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Layoffs at Paintball Manufacturer Smart Parts
According to inside sources, Smart Parts based in Latrobe, PA has laid off close to 60 workers today in an effort to cut payroll costs and keep the business moving forward. Contrary to rumors floating around the net, Smart Parts is still open for business and will continue manufacturing paintball markers and filling orders indefinitely.
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This article was authored by Justin – who has written 876 paintball news and gear articles.
Justin was introduced to the game of paintball in ’96. Since then, he has been actively involved in promoting and playing in recreational and tournament paintball.
29 Comments
Karma… hope they do down further. They broke up allot of companies a few years back and this is just Karma.
they sued someone over an unlawful act. That is nothing to bitch about. You speak of this as if you actually know what the hell your talking about. If your company had the chance to make money in a market where everyone is competing you would too. Stop bitching.
shut up hai YOU don’t know what you are talking about
omfg mabb
drop it
aka decided to stop production and there were more reasons behind agd.
if sp falls, so will many other big things in paintball
its like wishing dye will fail
Interesting. I wonder why they’ve been supposedly forced to do this?
Probably the fact that the economy tanked over the past few years, I don’t know just a hunch.
Smart Parts does not help the small store so I am glad to see them in trouble.
Smart Parts may not help the Mom And Pop stores, but its a HUGE part of the paintball world…and to see them in trouble and be happy about it is a horrible thing.
This could really be damaging for the PSP, just keep that in mind when wishing ill on SP
PSP is a separate company. It’s partly owned by SP and/or the same people that own SP, but it doesn’t get its funding from them. The biggest possible problem PSP could face is loss of a Pro team or two.
Sp does help the small stores, and they are doing what is required right now to survive I guess. I am a small store and have always gotten help in both service, product information and retail sales support from my rep at SP. Wish all the other manufacturers were are helpful. They make a good product line and support it well through their dealers, at least that’s been our experience.
This sucks for the 60 some people laid off. Best wishes for their future and we hope they all get jobs asap.
The two people that commented to my statement both need to own a clue. I delt with adam and bill when they were making barrels out of their garage. They USED to understand service, then made it rich off undermining others in an industry that has struggled to survive. Like I said… Karma.
Sucks about the folks getting laid off but this is karma baby, what comes around goes around, don’t care about hurting PSP I play USPL.
I as a league Owner of the USPL do not agree with this statement from.
USPL Player says:
September 2, 2009 at 7:45 pm
This is definitely our view and wish you would not make statements like this. No matter how you look at this, its a bad thing for “Paintball”. My heart goes out the the people and Families affected by the layoff.
ALL THE BIG GUYS WANT IT ALL FOR THEMSELFS,
just keep going down
funny how 90% of those answers don’t give a sh** about anything else but themselves. I feel for whoever lost their job at SP and pray they find another job asap. I will never wish a company in this industry to fail. We all need Paintball to be stronger not weaker.
I’m not entirely surprised by this and I my self am pulled in 2 directions, overall SP was acid for the industry itself between the Patent suits in the early electronic days to awefull marketing and the terrible treatment of brick stores, they deserve to fall, it’s their own doing. As a player and service provider knowing who SP supports and thier recent moves for the playing community by guys like Sean Scott, its a hard day.
The facts are still there, their actions are still unforgivable along with their greed. Unfortunately even with SP’s down fall or slowing at the least the Gardners are still pariahs to the industry, they still hold the patents and will still continue to collect royalties and still hinder paintball as a whole. The only hope is a NPPL scenario where the people that created the products that SP’s leached off of can get them back and restart a dieing industry.
Adam and Bill NEVER made barrells out of their garage! You dont know what you are talking about!
They never made barrells until they had the Latrobe facility, and Adam was not even working for Smart Parts then…he was an Insurance salesman!
He joined Smarts Parts AFTER their first 1st place win at Nashville at the Masters in 1990.
Why is this industry always so dominated by individuals who just do not understand business?
I have watched paintball struggle to be viewed as a sport, and have had the privilege to see it develop into a flourishing industry. So many of you fault SP for acting like a business, grow up! It would be ridiculous and irresponsible not to protect a company’s investment in new technology with patents. It is because of the investments made by SP and other manufacturers that each of you have the opportunity to participate in this sport at all. I have been out of paintball for quite some time, but from what I have read on this page, it has not changed too much.
Having said my piece, I would like to say that I am sorry that the economy has had this effect on SP, and the industry as a whole. My heartfelt sympathies go out to everyone who has lost their jobs, and I hope that things turn around soon.
I would advise you to learn what actually happened.
SP was granted a superbly controversial patent expansion that expanded the patents applicable to the S\F-4×4 Shockers to cover any\all electronic guns. When the patent was expanded, not many manufacturers new about it, nor did they imagine a scenario that the patent examiners would ever grant it, considering there were electronic guns before the Shocker.
Smart Parts then sought damages with prejudice against others, making the electronic gun business prohibitively expensive for those that owed damages. They chased companies that were knowingly weak (such as ICD who’s owner was in failing health), with the intent of gaining precedent and cashing out to huge awards.
It’s business, sure. Bullshit and predatory business, sure. The brothers both have their MBAs and were involved in the IP business before paintball. They knew what they were doing to the sport, but they were greedy. They deserve everything that’s happening to them.
To their employees and families that are now jobless–my deepest condolences, you certainly got a raw deal. Best of luck, tough times and trials are ahead.
Forgive the typo, I meant “knew” not “new”.
Well said dude, well said. They only hurt paintball by making gun manf. to pay up or take them to court and force them to pay. I knew some insiders back then and it was big money they were forcing others to pay, it was that or go to court and make them pay.
While I’m not down playing the fact that working American’s have lost their jobs, I don’t understand how this has caused such a stir. Is it simply because it’s paintball related? Do you all think this industry was immune to what’s going on in the world?
You all realize that the world economy is currently in turmoil, I’m sure some of you keep up on the news and have read about layoffs and re-organization in other industries, most of which, are much larger and have much more importance to the world then a hobby industry.
Calling layoff or re-organization is hardly “big news” or “uh-oh, shit hit the fan”, especially in these economic times. Now, if a company the size of Smart Parts, KEE, DYE, or any other major player throws up the white flag and files for calls it quits permanently….yes, that would be considered something worth noting on a grand scale.
You guys are looking way into this. I’m sure the Ion’s and LUX’s are not flying off the shelves like they want, so they have to make adjustments as necessary. I think some of you will understand this concept. It’s simple business….almost every industry and company is going through this in some scale.
Also, on another note, for years, I have heard Smart Parts being called the “nazi” of the industry because they went out and secured patents, securing a future for themselves….but in the wake of this, pushed some of the smaller companies out of the industry.
Well, instead of getting angry at Smart Parts, but look at this as a lesson on how capitalism works. This happens all the time in other industries, it’s part of the maturity process of an industry, and believe it or not….ends up help grow an industry, because it forces everyone to think “out side of the box”. Is it called “dirty” business? Absolutely. Will they teach this concept as you get your MBA? Absolutely. Is it ethical? Doesn’t break any laws….so Yes. You don’t like it? Tough.
You can’t play too nice make it too the top. I personally learned that a long time ago. It’s unfortunate, but that’s what this capitalistic society has breed to make it.
I hope that everyone that is happy Smart Parts has laid off people, never have to experience what their families are going through right now. I’m glad you all think it’s so funny.
I am one of those employees who got blindsided by President of the compnay Wed. Sept,2,2009 who came to us and told us to our faces,that the banks have frozen our assets,and we are no longer a company and that both buildings were closing and gave us unemployment papers and told us to file asap,and that any vacation time we had left we lost and not sure when medical ends! So you think this is a fair deal, Hell no, former layoffs got 3 months medical and any unused vacation and medical time……
U got the shaft and were all sorry about that. Look at how SP treated you, this is more of what were are all talking about how they treated other gun manf. a few years back. they didn’t give a crap about them and they don’t give a crap about you. If they did they would have treated you better. A thoughtful caring owner would give some of the millions they have made to help you folks out. I bet the Gardners are sitting pretty right now with personal assets they could use to help you guys, will they?
…. I feel for your situation, you also have to look at the disruption that your former employer caused, not only did they sue companies into the stone-age but they ALSO caused many to loose their jobs as well. Not only did they lose their jobs but their former employers were saddled with huge debt. … I do feel for you, but I will not lose a tear for SP …
Paintball can/will survive without SP, I have.
Fact is this business is done, and for the most part because the owner Bill Gardner is a huge POS; He deserves everything bad that comes his way, I for one would like to dance on his grave; His business failed because he is a failure, simple answer for a very simple man;