Fairline - any news?

petem said:
Does that matter in the context of my point? Or are you trying to ascertain if I was talking to Mr Ahmed or not? For the purposes of this conversation, I can re-phrase to senior staff member if that would make you happier :).
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I think Jfm's point is that there is a world of difference in authority (and therefore the veracity of opinion) between a director of a company as defined by the Companies Act (and listed at Companies House) and some middle manager who has the job title 'director'. At one US corporation where we did a job, 'director' was one up from a 'team leader'. So in the context of your point (and with all due respect) I'd say yes, it does matter.
 
petem said:
I had a call with a Fairline Director last week. They are excited about the future and in particular how they can do things differently and better under the new ownership. So I for one remain optomistic. I've been invited to a factory visit and to view the new Targa 53 production line, which will be cool.
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Let's hope that their new optimistic outlook includes paying their outstanding debts in full.
 
jimmy_the_builder said:
I think Jfm's point is that there is a world of difference in authority (and therefore the veracity of opinion) between a director of a company as defined by the Companies Act (and listed at Companies House) and some middle manager who has the job title 'director'. At one US corporation where we did a job, 'director' was one up from a 'team leader'. So in the context of your point (and with all due respect) I'd say yes, it does matter.
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I don't wish to expand on my point any further as I think the application of a little commen sense here would be sufficient.

The title 'vice president', particularly with regard to American companies always amuses me, particularly when they are my counterparts. Seems to be given to anyone more senior than tea boy.
 
Pete, not making a meal of this but it is a common sense point. Your "director" comment in #198 purported to give authority to the Oundle optimism you were describing. In that context, and exactly as JtB says in #205, it matters whether it was the director or teaboy+1. I was just trying to establish which it was.

The very fact there is only one director at Fairline is of course the really interesting point here.

When are you visiting the #53 line?
 
jfm said:
Pete, not making a meal of this but it is a common sense point. Your "director" comment in #198 purported to give authority to the Oundle optimism you were describing. In that context, and exactly as JtB says in #205, it matters whether it was the director or teaboy+1. I was just trying to establish which it was.

The very fact there is only one director at Fairline is of course the really interesting point here.

When are you visiting the #53 line?
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It wasn't tea boy +1. I can't say any more without shooting all of you so I better stop there.

Hopefully I'll be up at the factory at the end of the next week or the week following that (off to the Canaries for a few days at the end of this). I'll take my camera and report back following my meeting.
 
Teaboy+1 isn't literal; in this conversation it is shorthand for someone who isn't a director but has "director" in their job title. Your conversation was with such a person it seems.
My guess is that you wont be allowed the camera
 
petem said:
Well, from the conversation I had, they're certainly not winding things up as some people like to imagine.
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P, fwiw, I don't recall to have had the impression, even while reading the most pessimistic among the previous posts, that anyone actually liked what they wrote.
But I can't pretend to know what each and every poster has in mind, of course.
What I can assure you, since also my views/comments on this story were rather pessimistic, is that I have ZERO schadenfreude in reading of ANY business (and all people involved!) going through very tough times, because I know exactly what that means.
I just call it as I see it, as always.
But this is not the first case, and I'm sure it won't be the last, in which I'd be quite happy to be proven wrong.
Looking fwd to reading your report on the T53 assembly line! :encouragement:
 
I work just across the water from the testing facility in Ipswich. There has been very little happening there the last few weeks. There has been a 78 there for probably 3 weeks with the wrapping still on the Windows. The shed was empty the other day too. Used to be a hive of activity.

Spirit Yachts had their new motor boat in the water, very classy!
 
P, I heard a story once and it goes something like this...

There was a couple of fishermen at the dockside next to a box of lobsters. They were watching the the lobsters and each time one of the lobsters tried to climb out of the box others would grab it with a claw and pull it back in.

The younger fisherman says to the other "Why do they do that, you would have thought they would like one of their own to escape?"
To which the older fisherman replied "They're English lobsters".

But I do accept that nobody here wants to see Fairline's downfall so I apologize if it sounded that way.
 
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Was that the same "director" who when at Sealine said everything was lovely when it clearly wasn't? After my dealings with him I wouldn't trust a word that comes out of his mouth. 'And that's all I have to say on that'

If it's someone else then ok.
 
LOL, I wasn't aware of that story P, nice one.
No need to apologise anyway, I just wanted you to know that while tbh I can't second your sentence "I for one remain optimistic", at least I for one sympathise with your optimism...! :)

Incidentally, in the debate about your contact with a FL "director", albeit not THE director, my view is somewhat opposite to the one of jfm and jtb.
I mean, let's see: this folk told you that "They are excited about the future and in particular how they can do things differently and better under the new ownership".
Now, how obvious, if not even ridiculous, would have been such declaration, if made from Mr.AA?!?
Of course whoever told you so can't have more authority than him - no matter how high his/her position.
But s/he might at least know a bit more than most, if not all of us...
 
petem said:
I had a call with a Fairline Director last week. They are excited about the future and in particular how they can do things differently and better under the new ownership. So I for one remain optomistic. I've been invited to a factory visit and to view the new Targa 53 production line, which will be cool.
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Fingers crossed.

I did type some other stuff but decided to bin it. Fairline don't need any more comments from me.

Henry.
 
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