IPB parts buyout update.

[Pinballace]

It's been a busy 5 days at IPB.  Non-stop sorting through ten's of thousands of NOS parts.  I have to say it's absolutely unbelievable how many valuable parts we've uncovered, over half of the parts unopened and untouched for 10 years.  Today was really exciting as we got to the "A" prefix parts.  The WMS parts are prefixed to signify what category the parts fall within.  Example. 14- prefixes represent motors, 31- prefixes represent decals and plastics, A- numbers represent "assemblies".  We spend 14 hours going through nothing but "A" numbers today and we still haven't finished.  Greg (yes, RTBB Greg) laughs every time I open a new box as he says I look like a 8 year old on Christmas morning opening presents.   

I'm knackered out already but it's hard to stop as it's sooo much fun seeing all this good stuff that's about to hit the pinball community.  Everyone that see's it all just stares with their jaw's dropped in disbelief and they immediately know why I keep telling them that words can't describe all that's here.  To give an ideal just how many parts are here, we've gotten an estimate that it will take 8-10 Semi trailers to move it all and that's even AFTER a 40 ft container has been loaded top-bottom, front-back and sent on it's way. 

Cheers,
James

Ps.  Mark, we've found a heap of NOS A/V asic chips...and I mean a heap still sealed in the environment bags.  And they are yours for a song.

[Creech]

Great news James and thanks for the update. There's going to be a heap of happy pinheads out there soon with all these new parts!

[ajlaird]

Fantastic, I can only imagine how much fun this is. And it is amazing that we will get to see some of it!

[pinnies4me]

This is sounding better and better James! Such great news for the collectors, thanks for the update.

[Strangeways]

Just incredible news, James. It keeps getting better by the day.

Imagine all these NOS parts on the market that would otherwise never be made available !

[markc]

shhhh James  don't spoil all the fun ,
 
My techs are getting calls over the weekend asking them what parts I got .....
 
I guess it easier to say here so save Poor Andrew getting 30 questions again
 

glad you have found more parts , I knew there be more in  that factory we didn't look at much  and yes another container or 2 will be there soon  with me and ......
 
Tim is staying here this time , so someone else is coming to help load these ones
 

and did someone ask for a Early AP special ....  James  you think that be ok  to do now .....
 

mark
 

[ktm450]

Great news for everyone 

[GORGAR 1]

Call me stupid but please explain how it is these parts have just sat in a factory un touched for 10 years?? I know it's probally a long story so brief is fine and also is it open to anyone to go and buy a container load or did they buy part of the bussiness..

Thanks/What's IPB stand for..

Peter

[Extra Ball]

Call me stupid but please explain how it is these parts have just sat in a factory un touched for 10 years?? I know it's probally a long story so brief is fine and also is it open to anyone to go and buy a container load or did they buy part of the bussiness..

Thanks/What's IPB stand for..

Peter

not stupid, I had been wondering the same thing

[ktm450]

Illinois Pinball Company.
Gene bought all the stock over from Williams and had a lot of it in storage which he just hasn't had the time to go through and catelogue, so there are many undiscovered treasures, a bit like Aladdins cave, thats why everyone is excited, a lot of new parts that have previously been unobtainable

[GORGAR 1]

Illinois Pinball Company.
Gene bought all the stock over from Williams and had a lot of it in storage which he just hasn't had the time to go through and catelogue, so there are many undiscovered treasures, a bit like Aladdins cave, thats why everyone is excited, a lot of new parts that have previously been unobtainable

Thanks for that info-I wonder how companys bought in and the selection process and who gets what? But hey great news/would be awesome to look through all these treasures..

Peter

[Strangeways]

Illinois Pinball Company.
Gene bought all the stock over from Williams and had a lot of it in storage which he just hasn't had the time to go through and catelogue, so there are many undiscovered treasures, a bit like Aladdins cave, thats why everyone is excited, a lot of new parts that have previously been unobtainable

That's what I understand. Warehouses FULL of unopened boxes of NOS parts leftover from the factory when Gene bought out Williams / Capcom. No one really knows what is there, and that's why there is an air of excitement about what will be found. Even if a small percentage makes it to Australia - it would be more than is already here.

I'm really hoping they find parts, playfields and ramps that have been promised for repro - but have never been done.

[Geoffh]

One company bought all the parts and is selectively letting certain other companies purchase some of those parts.

Parts that are not sold to other parts suppliers ie Pinball Spare Parts/RTBB will eventually appear on Pinball Inc's website for sale.

The purchase of container loads is not open to anyone who wants it.

Gene never had the manpower to go though the entire inventory that he purchased from Williams as it was very extensive. So a lot of parts have sat in unopened boxes and sat on shelves.

So at the moment these boxes are being opened and it is amazing what NOS parts are being discovered.

Once they are sorted and counted they will appear for sale. It will bring many parts, that have been unavailable for years, into the hands of pinball people

In other words it is great for the pinball collector/restorer

Hope that makes it a little clearer guys

This is my view on whats happening but I am open to correction

[Pinballace]

Call me stupid but please explain how it is these parts have just sat in a factory un touched for 10 years?? I know it's probally a long story so brief is fine and also is it open to anyone to go and buy a container load or did they buy part of the bussiness..

Thanks/What's IPB stand for..

Peter

To answer on the short, IPB (Illinois Pinball Company) has had these parts in three main buildings.  The amount of parts and boxes outnumber the next largest WMS pinball parts company in the world 10 to 1.  They have had boxes on top of boxes on top of boxes and have never had the real space to uncover it all.  They have been operating off a portion of the stock and as they sold off some they would find the space to dig out more.  Meanwhile they have been making an enormous amount of parts over the years so they have been adding inventory to the NOS stock.  Now that we have purchased the bulk of the parts we have a 4th building that is 20,000 sq ft that is allowing us to finally   spread out the boxes and have the space to go through them.  That is why we are opening up hundreds of NOS boxes that have never been opened.

As for who is buying, we are mainly selling to distributors at this time but we have had a few individual customers stop by the past couple days.  We find it better for the pinball community to manufacture parts and get them to the distributors so the parts can reach the maximum number of hobbiest.  Let's face it, giving all the distributors good parts at a good price allowing them to give the community of pinball hobbiest good prices will benefit far more pinball machines than a manufacturer giving a 10% discount on one single website.

Cheers,
James

BTW Pete, Greg told me to tell you he's grabbed a set of Party Zone plastics for ya.

[GORGAR 1]

Call me stupid but please explain how it is these parts have just sat in a factory un touched for 10 years?? I know it's probally a long story so brief is fine and also is it open to anyone to go and buy a container load or did they buy part of the bussiness..

Thanks/What's IPB stand for..

Peter

To answer on the short, IPB (Illinois Pinball Company) has had these parts in three main buildings.  The amount of parts and boxes outnumber the next largest WMS pinball parts company in the world 10 to 1.  They have had boxes on top of boxes on top of boxes and have never had the real space to uncover it all.  They have been operating off a portion of the stock and as they sold off some they would find the space to dig out more.  Meanwhile they have been making an enormous amount of parts over the years so they have been adding inventory to the NOS stock.  Now that we have purchased the bulk of the parts we have a 4th building that is 20,000 sq ft that is allowing us to finally   spread out the boxes and have the space to go through them.  That is why we are opening up hundreds of NOS boxes that have never been opened.

As for who is buying, we are mainly selling to distributors at this time but we have had a few individual customers stop by the past couple days.  We find it better for the pinball community to manufacture parts and get them to the distributors so the parts can reach the maximum number of hobbiest.  Let's face it, giving all the distributors good parts at a good price allowing them to give the community of pinball hobbiest good prices will benefit far more pinball machines than a manufacturer giving a 10% discount on one single website.

Cheers,
James

BTW Pete, Greg told me to tell you he's grabbed a set of Party Zone plastics for ya.

Thanks for explaining that James it now all makes sence Man I wish I could just help you open all those boxes I would be in heaven..and Greg thanks heaps for the chance to get PZ plastics..

Peter