Questions for Leonardw

[woodsroad]

Do you feel the same way when an American company buys an overseas company?

You’re just trying to deflect and not speak to the topic.

I think you are attributing altruism and malevolence where there is none. It’s all business, aimed at providing a suitable return to investors.

Yes, it is business and I can take my money and give it only to Cornell and Diehl which I plan on doing.

Your entire premise of an American company being closed by foreigners is false.

 

[Beers 'N Briars]

Just hope people remember that we're incredibly lucky to have resources like this. How often do you even know the names of people involved in production end of your other hobbies? How often do you have this much access to the bendable ears of the people that make anything you consume?
So if you're a jerk to them you're also being a jerk to the rest of us. Imagine they stop coming to a forum like this because of a handful of people are abusive. That happens and we'll lose a lot more then we already have. And every other pipe smoker will be allowed legally at that point to slap the perps who ruined a critical resource. Serious about the fact that having such access might be something critical to keeping pipe smoking healthy and viable and if you can't behave for them, then behave for the rest of us.

I say just be polite for polite’s sake. I can’t blame the people who feel like this is damage control for the US market because it does feel that way. STG is hardly present in the community in general. Their people aren’t on here or other forums/discords/chats very often at all. STG should be more engaged, supporting pipe shows, and podcasts if they want us to be more engaged with them. People shouldn’t be rude, period. But STG needs to step up as a community member now more than ever. So I agree that Leonard is doing a good thing here but he even admits it’s on a personal level and not at STG’s request. I hear good things about Max, but where is he besides in cringy Captain Black videos? STG should be more involved as a community member, and not just consider us at the end of its point of sale system. My 2¢ anyway.

 

[Terry Lennox]

I appreciate an STG rep coming in here to provide accurate information after so much rank speculation and rumor. However I do think they could benefit (their business and the hobby) by having a brand representative like Per Jensen. Someone who goes to the pipe shows, someone who makes professional video content like SP does, someone who markets their portfolio to the consumer. This is not like advertising, it is not against the law to have a marketing person.

 

[TriedPiper]

So I agree that Leonard is doing a good thing here but he even admits it’s on a personal level and not at STG’s request. I hear good things about Max, but where is he besides in cringy Captain Black videos? STG should be more involved as a community member, and not just consider us at the end of its point of sale system.

I appreciate an STG rep coming in here to provide accurate information after so much rank speculation and rumor. However I do think they could benefit (their business and the hobby) by having a brand representative like Per Jensen. Someone who goes to the pipe shows, someone who makes professional video content like SP does, someone who markets their portfolio to the consumer. This is not like advertising, it is not against the law to have a marketing person.

Terry -
...just about to respond something like this.

 

[wyfbane]

Do you feel the same way when an American company buys an overseas company?

You’re just trying to deflect and not speak to the topic.

I think you are attributing altruism and malevolence where there is none. It’s all business, aimed at providing a suitable return to investors.

Yes, it is business and I can take my money and give it only to Cornell and Diehl which I plan on doing.

You would have lost your ever loving mind in corporate America, circa 1980's.

 

[Beers 'N Briars]

I appreciate an STG rep coming in here to provide accurate information after so much rank speculation and rumor. However I do think they could benefit (their business and the hobby) by having a brand representative like Per Jensen. Someone who goes to the pipe shows, someone who makes professional video content like SP does, someone who markets their portfolio to the consumer. This is not like advertising, it is not against the law to have a marketing person.

Sutliff sponsored several US podcasts and seemed to have a presence at a lot of pipe shows as sponsor. I know the names of tobacco blenders at Sutliff and C&D, and the B&M blenders like Peretti, the Squire, and Watch City. I care about those people and their presence in the industry and community. I don’t know who blended the current Escudo. I don’t know who’s responsible for blending SWR. I’m sure there’s people behind it, but STG isn’t out here promoting those persons to us. I’d like to see more involvement now that they’ve become a mighty column with majority market share. Because their community share feels minuscule.

 

[anotherbob]

I say just be polite for polite’s sake.

Not a bad policy in general.

I can’t blame the people who feel like this is damage control for the US market because it does feel that way.

And in a way it is. Which nothing wrong with that. But it is worth remembering they don't have to do that, they could have hired a P.R. company to do it for them too.

STG is hardly present in the community in general.

And often companies of that size aren't present at all.

Their people aren’t on here or other forums/discords/chats very often at all. STG should be more engaged, supporting pipe shows, and podcasts if they want us to be more engaged with them. People shouldn’t be rude, period. But STG needs to step up as a community member now more than ever.

And why it's a selfish and silly thing to go ballistic on them. And also don't forget the fact that it's a person who is trying to do their job.

So I agree that Leonard is doing a good thing here but he even admits it’s on a personal level and not at STG’s request. I hear good things about Max,

And that means they might have hired the right guy for his job. Don't forget too that also means they're allowed him the freedom and trust to engage with us. Many companies don't.

but where is he besides in cringy Captain Black videos?

Wait what I think I need to see that.

STG should be more involved as a community member, and not just consider us at the end of its point of sale system. My 2¢ anyway.

That be nice. But it's nothing we're owed.

 

[Douglas]

Would be nice if this thread was only questions to Leonard and his answers. Let another thread be for the other STG issues and comments.

 

[AroEnglish]

I appreciate an STG rep coming in here to provide accurate information after so much rank speculation and rumor. However I do think they could benefit (their business and the hobby) by having a brand representative like Per Jensen. Someone who goes to the pipe shows, someone who makes professional video content like SP does, someone who markets their portfolio to the consumer. This is not like advertising, it is not against the law to have a marketing person.

Yeah, more Per! That guy is great.

I think the videos he posted were filmed by Mac Baren during his time there.

 

[woodsroad]

I say just be polite for polite’s sake. I can’t blame the people who feel like this is damage control for the US market because it does feel that way. STG is hardly present in the community in general. Their people aren’t on here or other forums/discords/chats very often at all. STG should be more engaged, supporting pipe shows, and podcasts if they want us to be more engaged with them. People shouldn’t be rude, period. But STG needs to step up as a community member now more than ever. So I agree that Leonard is doing a good thing here but he even admits it’s on a personal level and not at STG’s request. I hear good things about Max, but where is he besides in cringy Captain Black videos? STG should be more involved as a community member, and not just consider us at the end of its point of sale system. My 2¢ anyway.

While I agree with you 100%, the emotional, irrational, underinformed, negative reactions are proof positive of why antisocial media engagement is not necessarily a good thing for a company.

 

[lazar]

Would be nice if this thread was only questions to Leonard and his answers. Let another thread be for the other STG issues and comments.

OMG, thank you! It's exhausting to read these endless uninformed disagreements, and pontifications by people who think that a large company in Denmark needs advice on how to run their business.

 

[Beers 'N Briars]

Would be nice if this thread was only questions to Leonard and his answers. Let another thread be for the other STG issues and comment

That’s a good point. Those are questions for Leonard but not phrased as such. I do want to know if STG has plans to become more involved in the community as part of this acquisition as they are eliminating a big community contributor in Sutliff. Do they have plans to expand sponsorship to community events. Will they be willing to go on the pipes magazine radio show and sit down with Brian for talks about this. We’ve got a lot of people affected by this on pods talking about it but does STG want to share anything on a medium that reaches more people? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[lazar]

That’s a good point. Those are questions for Leonard but not phrased as such. I do want to know if STG has plans to become more involved in the community as part of this acquisition as they are eliminating a big community contributor in Sutliff. Do they have plans to expand sponsorship to community events. Will they be willing to go on the pipes magazine radio show and sit down with Brian for talks about this. We’ve got a lot of people affected by this on pods talking about it but does STG want to share anything on a medium that reaches more people? Inquiring minds want to know.

Apparently STG has been running their own pipe-dedicated website and community forum for a while now. Who knew. This Pipe Life - Welcome - https://thispipelife.com/

 

[woodsroad]

Sutliff sponsored several US podcasts and seemed to have a presence at a lot of pipe shows as sponsor. I know the names of tobacco blenders at Sutliff and C&D, and the B&M blenders like Peretti, the Squire, and Watch City. I care about those people and their presence in the industry and community. I don’t know who blended the current Escudo. I don’t know who’s responsible for blending SWR. I’m sure there’s people behind it, but STG isn’t out here promoting those persons to us. I’d like to see more involvement now that they’ve become a mighty column with majority market share. Because their community share feels minuscule.

I met all of the STG folks, including Leonard and Lasse, at the big pipe shows. All very engaged and and damned fun to spend time with. But, FWIW, I don’t smoke people or personalities. I smoke pipe tobacco. This “community” touchy-feely thing is BS, egged on by folks who really need to get out of the basement more often.

 

[Zamora]

The Peterson blends are doing quite well actually, and nothing is being discontinued there. The U.S. is the biggest market for the brand, but it's also sold in 30+ other countries,

That's good to hear, there were a few members who said that at their local B&Ms the Peterson blends weren't big movers which surprised me because they're hugely popular with the online community.

 

[Beers 'N Briars]

I met all of the STG folks, including Leonard and Lasse, at the big pipe shows. All very engaged and and damned fun to spend time with. But, FWIW, I don’t smoke people or personalities. I smoke pipe tobacco. This “community” touchy-feely thing is BS, egged on by folks who really need to get out of the basement more often.

I’m not talking touchy feely. I’m talking about Sutliff having sponsorships in the community and does STG have any plans for filling a gap they’re about to create. All I’m asking from Leonard is a Yes/No/Maybe/I don’t know. Not trying to invite anyone else in for commentary, honestly.

 

[Zamora]

This is the part that upsets me the most. A non-American company went in bought an American company with 175yrs of history and completely shut it down and put Americans out of work. Completely no respect for the history and heritage or the workers.

Sutliff was also doing some incredible blends for content creators that were delicious blends and helped expose pipe smokers to more content and now that’s never going to happen again because STG is too big for it. They also supported Seattle Pipe Club and a number of B&M house blends which are now in limbo. This just highlights how out of touch STG is with the community.

STG is taking a niche industry that was moving even more niche with an increase to boutique small batch blending and is trying to globalize it more and make it more mass produced. The people in charge cannot read the room.

STG seems so obsessed with international sales that they don’t see the damage they’re doing to the American market.

The loss of all those jobs will also make it harder to oppose new anti tobacco legislation, when an anti tobacco law passes anywhere it sets precedent for everywhere else.

 

[woodsroad]

.

 

[woodsroad]

The loss of all those jobs will also make it harder to oppose new anti tobacco legislation, when an anti tobacco law passes anywhere it sets precedent for everywhere else.

I don’t see the connection between tobacco legislation and Mac Baren being shut down. Could you please explain?

 

[Zamora]

Explain, please.

Simple: citing the number of jobs the industry creates gives lawmakers incentive to vote against things that hurt that industry. The higher the number the more compelling it is making it harder for those laws to pass.

I don’t see the connection between tobacco legislation and Mac Baren being shut down. Could you please explain?

I was referring more to the Sutliff factory being shut down