Just a few more comments about the Moller auction.  First, I never
proofed my first mail file, and so "vices" should have been "vises"
(Moller folks were into woodworking, not sin!).

Second, there was much talk among the attendees.  It SOUNDED like the
company got top-heavy (60 in admin and engineering and 80 in the factory).
It SOUNDED like they lived on their inventory and even mortgaged their
building and land (the auction pamphlet says that the property was
"conveyed" by Moller in 1990.  It SOUNDED like the new management team
cut prices without cutting the production costs.  The figure of $7 million
was mentioned by many folks as the company's debt.  That doesn't include
expenses needed to repair the fabulous but ancient factory, much less
to insulate it.

The newpaper "The Daily Mail" had an article on the new Moller company,
saying that Mr. Struck plans on having several departments, each of
which is a separate corporation paying rent to King of Instruments.  Moller
will built custom organs, "Artiste" will built stock organs, an unnamed
department will build trackers (and this may be a Dutch firm according
to other rumors), and "Renaissance" in Chicago will build electronic
organs.  "About 18 former Moller workers have signed on with King of
Instruments, some of them mortgaging their homes to commit personal
funds to start their mini-corporations", the paper quoted Stuck as saying.
King of Instruments would provide engineering, assembly space, and fringe
benefits.  The paper added that perhaps some 40 or so ex-Moller folks
would go to work for the new company.  Other ex-Moller folks had already
formed a new company, Hagerstown Organs, that is in the old Moller car
company building (!).  I think that those folks were the main competitors
to Mr. Stuck at the auction.

Folks at the auction had a range of responses, all the way from positive
excitment about the new company to disgust and disbelief.  It is
clear that organ building is important to Hagerstown and that many folks
are serious about making another go of it.  I talked to quite a few
ex-Moller employees, and they were all proud to have worked there.

Larry Chace ([log in to unmask])