Is AKM Going Out of Business?

[gnuarm]

I'm not sure AKM is not going under.   I need to contact them to get country of origin information and I can't reach anyone.  The web site has no way to contact them.  There are pages that talk about support, but there is nothing to click on.  They have a registration and sign in page, but nothing to fill in or click on.  I looked up the phone number for the main office in California and no one answers, the message sounds like it was recorded in someone's kitchen.  After pressing '3' for sales support the phone just continues to ring many times until finally sending me to a voice mail box that is full so no message can be left. 

WTF!!!??? 

This is something that should be readily available on the web pages, but their web site is very dysfunctional.  I don't know why companies let marketing take over their web sites and make information hard to find.  But not having, simple, direct contact information is inexcusable.  It is a sign of a very dysfunctional company.

[gnuarm]

Here is the URL for signing in.  See if it works any better for you.

https://www.akm.com/tw/en/support/myakm/

[helius]

I believe it is a Japanese company. In Japan, English language proficiency is "required" as part of schooling, and yet many educated people have poor grasp of English and are embarassed about it. One of the results of this situation is that Japanese companies often will not spend much resources on providing English translations or information, unless it helps them sell directly into a foreign consumer market. Engineering type information is rarely translated and they don't regard it as a problem.

[fcb]

https://www.stereonet.co.uk/news/stock-disruptions-expected-as-akm-factory-in-japan-burns

Doubt they are going out of business - I was told that alot of business in that building is assembly of VC/TCXO and that is where the money is. Perhaps someone with better sources can comment.

[gnuarm]

Yes, I'm well aware of the fire.  But that is only one factory of many.  Actually, I think part of the problem is that some web sites no longer try to support Firefox, my main browser.  Rather than stick with the HTML standard, they use special features of Chrome ignoring others. 

Still though, I can't find a way to log in using Chrome either.  And that is no excuse for not answering phones or having overflowing main mailboxes!!!

[Kean]

Have you ever purchased their parts from another distributor?  It is likely they listed the CoO on the paperwork.
Of course you can't guarantee they same CoO for a different batch/date code, but I'd presume it would be the same if these came out of the factory that burnt down.

They have a registration and sign in page, but nothing to fill in or click on.

I see a memership registration form at this page https://www.akm.com/tw/en/support/myakm/registration/ asking for all the ususal contact details.  Using Firefox here.
Not sure what that will give you if they can't answer the phone though.

[gnuarm]

Even when I used the registration through chrome I couldn't get a login prompt.

[ANTALIFE]

I find with some manufacturers you have to go through a distributor to get an answer. Maybe AKM is the same?

[coppice]

https://www.stereonet.co.uk/news/stock-disruptions-expected-as-akm-factory-in-japan-burns

Doubt they are going out of business - I was told that alot of business in that building is assembly of VC/TCXO and that is where the money is. Perhaps someone with better sources can comment.

Anything with AKM DACs and ADCs in it seems to be in short supply, or the price has soared. I doubt that factory was a fab, but maybe they did their own assembly and test in that place. They will be able to subcontract that, but they can't make it happen overnight.

[gnuarm]

I find with some manufacturers you have to go through a distributor to get an answer. Maybe AKM is the same?

AKM has responded in the past even if it was through their local rep.  Twice I've emailed the local rep, who is a very nice guy, with no word back. 

[gnuarm]

https://www.stereonet.co.uk/news/stock-disruptions-expected-as-akm-factory-in-japan-burns

Doubt they are going out of business - I was told that alot of business in that building is assembly of VC/TCXO and that is where the money is. Perhaps someone with better sources can comment.

Anything with AKM DACs and ADCs in it seems to be in short supply, or the price has soared. I doubt that factory was a fab, but maybe they did their own assembly and test in that place. They will be able to subcontract that, but they can't make it happen overnight.

I am very aware of the shortage and prices, that's what this is about, my trying to get parts through Alibaba.  I'm being hit with tariffs which depend on the CoO.  I don't know how to prove the CoO, but the starting point is to determine what it is from the manufacturer. 

[fcb]

Maybe there is no distributor in the Antartic.
Perhaps if we knew what country you were in, then maybe people could help more, an example, if you were in the UK I could point you to a chap who would answer your q's.

Alibaba for expensive ADC/DAC's what could possibly go wrong

[Gyro]

Maybe there is no distributor in the Antartic.
Perhaps if we knew what country you were in, then maybe people could help more, an example, if you were in the UK I could point you to a chap who would answer your q's.

He's in the US. I don't know why he persists with the childish silly Antarctica thing when he makes his location obvious in about 50% of his posts. 

[gnuarm]

Maybe there is no distributor in the Antartic.
Perhaps if we knew what country you were in, then maybe people could help more, an example, if you were in the UK I could point you to a chap who would answer your q's.

Alibaba for expensive ADC/DAC's what could possibly go wrong

The Antarctic (please note the spelling) is a great place for electronics design.  We get the absolute best support of anyplace in the world.  So I doubt you will be able to recommend a contact other than the ones I have. 

You should listen very carefully when I say, there are no devices to be found in the main line supply chain.  NONE.  The AKM factory burned down in November and I learned about it a few days later when a broker called asking to buy my excess inventory.  The supply chain has been stripped of flesh and the bones left to dry in the sun.  But if you have any AK4556VT lying around let me know.

Most importantly, what question are you trying to answer?  Is your chap a web developer who can explain to me why the web site doesn't work or a management consultant who can possibly give AKM some advice on how not to turn away customers? 

He's in the US. I don't know why he persists with the childish Antarctica thing when he makes his location obvious in about 50% of his posts. 

I display Antarctica because I thought it was fun.  Yes, I'm in the US.  Now, how does that impact the situation? 

I would much rather be childish than to be so serious that I come across as a grouch.

[phil from seattle]

He's in the US. I don't know why he persists with the childish Antarctica thing when he makes his location obvious in about 50% of his posts. 

This seems to be an eevblog thing - there are a number of people that claim odd countries that clearly are not in those countries.  I don't think childish is an apt description however I do find it annoying. A bit of whimsy? Perhaps, but when they talk about things that involve locality, you have to guess at their real location. Not always obvious. First world problem?

[SMTech]

Hah, like someone whose handle ends UK, location says UK, Talks about a factory in a US City, and then mentions costs in Sterling in relation to a UK company/service that has online pricing in USD only? Sometimes the reasons are complex/underhand or weird. I get disassociating yourself from your employer/business if you are not posting in your official capacity or perhaps are slagging them off, but I see no purpose in hiding your nationality. (Well maybe if you're Chinese/Russian/InsertDictatorshiphere and slagging that nation off .. )

[gnuarm]

I think it would be good to keep in mind the country flag displayed is unique to this forum as far as I'm aware anyway.  Other venues seem to survive and actually thrive without it.  Well... for certain values of 'thrive" I suppose.

I also don't indicate that I'm working on a laptop with a broken 'L' key and avoid typing the word "llama" not to mention my vision problems that make it hard to tell if I'm looking at two 'L's or if it's three or if one of them is a lower case 'i' which is much easier to type but most people would not recognize my unique brand of i337.

Do they have a flag for that?

[fcb]

Ha! Caught-out gnuarm!! So you admit to lying about your location?!!!

I suspect that your profile picture is also not you...

[Gyro]

He's in the US. I don't know why he persists with the childish Antarctica thing when he makes his location obvious in about 50% of his posts. 

I display Antarctica because I thought it was fun.  Yes, I'm in the US.  Now, how does that impact the situation? 

I would much rather be childish than to be so serious that I come across as a grouch.

Ok, childish was the wrong word, my apologies, I'll settle for silly (as in hampering location specific advice - on finding your local AKM rep for instance).

I'm not sure if my posts generally come across as grouchy - If they do, I'll fall back on my signature line! 

[helius]

and avoid typing the word "llama" not to mention my vision problems that make it hard to tell if I'm looking at two 'L's or if it's three
Do they have a flag for that?

Or more poetically, a silk pajama?

[gnuarm]

Yeah, you got me.  This is my real picture.



I was trying to make myself look intelligent.

[gnuarm]

He's in the US. I don't know why he persists with the childish Antarctica thing when he makes his location obvious in about 50% of his posts. 

I display Antarctica because I thought it was fun.  Yes, I'm in the US.  Now, how does that impact the situation? 

I would much rather be childish than to be so serious that I come across as a grouch.

Ok, childish was the wrong word, my apologies, I'll settle for silly (as in hampering location specific advice - on finding your local AKM rep for instance).

I'm not sure if my posts generally come across as grouchy - If they do, I'll fall back on my signature line! 

I have to say the BBC has not seen fit to distribute the Crimson Avenger in Antarctica.  But we do have Benny Hill and I thank you!   

I've never quite been able to see what that icon is doing, but I choose to say it is giving a salute!

[Gyro]

The series was actually 'One foot in the Grave', you can probably find most episodes on youtube these days - and the Crimson Avenger.... The colour and model of his car.

[helius]

I've never quite been able to see what that icon is doing, but I choose to say it is giving a salute!

That's the "proper tongue angle" emoticon. You need to set it just right...