Contacting Festool Head Office in Germany

[Dan Clermont]

I would like to call Festool Head Office in Germany and talked to them about Canadian Distributorship issues and stuff.

For the past two days I have been trying to find out what is included with the OF 1400 when purchased in Canada. Hafele Canada talks about a Side Stop shown on Page 8 of the link provided and claims it is not the edge guide but when you look at the image is sures looks like the edge guide to me.

Page 9 of the catalog shows the OF 1400 router and mentions it comes with the side stop. The sales rep I have talked to says it comes with the guide stop but not the edge guide. Yet he can't find a price or product # for the edge guide either.

To me the OF 1400 comes with the edge guide and not the guide rail however the guide rail attachment is not listed in the catalog either?

I am so confused and frustrated  :-[

http://www.hafele.com/ca/en/documents/HAC_HCN_BrochuresFestool.pdf

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Dan,
I'm sorry to hear about your frustration.

This gets me thinking...

We should invite a representative of Hafele to join this forum and offer some insights.  I believe the person to invite is Barry Piercy, the CEO of Hafele.  Actually, he might be called a "manager" not a CEO, but the point is, we could probably benefit from having him in here.

Festool USA has been very strongly in support of this forum, and I am very happy about that.  I am thrilled with the fact that Christian Oltzscher is a part of this forum.  But we have a lot of Canadian members, and potential for many more, so it is only fitting that Hafele also chip in!

I'm going to draft a letter to Mr. Piercy.  As always, suggestions are very welcomed!

Also, if anyone knows of other people I should write to in the Hafele circle, let me know.

Stay in touch,
Matthew

 

[Dan Clermont]

Thanks Matthew

That would be great and I would like to get some answers on why Hafele charges so much more then their US counterparts, the salesman don't know the products and why everyone needs an account in order to buy from them (Visa ain't good enough)

Sorry, I should probably have a timeout for awhile as I have been banging my head for two days trying to find out what is in the Systainer 4 with the OF 1400 and get the impression the salesman don't use routers nor know anything about them. I believe the salesman do have good knowledge on cabinet hardware but doubt they should be selling Power tools

Enough... I am calling Germany tonight after work

Cheers
Dan

 

[Jim Becker]

You could also post here in the "Contact Festool" forum...

 

[Ned]

Hi Dan,

Thanks for the link to the Canadian brochure.  No telling when I might find out some new information, so I gave it a look.

Why the *!@&&# does Hafele use their own product numbers?  I assumed that if I gave a standard Festool number, everyone in North America, indeed everyone on the planet, would know exactly what I was talking about.  But nooooo--not the Canadian distributor.

I guess the Hafele numbers work in Hafele's inventory system.  Get it wrong, get a box of hinges. 

Canadian Festool fans need a copy of the US catalog, if only for reference.  The US Catalog Request page includes a link to download a PDF of the American catalog.

I don't blame you guys for being upset.  Hard to see what value the current distributor adds.

I still think Lee Valley would make a great Canadian distributor.  Non-Canadians would benefit too, if Lee Valley/Veritas started designing and making unique Festool accessories.

Ned

 

[Dan Clermont]

Hi Dan,

Thanks for the link to the Canadian brochure.  No telling when I might find out some new information, so I gave it a look.

Why the *!@&&# does Hafele use their own product numbers?  I assumed that if I gave a standard Festool number, everyone in North America, indeed everyone on the planet, would know exactly what I was talking about.  But nooooo--not the Canadian distributor.

I guess the Hafele numbers work in Hafele's inventory system.  Get it wrong, get a box of hinges. 

Canadian Festool fans need a copy of the US catalog, if only for reference.  The US Catalog Request page includes a link to download a PDF of the American catalog.

I don't blame you guys for being upset.  Hard to see what value the current distributor adds.

I still think Lee Valley would make a great Canadian distributor.  Non-Canadians would benefit too, if Lee Valley/Veritas started designing and making unique Festool accessories.

Ned

Hi Ned

We could all benefit if Festool USA or Lee Valley were allowed to sell Festool in Canada. Hafele does have the Festool USA part numbers in their system cause the Hafele catalog is so bad. Did you notice how their are no accessories available for the OF 1400 or OF 2000 in the Canadian catalog? Hafele makes mention of a "side stop" and when I send them links to the US site showing them the guide stop and the edge guide they claim it is the Guide stop so who knows. Apparently the Systainer also includes the Hard Fibre Base runner (PN 492574) but you would never know that from the description.

Anyhow, I have contacted the Factory in Germany and am awaiting a reply. Also waiting for Hafele's product manager to call me back and I have some thoughts and suggestions for him on how to make Hafele more successful in the Canadian market.

YOu see, it could be we Canadians are paying more for our Festool tools but they have more accessories including in the Systainer. For example, if the OF 1400 comes with the Guide stop (I believe it is the edge guide but they say it isn't) and the Hard Fibre base that would add up to $85US in accessories which would add up to $480US x $1.20 for an exchange rate which equals $576 Cdn plus I only pay the one tax instead of two. Technically, it would be cheaper but how is a guy to know what is included when they come up with strange product names and don't show any of the access for you to order?

C'est la Vie
Dan Clermont

 

[Mirko]

Boy, it would be nice to walk into LeeValley and buy Festools and consumables right off the shelf

Mirko

 

[Dave Ronyak]

Lee Valley's imagination applied to gaps in the Festool line and acessories for Festool products would be wonderful !!

 

[Dan Clermont]

Lee Valley's imagination applied to gaps in the Festool line and acessories for Festool products would be wonderful !!

I wonder how that would work? Suppose Festool is working on a product enhancement and LV starts to release their own version? Dunno, but it may upset the Mother ship.

I do like the idea of LV carrying the sandpaper, bags, and other consumables. They have such a large presence in Canada and a very well organized mail order system in place

Dan Clermont

 

[Bob]

I am a misplaced Canuk and am one day going to return to the shade of the maple leaf.  I am hoping they get it all straitened out soon.

IMHO, I too would love to see Lee Valley get their hands on Festool stuff.  I do not foresee that ever happening though. (unless festool takes back their exclusive dealership.  Wouldn't that be nice!)  I would like to know if H could/ would give out secondary dealerships?  I am sure if someone could be a non-stocking dealer they (like maybe me...lol) could do the woodshow circuit and have a website store to fill the need in Canada.

I am of the opinion that a committed dealer like Bob Marino is a better choice than a store like Woodcraft anyway.  I think it would be great to have someone who is selling only festool or at least primarily.

What do you think?