I don't know for sure if this is true or not, maybe "fake news"

[Dan(NM)]

I just saw this on a Facebook page a few minutes ago, so, take it with a grain of salt!!

4 hrs · Connahs Quay, United Kingdom

"We would like to inform everyone that the serial production of Equinox 600 and Equinox 800 detectors has just begun. First detectors should be shipped from Australia to Europe at the end of next week. Unfortunately we do not know the numbers we get (we have several orders running there). It is likely that we will only receive relatively small numbers in December, and larger numbers will only come in January. The detectors we receive in December will be consistently sent according to how pre-orders arrived."

 

[Jason in Enid]

Makes zero sense. fake news, considering that minelab has no manufacturing left in australia. Everything moved to Malaysia about 7 or 8 years ago

 

[pan4au]

If that is the case... it shouldn't be too long before we get some actual reviews

 

[lse450cc]

The software is loaded onto the equinox in Australia .They don’t make the machine there . they load the software.

 

[Jason in Enid]

The software is loaded onto the equinox in Australia .They don’t make the machine there . they load the software.

That is the most ridiculous thing I have heard. Can you cite where this info comes from?

 

[lytle78]

Not surprising - no point letting a 3rd party get hold of the software.

 

[Jason in Enid]

Not surprising - no point letting a 3rd party get hold of the software.

Think about from the cost standpoint. Do you think a company is going to pay to have thousands of pieces made, then pay to transport to to another country, pay to transport to a facility and pay a whole new group of people (plus building overhead costs) to load software, then pay to move them all back to a transport hub, then finally pay to transport them to the destination distributor. That is a LOT of extra money to spend which means a lot less income per item.

 

[BigTony]

Minelab is not the company name - it’s something like Corado - they make plenty of electronics for governments and consumer. The information is listed on the web site at the bottom, just click on the link to find out about the company.
In my opinion that is smart to not give away the store, there are plenty of knock offs

 

[TomNH]

Not surprising - no point letting a 3rd party get hold of the software.

Think about from the cost standpoint. Do you think a company is going to pay to have thousands of pieces made, then pay to transport to to another country, pay to transport to a facility and pay a whole new group of people (plus building overhead costs) to load software, then pay to move them all back to a transport hub, then finally pay to transport them to the destination distributor. That is a LOT of extra money to spend which means a lot less income per item.

Its very possible only the PCB's are assembled in Malasia. This saves ML setting up a line of machines to put together heavily SMD boards.
That would be a looser since ML cant keep that stuff running 24-7 due to the very small runs.
Final assy & software may happen in Australia then sent out to distributors.

Good example was Sears TV's in the '80's . In most cases Sanyo built the chassis in Japan & sent them to the old Warwick Electronics
cabinet plant ( Arkansas IIRC) . Cabinets were built & stuffed with the Sanyo chassis & a Sylvania CRT. Then off to Sears stores.
It worked well, in fact, they were the best sets sears ever sold under there own name. They also ran abt $100 less than the big guys ( RCA, Zenith etc).

73
Tom
LFOD !

 

[Jason in Enid]

Its very possible only the PCB's are assembled in Malasia.


73
Tom
LFOD !

Hmmm, you could have a point there. Since Codan bought Minelab and moved manufacturing they have said nothing of any place other than Malysia, but I don't remember them saying anything like "100% built and assembled in Malaysia". PCBs take up very little room and weight and they could ship a large amount cheaply.

 

[Rick(ND)]

When Minelab first switch from Ireland to Malaysia for assembly many didnt like this idea, so if I remember right there was a article that said the part like the circuit board were going to be made in the Australia and the USA and then assembled in Malaysia under some of Minelab supervisors . So I felt that the detector were only assembled in Malaysia, but the part were all made here in the USA and Australia, does anyone else remember that article??


Rick