OMC Latest

[T-Mac]

Got a fax today from OMC which gave tenative dates concerning their upcoming schedule of actions.
It now appears late February would be the projected timing for any sale of OMC being announced.

[jpr]

Having spoken to someone in the "know" the date that I was told was feb. 10. There were several names being tossed around as a buyer, two of the most interesting to me were Penske and/or Suzuiki (pardon the spelling). Either way it would have to be a good move for OMC. Have you been doing anything at fort peck lately?

[Rigger]

Just a little on OMC.


United States
Gurnee, Illinois

Ten former Outboard Marine Corp. (OMC) engineers have formed a company to repair Ficht systems and other major components found on OMC outboards.

George Broughton and Greg Binversie founded DFI Technologies Inc. to provide repair services for fuel systems, hardware and software for electronic controllers, ignition systems, battery charging systems, oiling systems and engine calibration for a variety of OMC outboards.

The company employs eight other former OMC engineers, with the blessings of the interim management at OMC, said Broughton. OMC wants to maintain the core of expertise needed to utilize Ficht direct fuel injection technology, but OMC cannot continue to employ these engineers while the company is under "Chapter 11" bankruptcy protection.

Broughton said that any new company purchasing the Johnson and Evinrude outboard divisions from OMC would need to rehire these engineers, and by forming DFI the group of critical engineers will be kept together. However, Broughton and Binversie plan on keeping DFI operational even if they obtain new jobs with Johnson and Evinrude's new owners.

Can't honor warranties

Broughton said if OMC's engine divisions become operational again DFI would not be viewed as competition. Any warranty work on OMC outboards would receive complete new components, whereas DFI will repair defective components.

DFI will not be able to honor any warranties on OMC products, said Broughton, but the cost of repair is in most cases about 50 percent of the cost of purchasing a new replacement component. DFI provides a 90-day warranty on any repair work.

Broughton said the response to DFI has been "pretty exciting" so far, but he said his engineers need to learn new marketing skills. There is a backlog of repair work built up at dealers, according to Broughton, because OMC parts have not been available since early December.

DFI has contacted many OMC dealers via phone, fax and telephone, and the company's Web site provides information on services available.

— John J. Kettlewell