Mann Lake Support for UK

sad to see Mann Lake leaving the UK :frowning: I was planning on getting some 8 frame langstroth, though unfortunately itā€™s not the right time for me to order them right now. Would you guys know of any other supplier in Europe? Iā€™m in Netherlands.

@neauneau UK was the depot for the European deliveries sorry
I ordered yesterday and it is being delivered tomorrow

The website is still accepting orders

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How to talk a business into disaster by Valli. Have you nothing better to do than give a running commnetary on the misfortunes of these people, the British economy, Brexit, the FTSE 100, the Euro, Wall Street and BMO private bank. Is this a beekeeping forum or abusiness think tank?

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@Stewart_Gould

Mann Lake was the main discussion - the only supplier of 8 Frame Langstroth kit in UK and Europe - Iā€™m very sad to see this British business loose out because an American company are having staffing difficulties.

Iā€™ve got over Ā£200 of kit coming tomorrow from Mann Lake - I supported and promoted this business in the UK to the other UK Flow Facebook group because I did my homework 15 months ago - in the last year I have spent nearly Ā£1,000 with this company

Unless you live in the UK and had to live through the last 6 month of Brexit - you will not understand the stupidity of people panicking over the British pound - my reference to the FTSE 100 - is to prove that the pound has bounced back so there is no need for companies to jump ship - or do you work for Mann Lake and realize what a mistake it was to close the UK branch??? Considering this is your first post

so this is you then??
Stewart Gould
Chairman
Somerton & District Beekeepers
Association

Well, you sure know how to jump to conclusions. I live in Britain and have lived through the mindless babbliings of the Brexit campaign. I donā€™t work for Mann Lake, or any of its associated companies, or indeed, Bee Equipment Ltd.

I also think it was a big mistake to withdraw funding (not close) its UK outlet. You have to bear in mind that the employees own the company. What they need is finance for this viable busness - not somebody talking it down.

Just seen your reply - yes! thatā€™s me. Just a beekeeper like you

When Bee Equipment Ltd are doing online bee equipment I will be there.

I spoke with UK Mann Lake staff yesterday and the woman on the other end of the phone was distraught - the whole place was in shock. My heart goes out to them and I told them so.

I actually have a partial solution but will not discuss it until I can speak to several people and put my idea to them.

But I have also watched my double brood 8 Frame Flow hive do better than all my other hives - partly 16 frames of brood seems to work well, is easier to lift - takes up less foot print on the bee stand, and they are my only hive still with honey from the last 2 weeks of rain.

Iā€™m buying more 8 Frame kit while I can and I will have 4 double brood Flow hives for next year

So yeh Iā€™m not happy that a US company is leaving a UK business in such a state of affairs - The UK group were profit making and there is potential for more business here not less

Personally I work Nationals, oh! and one skep and one WBC. Best performing hive this year is the WBC, without a doubt. As for FLOW, I have to be honest, I wouldnā€™t give it house room. Iā€™m not being rude, but the size of your order indicates that you are either new to beekeeping, or have had a sudden change of heart and transferred everything to Langstroth 8 frame. 8 frames are too small for the British climate, and bee. The WBC is on the brink, at 10 frames. I know you have spent a lot of money, but there is really nothing wrong with the readily available National equipment. Extracting honey from a fractured frame in the open, with bees flying about, spells disaster to me. Again, not being rude, but have you dived into beekeeping with no training?

Iā€™ll pick up your answer, if you consider it worth pursuing, in the morning, as I have to get on with other business.

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I got into bee keeping because of a great Aussie invention - The Flow Hive is brill - and being an Aussie Iā€™m a little biased

Tell that to my bees, they love it I have 3 x 10 Frame Langs a 10 frame Poly Lang and a National and a Lang Poly nuc (and 8 Wax cardboard Mann Lake Nuc that can be Lang or National)

But all my Flow stuff is stopping in my home apiary and I will be transporting 3 x 10 Frame Langs to my new out apiary soon.

I passed my basic exam BTW

Weather weatherā€¦awful.
I have two colonies that were on two full supers with only one each left now

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You may not need to.
The director of Mann Lake UK has a dormant company called Thorne Beehives, registered at the same address.
Perhaps there is a reason for this dormancy?

Bee Equipment Ltd is the trading name?

Yes and he is the director of another two active companies.
One is a construction company, with a previous similar one dissolved and one is just his name Ltd

@Dee here or in the USA?

Here
What I am saying is that they will probably set up again when the dust has settled

They did say they will try to go back to their online sales - I know they recently took on new staff - I think they will have to let go of the current warehouse

Gā€™day Stewart, Iā€™m wondering why you would suggest that 8 frames are too small for the U.K. climate. Especially if the 8 frames were in poly hives.

Amended the post more soonā€¦

I just ordered and got some stuff from Mann Lake (birthday gift from my dad) and I ordered it last weekend and picked the basic shipping here in the US and it was here todayā€¦very quick service, so I hope they are well.