comes to a company keeping secrets like this. I see it constantly in the IT industry and it usually winds up with a bunch of people getting screwed and a few CEO types making out like bandits. That is part of why I am trying to get out of IT and in to foam!

Posted: Jan 02, 2008 08:41 PM

this equipment is not as complicated as it is made to be...and free enterprise will drive the market to provide new and improved technologies...(and i would doubt the graco corporate lawyers would have approved the merger if there would be monopoly/ricco type implications,,)

mason

Posted: Jan 03, 2008 01:18 PM

I noticed that Gama is headed up by Dennis Commette who ran Gusmer for 30 plus years and the head of sales and service is Frank Sica, who in my opinion is one of the best technical guys in the sprayfoam equipment business. Sounds like a good way to start.

Timothy Sonney

Posted: Jan 05, 2008 03:28 AM

how is, if any Dennis related to Doug?

ROBIN LONSDALE

Posted: Jan 05, 2008 06:36 AM

Dennis is Doug s father

quentin

Posted: Jan 05, 2008 05:01 PM

As a result of no one knowing what is going on wiht the buyout I am going to try for the E-30 instead of my origional plans but I still like the Probler gun better from everything I have seen and read so sticking to that. I don't like any company having that much control over any market though and it is never a great thing for an industry.

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