# Azure Dynamics files for Bankruptcy



## njloof (Nov 21, 2011)

Explains why they stopped selling direct. If I can't have one of their systems, no one can!


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## coulombKid (Jan 10, 2009)

meanderingthemaze said:


> http://www.detroitnews.com/article/...rk-workers?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE
> 
> It almost seems like this should be posted in the Motor forum. Bummer, as I was hoping to buy one of their systems, but mysteriously they dropped off the market awhile back. Now we know why...


No big loss considering the attitude. The big score or no score model of business put em firmly on the road to no where.


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## Obern (Feb 9, 2011)

I believe that UQM could be the next one to fall. Once that stimulus grant money is spent, I doubt that CODA and the few demo projects they have will be enough for them to become profitable. All of theses companies targeting OEMs only are doomed because ultimately motors are something that OEMs will want to do internally. 
If they are lucky they will get bought.


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## tomofreno (Mar 3, 2009)

They have orders for 2200 vehicles, "a bright future", are disappointed that the Canadian stock exchange won't let them do a stock offering, and they are filing for bankruptcy?? Sounds like someone didn't know how to manage cash flow.


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## Ziggythewiz (May 16, 2010)

It doesn't really matter how many vehicles you have orders for if you're missing either a vehicle or a way of manufacturing that vehicle at the scale demanded.


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## david85 (Nov 12, 2007)

I am not surprised in the least. Their product, attitude and marketing strategy were all hopelessly out-dated many years ago.

I tried contacting them a while back to enquire about an AC system. I was forwarded to a 'local' dealer who never got back to me and the original contact at azure never bothered to follow up.

There's simply no excuse for that type of apathy when it comes to doing business. If they aren't going to care, why should anyone else? I'm still waiting for ballard power (fuel cells) to finally cark it but since they're considered a 'canadian champion' - it may still be a while.


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## somanywelps (Jan 25, 2012)

Obern said:


> I believe that UQM could be the next one to fall. Once that stimulus grant money is spent, I doubt that CODA and the few demo projects they have will be enough for them to become profitable. All of theses companies targeting OEMs only are doomed because ultimately motors are something that OEMs will want to do internally.
> If they are lucky they will get bought.


I don't know about that...

The issue is the second a car company gets serious about cost, they're going to go for the cheapest reliable thing they can (not UQM).

If someone like BMW gets serious about performance, it's going to probably be in-house or an acquisition (also not UQM).


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## Tesseract (Sep 27, 2008)

The scuttlebutt I've heard about this that rings true, but it is essentially unverified rumor... 

What's obvious: Azure bet the farm on Ford and their Transit Connect EV project. They also customized their inverter specifically for Ford to the exclusion of all others (e.g. - making the throttle only accessible via CAN).

What I've heard: 1) Azure discontinued all efforts to market their products to anyone else after Ford came swaggering in, 2) they outsourced their manufacturing in an attempt to reduce costs but ended up tripling them instead, and 3) they canned all but two of their engineers, making it difficult if not impossible to develop new products or make drastic changes to improve manufacturability of the existing one(s?). When Ford didn't buy nearly as many inverters/motors from Azure as they said/promised/agreed they would, Azure was left holding a very expensive bag. 

There is an excellent book on outsourcing called Poorly Made in China which details the harrowing experience of one small business. It also gets into the cultural differences between us "Westerners" and the Chinese that can make doing business with the latter so risky for the former. Highly recommended.


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## somanywelps (Jan 25, 2012)

Tesseract said:


> they outsourced their manufacturing in an attempt to reduce costs but ended up tripling them instead


If I had a dollar for every company I've seen do this...


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## david85 (Nov 12, 2007)

Tesseract said:


> 1) Azure discontinued all efforts to market their products to anyone else after Ford came swaggering in


I could definately see that happening. All these smaller prototypeing firms seem to be waiting for that big company that will either give them a massive contract or better yet, buy them out completely. No sympathy from me.


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## Tatsushige (Mar 24, 2011)

No great loss, most of the companies in the USA and Canada are not interested in the homebuilder, they are all to busy chasing the big $$$$ from OEMs. With any luck more will follow and then maybe the new ones that open will see they need to look at the homebuilder just as much as the OEMs.


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