Anatol Titan thoughts

[GraphicDisorder]

For Anatol to be number 2, we must assume that Workhorse doesn't have 10 - 1 or more Javelins out there to Titans or Horizons.  At least in my searching before I knew much about the boards and the industry, it was very easy to assume M&R and Workhorse where the two main brands.  The others just don't show up the same in Google and so on.  (At least not back when I had started my research).  Market is/has changed for sure and I do think Anatol makes a good press and they have to be selling a good bit of those Titans and Horizons.  But is it out selling Workhorse yet?

What are we suggesting makes a company 2 now?  Total presses sold?  Total presses sold this year?  Total Sales?

Good point Brandt, I guess I just stopped looking at the Javs as a competent press with the V squeegee, but that doesn't mean they should be counted out.

Still not sure, just because they come up for sale used more often doesn't mean their are more of them... could just mean more people realize they want something else.

Bauraden's never show up for sale used, doesn't mean they aren't the best... just means people don't let them go!

For sure, I just seen a lot of them in shops.  Can't say ive seen any Anatols in shops, but I know people with them.  So just expanding that out some. 

Even when something is better it doesn't mean it sells better and vice versa. 

[Gilligan]

For sure.

In my area, of the autos that I know (which is limited), I know of 1 Brown, 1 Jav, 1 Anatol, 1 M&R... the other shops that I KNOW of are all manual.  So, in my SMALL sampling it's a straight tie. LOL

[TCT]

Guess I had thought Javelins came up used for sale more because I thought they had been around longer. Which I could be totally wrong about I am still a "young buck" in many peoples eyes....

I heard they used to have machines that would copy a piece of paper and send it to another machine over these things called land phone lines.... Wow, why not just use the Pony Express! 

[TCT]

Sweetts - Looks like your searching is over!!-

http://www.digitsmith.com/used-2011-m-r-diamondback-l-sale-38690.html

[3Deep]

I look at M&R like Nike, brand name big market share M&R has done a great job over the years getting there products in high profile shops ( Rich has done his homework )  being #1 is great for them, I don't think anybody else is shooting for it at least there is no noise about it.  Rich told me a few years back about the new smaller press's they where planing on building..I see they have a whole line of them, Anatol better ramp it up.

Darryl

[sweetts]

Mike from Anatol called today to address any concerns I might have about their equipment. Turns out he follows the forum saw the thread and wanted to answer any questions I might have. We discussed pricing, his views on addressing customer issues their two year warranty and what's covered. I understand his survival is based on making sales but I felt he was genuine and addressed my questions honestly. Like I said I am trying to gather info and probably won't pull the trigger for a while but I think it was outstanding of him to address the issues brought up here and to take the lead and contact me.

[244]

Mike from Anatol called today to address any concerns I might have about their equipment. Turns out he follows the forum saw the thread and wanted to answer any questions I might have. We discussed pricing, his views on addressing customer issues their two year warranty and what's covered. I understand his survival is based on making sales but I felt he was genuine and addressed my questions honestly. Like I said I am trying to gather info and probably won't pull the trigger for a while but I think it was outstanding of him to address the issues brought up here and to take the lead and contact me.

One real question to ask. Will they give you in writing a unconditional money back guarantee? If not why not? We do. Period! Choice is all up to you!

[GraphicDisorder]

Mike from Anatol called today to address any concerns I might have about their equipment. Turns out he follows the forum saw the thread and wanted to answer any questions I might have. We discussed pricing, his views on addressing customer issues their two year warranty and what's covered. I understand his survival is based on making sales but I felt he was genuine and addressed my questions honestly. Like I said I am trying to gather info and probably won't pull the trigger for a while but I think it was outstanding of him to address the issues brought up here and to take the lead and contact me.

Do like I did, go see Anatol and M&R.  Gives you vast perspective. 

[ZooCity]

My experience is Anatol will always make good on any issues.  Trouble is there is a lot of issues and it takes a long time to resolve them.  My printer worked in a shop with an Anatol auto and it was a similar deal, they came in and fixed it all up, just took awhile.  So I'd say if you don't mind dealing with the issues and have the time and patience then the service is fine.  But I do mind and don't have the time so it's not to my taste.  It's very costly to have a machine not running in a busy shop or, if you as the owner are the only one able to work on the press, to be pulled out to make repairs frequently. Toss in shipping costs on parts (which you may have to pay even though under warranty) and the purchase price goes up a lot by the time you're settled in and running.  I like to drop gear in and run it with minimal down time and fussing around. If that's a must your options narrow in mfg'ers.

[Prosperi-Tees]

And to touch on Zoo's comment about the warranty. Yes you will pay shipping on the warranty parts. All the warranty covers is the part, no shipping, no tech charges, all that is on your dime. So depending on where you are in relation to their parts and you need overnight shipping that would really suck. Have you looked at overnight shipping costs? And of course Anatol makes good equipment, they have been for a long time. They just do not have the desire to be the best and that is the issue. They dont have to be the best but if they had the desire to be the best then that will show up in everything they do and thats unfortunate.

[3Deep]

Everything you guys have said so far is issue's, issue's that any auto press might have no matter who makes them.  The one thing that really stands out is service, Rich at M&R started out as service and to his credit has built a nice company base around and on service which gives him the edge.  Rich being a smart cookie has a service tech in just about every region you can think of, the cats like the Walmart of Auto's LOL.  To Anatols credit or maybe its just my press I've had only minor snafu's and nothing I could not handle, I'm thinking if I need a tech them something is major wrong and I'm going to be down until that tech gets here.  I know I defend Anatol a lot here reason being is there's a bunch of blue boys here, and if you ask about any other press they will toss M&R in and split the river.  I can't and will not bash M&R cause that guy has been real good to me even though I print with the Red 1 and dry with the Blue 1.  If this was an M&R thread you wouldn't hear a word from anyone tossing in Anatol or any other press except maybe Sonny with MHM, I say this again it's your money and whatever press you buy, buy wise and get what fit you.

Darryl

[alan802]

I personally don't think you should spend that much money on an auto and have ANY issues with it for at least a few years and a million imprints.  If I had any issues like I've read from numerous Anatol customers I would have gone ape.  Daryll and Donnie have had decent luck with their machine and service but there are dozens of unhappy customers found in a google search within the first page or two.  If a little manufacturer like 2M can make a machine that is as solid and reliable as ours is, there is no excuse for Anatol not to make a better one, yet they don't.  Notice I didn't say "can't" because I'm sure they could but they won't commit to excellence or make much of an effort from what I can tell.  There are at least 4 better machines out there, maybe a few less features than Anatol, but I doubt it will take months to get an issue resolved and I doubt you would have an issue if you went with another manufacturer.  If the machines worked the way they are supposed to from install then they'd have a great lineup of presses, but the fact is they don't right now and unfortunately this story is so old that I don't think anything is going to change.  The best predicter of future behavior past behavior and these stories of press problems and bad service are nothing new. 

By all means buy whatever you want and whatever you think is going to work best for your shop, this is just one man's opinion who has been wrong about things in the past.

[TCT]

Mike from Anatol called today to address any concerns I might have about their equipment. Turns out he follows the forum saw the thread and wanted to answer any questions I might have. We discussed pricing, his views on addressing customer issues their two year warranty and what's covered. I understand his survival is based on making sales but I felt he was genuine and addressed my questions honestly. Like I said I am trying to gather info and probably won't pull the trigger for a while but I think it was outstanding of him to address the issues brought up here and to take the lead and contact me.

I wish owners or people aside from salespeople would have the ballz like Rich to come on the boards. It is probably easier for Rich because there is nothing but praise for him, but it would still be nice to hear from some "higher up's". Defend their product, promote it, or explain it better.  Anatol has watched the boards for a while, I know I have pissed Mike off pretty bad. Sorry dude but I Invested about $40K of my hard earned money in you guys when I was 23, and anatol started to lie to me before I took delivery.

I know I defend Anatol a lot here reason being is there's a bunch of blue boys here, and if you ask about any other press they will toss M&R in and split the river.  I can't and will not bash M&R cause that guy has been real good to me even though I print with the Red 1 and dry with the Blue 1.  If this was an M&R thread you wouldn't hear a word from anyone tossing in Anatol or any other press except maybe Sonny with MHM, I say this again it's your money and whatever press you buy, buy wise and get what fit you.

Darryl

I am with you here Darryl, it can be touchy to talk about a brand other than M&R but I kinda assumed that was because the US is so dominated by M&R.

I personally don't think you should spend that much money on an auto and have ANY issues with it for at least a few years and a million imprints.  If I had any issues like I've read from numerous Anatol customers I would have gone ape.  Daryll and Donnie have had decent luck with their machine and service but there are dozens of unhappy customers found in a google search within the first page or two.  If a little manufacturer like 2M can make a machine that is as solid and reliable as ours is, there is no excuse for Anatol not to make a better one, yet they don't.  Notice I didn't say "can't" because I'm sure they could but they won't commit to excellence or make much of an effort from what I can tell.  There are at least 4 better machines out there, maybe a few less features than Anatol, but I doubt it will take months to get an issue resolved and I doubt you would have an issue if you went with another manufacturer.  If the machines worked the way they are supposed to from install then they'd have a great lineup of presses, but the fact is they don't right now and unfortunately this story is so old that I don't think anything is going to change.  The best predicter of future behavior past behavior and these stories of press problems and bad service are nothing new. 

By all means buy whatever you want and whatever you think is going to work best for your shop, this is just one man's opinion who has been wrong about things in the past.

Alan you are SO right. I never understood why the bigger companies here didn't add more bells and whistles, digital readouts for sure! I love that about your press.
A classic example of anatol not committing to excellence is about a year ago they received a whole batch of bad proximity senors, instead of replacing them right away, they sent new machines out with bad sensors. The buyers of the new presses then got presses installed that didn't work. I talked with a lady here that had this issue and she was mad but she accepted it. I would of been so out of control mad I probably couldn't of talked on the phone.

[tancehughes]

TCT you mentioned being a young buck, exactly how young are you? I'm probably the youngest guy here...

[Prosperi-Tees]

Service is it. It is 8:00 pm on the west coast and I just emailed M&R service dept and got a reply 6 minutes later. That's pretty fast service.