UPDATED: TenPoint helps Horton crossbow owners as liquidation firm looks to sell off repair parts

TenPoint Crossbow Technologies couldn't repair Horton Crossbow products even if the Shuffield, Ohio-based industry leader wanted to.

The best that TenPoint can do – and is doing, in fact – is either return the approximately 400 Horton crossbows originally sent in for repairs or else help owners of such archery tackle as to where they might go for assistance.

All for a number of very good reasons, a TenPoint official says.

Chief among them being that TenPoint did not buy everything related to Horton's former manufacturing and assembly plant in Tallmadge, Ohio.

Instead, several weeks ago TenPoint bought Horton's crossbow patents along with various pieces of equipment unrelated to actual crossbow component manufacturing.

That meant TenPoint bought such pieces of equipment as forklifts, bow presses and other routine factory gear, as well as assuming the remainder of the building lease that Horton had in the Akron suburb.

As for the bits, parts, pieces, widgets, and whatnot that go into the actual making of a Horton crossbow those items were purchased by a local liquidation firm, says Randy Wood, TenPoint's National Sales manager.

And that company says it is on track to dispose of the inventory as quickly as possible.

“We are in contact with dealers, service centers, and retailers concerning the available inventory,” says Clifford W. Croley, a partner with Akron-based Croley, Martell, and Associates, Ltd.




Croley says his liquidation company has “a substantial amount of retail-ready accessories and service parts” along with bulk service parts.




All of this materiel is being sold to dealers and retailers only, none to consumers since such a process is the most logical and practical delivery method, Croley says..



“Our intent is to sell this inventory in as expeditious manner as possible,” Croley also says. “We are selling them while supplies last.”

Wood says also that once Croley and his liquidation company arrives at a final Horton parts disposition plan, he will then inform TenPoint as to the destination of the components.

In such a way TenPoint will be able to assist current Horton crossbow owners in getting their equipment either serviced or where to find replacement parts, Wood said.

“Obviously the (Horton) warrantee is done away with,” Wood says. “But having replacement parts and knowing where to find them is important to many owners of Horton crossbows.”

Wood says as well that TenPoint has handled “hundreds” of inquiries about where to get Horton crossbows serviced as well as what is that firm's status since much of it was assimilated by TenPoint.

“We are doing our best to help steer owners of Horton crossbows in the right direction,” Wood said.

Among the most important of the communiques, says Wood, are the inquiries as to the status of crossbows sent to Horton before the plant's doors were shut and locked for the last time some months ago.

In all, approximately 400 such crossbows were sitting around Horton's now-defunct plant, collecting dust and being worried over by their anxious owners, Wood said.

“And we're working the best we can to get those crossbows back to their owners,” Wood said. “Even if they are not repaired, at least the owners will have them back. This is not something that we have to do but it's something we are doing because it's the right thing to do.”

Asked if TenPoint will eventually allow Horton crossbows to arise from the ashes like some archery tackle Phoenix, Wood says such an undertaking “is certainly a probability,” though not likely until 2015, possibly late 2014 at the earliest.

Whether such archery tackle will appear in the form of known Horton crossbow equipment or something altogether different is a matter for TenPoint's engineers to undertake first, Wood says.

And right now those engineers are engaged in work related to the firm's current TenPoint premium line and its price-point Wicked Ridge line of crossbows, Wood says.

Thus – and this is just speculation and not to hold his feet to the fire – if and when Horton's brand reappears it could be fitted between the TenPoint and Wicked Ridge line-up of crossbows, says Wood.

“Probably, but we can't say for sure because this is all so early,” Wood said.

This story may be updated if further information becomes available.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn

JFrischk@Ameritech.net