ElectriPlast: Random Thoughts, Episode 23...
Random
Thoughts
By: PK,
The ElectriPlast Blog
Publisher
Timelines and The Company Corner
Much has been wondered and speculated over the past months at the prospects of Integral Technologies and their ElectriPlast marvel. Promised timelines have slipped-- yet again, but this time the fault is not due to a lack of effort to put a fire under this long-simmering rocket.
The ElectriPlast Blog, too, has been sitting idle, waiting on Integral to take the next step. We thought that would be an extremely short wait, what with the long promised website due to hit the street months ago, and the prospective follow-ups to test results and maybe even news of a contract. While these remain largely unfulfilled and are still in the works, many or all of them could take place anytime now. To date, however, they have yet to come across the threshold (I always wanted to use that word in a sentence) of reality.
Well, there is a bit of action taking place that a number may not yet be aware of. For example, Integral’s new Director of Communications has been working on a feature for the new website called The ElectriPlast Company Corner. Eventually, this new venue will contain messages from Integral management on issues of interest to shareholders. So, why is this a good thing? Well, it will be a preamble of things to come. It will provide insights to the real, or rest of the story taking place behind the scenes. And, finally, it will go a long way toward spanning the transparency gap, an issue many shareholders have complained about for years.
However it is taken, http://www.officialelectriplast.blogspot.com/ is there and available for all to view and track. It is not a replacement for the EB, not in the slightest. Our charter continues to be to kick the tires that this stock rides on, to broker open and honest discussion on all things Integral, and, as necessary, to criticize the CEO and/or his sidekick William Ince (whose continued presence still mystifies me to no end). Needless to say, I’m not one of his fans, and he probably thinks even less of me – and that, while being a business good thing, it's also honest.
Hotmail Hackers from Hell
Recently, the Hotmail server was hacked, and my ElectriPlast@hotmail.com Email account and apparently a contacts list I never realized I had took a hit. I began seeing my account used as a source for random Emails to both individuals I’d corresponded with in the past, and to other unknown addresses.
Thinking that it was my system, possibly being set up as a clone—with some nefarious entity controlling my system in the background—I purchased a number of virus and registry cleaners to super-sweep my system of any and all buggy-type critters. Well, the first few runs didn’t uncover anything of import, maybe a bunch of cookies, but those were all known and harmless. Frustrated, I began vigorously searching for anything out of the ordinary, and deleting it, all in an effort to rid my computer, and Email account of all those irksome random Email pushes. Maybe I was a bit too vigorous in that regard. Before the Easter break, I ended up deleting a key component—my system froze in revolt, and subsequently died, taking my hard drive with it on its way to computer Hell. Heck, Safe-mode wouldn’t even help at that point.
It was then that I realized that I don’t conduct Email interactions using the Microsoft Office Exchange, because I often travel, I only use Webmail for such a thing—and with that being a fact, then the prospect of my system versus Hotmail’s server being hacked dropped well below the radar into the not likely zone.
The fact that my computer has been literally dead for almost four weeks—and the Email’s are still flowing is a physical testimony to that point.
After returning from Easter break (spent that with friends in the UK by the way), I began rebuilding a computer out of what was left over. Just this past Monday, I regained access to the net—and though still slow at times (with a few missing drivers needing to be uploaded), for the most part I’m back.
That said--here is where I put in my plug for Apple…their iPod was my primary source of contact with the rest of the world during this time—though my capabilities were extremely limited. If only I had an iPad instead…
Finally the point of this long and drawn out moan is I want to assure all reading that I don’t keep an Email list on file for contacts to the EB. I have never sold any such lists, either for profit or out of the goodness of my soul, to others interested in such a thing.
If you have received Email from the ElectriPlast@hotmail.com address and there is gibberish, or a spam-styled web link associated, then know it is not from me. Please, do me and yourself a favor and simply delete it. If that doesn’t seem to be enough for you, then I sincerely request that you just place this address on your Email filter's “ignore” list. Trust, I’ll have no hard feelings. In saying that, I am sorry that any of you who received these messages had to endure this as an issue to contend with. Were we able to simply hunt-down these guys, and maybe Telemarketers too, and get Pulp-Fiction "Medieval" on them (we’ve all had that urge at one time or another), life would truly be just.
‘Nuf said on that topic – thank you much for your understanding, and now that you are finished reading, please go ahead and check out Doug’s ElectriPlast Company Corner piece.
Cheers and best,
PK “back on a real keyboard” sends…
posted by PK... | 5/01/2010 09:30:00 AM
45 Comments:
I had a friend whos account was taken over also. After a huge hassle with his provider, it was discovered that all he had to do was change his password...Bingo, more spammed emails sent out.
Might give it a try.
This is very discouraging. For years, we were promised "news" that products and sales would be coming "soon". Now we are promised "news" that more announcements are coming "soon" (on a website that doesn't exist).
We can only conclude that the situation is worsening at Integral - they've gone from promising to manufacture products to promising to manufacture announcements.
In the months since he's been on board, what has this new "Director of Communications" actually communicated?
I whole-heartedly agree. Some wise-guy in another comment section asked the questioner if he could do better. Although I wasn't the questioner / commenter I would answer 'yes, without a doubt.' How?
1) Don't make promises you're not absolutely certain you can keep. E.g., something as "simple" as a new website has missed, what, at least 3 separate implementation dates?
2) Be honest with the shareholders about what's going on. I know you have to 'manage the flow' of information, but that doesn't mean you have to 'manage the truth'. Manage expectations? Yes. Manage the truth? No. And before someone says, "you can't handle the truth," how about trying it once and letting the individual decide what to do with it?
3) (Related to #2) Communicate, communicate, communicate! I don't know how you can 'over-communicate'. We're not talking about pumping the stock . . . that serves no long-term purpose. We're talking about filling the silence gaps BEFORE they become silence gaps. That only leads to speculations / assumptions that may not be true. This can be done without violating any SARBOX rules. Other companies (large and small) do it all the time.
4) Stay in front of information. How many times over the years have the shareholders alerted Integral about some pertinent piece of news? Multiple.
Others could add many more points to this list from their armchair quarterback seat. If the powers-that-be don't like the current perception some of us have of this company I would encourage them to look in the mirror, for they are clearly the only ones who can change it. My greater fear, however, is that things will remain the same because they simply have no desire to make the needed changes.
As a former IR guy infamously stated, "There's always the bid."
Integral Technologies.....Home of the extreeeeem makeover.
First was Tom Aisenbrey. A salesman they turned into an engineer/inventor.
Then along came Mo(and the seven dwarfs). He was a lifelong engineer. They turned him into a salesman.
Now we have Doug. Sixteen years in financial services and a pilot for eight years before that. But Integral didn`t need a financial services guy, much less a pilot. But they hired him anyway...and made him Director of Corporate Communications!!!
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/doug-bathauer/10/394/843
Tommy wrote a bunch of patent applications that no one seems very interest in.....and then they sent him packing.
Mo has been on board for nine month and has one test plaque data sheet to show for it. One out of a promised eight, by the way. And sales? He hasn`t made it to one yet.
Doug has created a web site. But it only contains information that previously existed in company press releases. Whoopee!!!
Bill Robinson, you are a workforce genius!!!! But, what the heck, it`s other people`s money anyway.
Apparently I'm the wiseguy who asked if "you" could do a better job? not if I could do a better job - smart guy.
All I was attempting to do was to point out a few of the challenges that a small company such as ITKG has faced in recent years. Again, they made mistakes and probably will make more - welcome to the world of management. For some of us that have been here for years (and are still invested) we know that the only thing that will continue to keep us here is a turning of the ship so to speak. If you have come to the conclusion the turning of the ship will never happen, no reasonable person would blame you for selling your remaining shares.
Anyone know what happened to the cabling company? It wasn't that long ago that it was sounding like the shielding application for this company was a done deal and the PO was right around the corner....
In other words, you don't know what the actual status is. Thank you for your uninformed speculation. Anyone else care to give it a shot? If the cabling company left the table, why?
Integral and the wire company are still working very hard on perfecting the wire. They will be holding another test of the wire within the next 2 weeks. My understanding is that it is VERY CLOSE to being submitted for UL approval. The UL approval process is approx 6 months. The wire product will be ready for 2011.
"My understanding is..." - in other words you don't know what the actual status is either. Thanks for the unsubstantiated speculation.
Why are the positive "developments" never accompanied by any names, data, references, etc.?
I`d love to try to answer your question but due to the total lack of informed or substantiated information I withhold my comments.
The reality is that all pertinent information regarding this company comes from one source and one source alone....Bill Robinson. And ol` Bill has this habit of only sharing information with shareholders that he wants them to know.
Without that, all that is available is the historical data pointed out by a previous poster. If you can`t read the handwriting on the wall, all that is left is the company line.
It pretty much gets down to the brainless, I believe, I believe, or go someplace else and quit bothering us.
Good Luck!!
Fact in regards to the wire only:
The shielding stats have already been released in regards to EP's shielding properties. Once the absolute final wire manufacturing process and testing is completed, stats will be released.The wire company that signed the NDA does not at this time wish to have it's name released for competitive reasons within the wire industry. There will be another (the 4th) major test completed within 2 weeks. The exact date has not been etched in stone as both Mo and the engineers from the wire companies are arranging their schedules to meet. Both companies are actively and directly involved in developing the very best wire product possible. Once all of the electrical engineers feel that they have achieved the finished product it will then be submitted to UL for their series of testing. Any other questions?
torsema"Still working very hard on perfecting the wire"
Yet 3 months ago they claimed:
In contrast, ElectriPlast™ replaces the metal braiding, provides 100% shielding coverage, speeds-up the process twenty-fold, reduces weight, and is far less expensive.
So, what are they still working on 3 months later? The patent was approved almost 3 YEARS ago! That patent (7,244,890), interestingly, does not bear Integrals name according to current USPTO records. Only Tom Aisenbrey`s name.
And we all know where Tom is today. Oops, Bill Robinson never did get around to sharing that information with his "paid in full" shareholders.
And the beat goes on.....
The wire manufacturing process is everything you just stated: "provides 100% shielding coverage, speeds-up the process twenty-fold, reduces weight, and is far less expensive."
You asked, "So, what are they still working on 3 months later? The patent was approved almost 3 YEARS ago!"
Wire is not just 1 standard gauge and one size fits all. There are at least 3 dozen of the most popular gauges of wire. Testing and retesting the various sizes to ensure both perfect production and perfect quality throughout each different gauge is where the process is right now. They are very close to completion. There goal is to be 100% ready to produce wire in dozens of different gauges when the orders begin to come in. I would say that the 3 or 4 extra months to ensure a top quality product in all gauges is a prudent investment and a smart way to introduce a revolutionary new product line.
A 4th test he claims....yet unscheduled.
*Was the 100% sheilding not enough?
*Was the 20-fold process improvement not enough?
*Maybe they weren`t happy with the weight reduction? It wasn`t very specific.
*Or was it the cost reduction? Not just less, but FAR less...they claimed. Not good enough?
Once perfected.....Hmmmm.
The information hiway here is pretty much a one way street....and even after you`ve paid your toll, you may not be allowed to proceed.
Your payday is still more than 6 months away. Sort of like that carrot on the end of the stick. Every time you take a step towards it, it moves to stay just out of your reach. And all the while, Bill Robinson is sitting up there and smiling down at you. He already has his carrot.....you!
How many shares have the insiders sold? Even as an over the counter stock they still have to report their stock transactions correct?
I would like to see some insider buying. If they can't communicate certain information to the shareholders this would be one way to communicate some positive events / expectations....
So, the much heralded test plaque data sheet had little to do with the actual manufacturing ability and performance of the final product(s). And, in fact, the data varies individually for at least 3 dozen of the most popular guages of wire.
So all that mumbo jumbo pie in the sky stuff in the press release a month after the test data was published applied to the test plaque, not the actual product.
It must have, because here we are 3 months later and the real testing still has not been completed.
Why is that information just now being made available to shareholders on a Blogsite originating from Bavaria, Germany?
Dude you are funny. You just like to fight.
The data on the data sheet regarding shielding was and is just fine. Also the 100% shielding coverage on the wire is still 100%. No issues with the stated performances.
The only process proceeding right now is fine tuning the manufacturing process for the various sizes of wire. It is that simple. The wire manufacturer has a huge reputation and is ensuring that production will be like clock work once orders begin to arrive. Again, this is a pretty straight ahead positive process for perfecting the manufacture of a revolutionary new product.
Please try not to twist and turn these words in to meaning something negative. Thanks dude.
Also concerning your question, "Why is that information just now being made available to shareholders on a Blogsite originating from Bavaria, Germany?"
In case you are unaware we are in a global world and both web & blog sites originate from every corner of the world. This one originates from Germany. I am here in the USA. And this information is being made available because you have been spreading mis truths and twisting both facts and reality. The real truth was released in the p.r. concerning the wire license. Nothing has changed and things are progressing in the tweaking and perfecting of the manufacturing process. All pretty straight forward.
I would say that this has all the earmarks of a personal vendetta. Why, otherwise, would someone who feels so negative about the product go to such an effort to trash the company and demean the people who are invested in it. You have made your point, far too many times. If you feel your purpose is to warn naive investors away, you have done that as well. I, for one, feel that the usefulness and enjoyment of this blog is being seriously compromised. Time alone will provide the measure of electriplast. That's enough for me.
So, what's wrong with Bavaria?
Global communications & how the Internet works is an established known. This hostile poster is simply attempting to bait you in hopes of squeezing out additional insight (which none can doubt, is extremely welcomed), and to glean unearned fodder to twist in his/her version of a truth later on.
Transparancy works both ways.
PK "writing to all from the Heart of Bavaria" sends
US patent 7244890 was assigned to Integral Technologies on Mar 16, 2004. (This is a very common practice.) The patent does not describe any specific formulations or processes nor does it cite any data. Hence, if you desire to practice it, you've got some work ahead of you. That patent also has no foreign equivalents - so you could practice it anywhere in the world except the US.
Developing new plastics for wire applications ain't falling off a log either. It takes time and success is far from guaranteed. For example, there is the 180 degree bend test and numerous fatigue tests.
And the published shielding data - yes, it looks very good. But the measurement was made with a 1/8" thick plaque. The wire producer will have to determine the shielding effectiveness for much thinner samples.
It all takes lots of time and it might not pan out. I've been there.
My but we sure have a lot of self proclaimed, but anonymous, experts popping up. Experts whose qualifications and resources are equally anonymous.
The management of Integral doesn`t seem to be anywhere`s near as informed as they are.
Even with advisors available such as Doug Mathias, President and CEO of a 60 year old company specializing in molding composite materials. A company that also has a full time engineering staff as well as an A2LA accredited laboratory. And Mo Zeidan, former Chief Technology Officer of the Electrical Division of Lear Corp. Claiming 25 years engineering experience.
Is there any reason he should not be well informed? Yet to get the latest, most pertinent information, many here would have us seek advice from anonymous posters on a blog site emminating from Bavaria, Germany. And just because these Jonnie-come-lately "experts" claim it, it must of course be true, right?
And then sometime late last year or early this year, Robinson hired a full time "Director of Corporate Communications", Doug Bathauer. I`m a bit sketchy about the date because poor Doug didn`t even rate a press release to announce his newly created position.
So not only does Robinson have reliable resources available to advise him on manufacturing, tooling, scheduling, capacity, sales, laboratory, and engineering. He also has a 4+ month old Director of Corporate Communications resources available to get the word out. Instead we get a web site that isn`t even linked to the company web site. A web site that so far only offers rerun information from old company press releases.
Because of this we are supposed to instead take current information from anonymous posters on a private blog?
Sort of, if you can`t get information from the proper source, it`s okay to take it from any source available that sounds good. But, sorry, that`s not how I do DD. That second "D" is critically important.
And, by the way, I just looked at patent 7,244.890 in the USPTO data base again. I see only Tom Aisenbrey`s name with NO assignee listed. Nor could I find Integral named anywhere on the document. It does not show up in Integral`s data base either as issued or pending. If one of these anonymous experts knows otherwise, I`d love to see your documentation.
And lastly, to PK, while I gratefully thank you for allowing opposing points of view, I`m confused at how your claim, on one hand, to: "appreciate challenging interactions which spark creativity and develop enlightenment" got turned around to: " This hostile poster is simply attempting to bait you" ??
Check out:
http://assignments.uspto.gov/assignments/q?db=pat
Type in the patent number and read. That's how I did the second "D" in my DD. How are you coming with yours?
Yea, there's a huge information vacuum here and people with various levels of expertise are trying to fill it. But the $35MM question is: why is there such an information vacuum at all?
Some dearly want to believe its because incompetent management cannot articulate it. Others believe its because there is nothing but bad news and management wants to keep it under raps and the money flowing.
I'd bet on the latter.
How am I doing with mine? Much better, thank you. I learned something today. That`s always good.
As for the information vacuum, I wouldn`t bet against you.
Concerning the information vacuum, the missed deadlines, the what you have referred to as the poor/incomplete shielding specs, the $35 mill spent and not a sale, etc, etc...
Why do you hang around day after day month after month?? Seriously?
If everything about management is b.s. and this is truly just a cash machine for them under the guise of a conductive plastics company, why are you here posting 24/7??
Yes it is a free country. Yes you have all of your rights. This is just a personal question from one person, myself, who has a vested interest and you who really has no interest. Why are you here? What am I missing? I know that I have appreciated your point of view the first 3 or 4 times that you stated it. However you state the same thing dozens and dozens and dozens of times. Over and over. Whether we are talking about the car batteries or the wire or the military or antennas. I clearly understand that you do not like a thing about this company and feel deeply that it is a sham. No products being manufactured, an old technology, nobody wants it after many years, etc. I get what you are saying loud and clear.
You seem to be very big on your DD. And as you have explained many times, your second D is the most important. So why are you still here. You've done all the DD necessary and have openly and repeatedly expressed it to everyone. From patents to batteries to wire to shielding test. You have given us your DD loud and clear. So why are you still here and on other ITKG boards day after day?
As long as you keep flipping that coin and calling heads, I`ll be there to call tails. It`s the right thing to do.
When you destroy over $30MM in shareholder value, you make enemies.
Maybe the guy lost a pile on the stock and still sees the principles writing themselves nice compensation packages.
Its all part of the equities game: if you want public money - you'd better be able to take the heat.
Or maybe he has been around for 11 of Integral`s 14 years. Maybe he watched it rise from 9 cents to $8.25 on Mar. 15, 2000 while on the pink sheets trying to get on the Nasdaq board. That would have been a perfect time to take some profit. Or, wise investor that he obviously is, sell it all to maximise his profit. Did I tell you some say he looks a lot like Tom Selleck.
Anyway, watching it fall back (with no Nasdaq listing) to $0.37 over the next 15 months must have been sobering. Then came the Plastenna announcement and all the partnerships and potential customers that followed. But they all amounted to nothing. Even a flavor of the month name change to Electriplast and MORE press releases and more potential customers produced naught over the following 6 years.
And then came the Jasper partnership. A manufacturer of composits with a large customer base. Surely they could attract that first customer. It must have been very tempting for him to not throw a bunch of that earlier windfall back at Integral. But I doubt he did. I`m guessing he chose to wait and see how fruitful this partnership could be. He waited, and waited. Weeks became months. Months became years. Excuses and fluffy press releases filled the air. But not a single revenue producing contract appeared.
The wise investor in him must have kept whispering in his ear, "there`s something wrong with this picture". So he waited and watched. Why risk that windfall on what seemed to be turning out to be a preponderance of fluffy press releases. He could afford to wait for the real thing.
He`s still waiting and watching. Watching the endless stream of broken promises and press releases that lead nowhere. Watching the minions and day traders fall all over themselves pumping every crumb that falls off Integral`s table. Watchong confidently while his windfall sits safely in a leveraged ETF for spot gold.
Life is good.
It's no wonder he is so pissed off. Hopefully his anger and frustration don't cloud his judgement in making future investment decisions. Maybe he will never take another risk during his lifetime....
Maybe he won`t have to. Life is full of risks though. To avoid risks based on someone else`s words is the riskiest of all. Especially if that someone else has a miserable track record. $32 million in shareholder money spent and nothing to show for it would be a good example. Deeds are a much better bet. I`m waiting for some deeds too!!
any theories on the recent volatility with low volume?
Bad news from the upcoming 10-Q leaked?
Its a nervous time but the trend is weak too.
PK - how about something on the Bright Lights conference??
the good thing about the lack of news is that investors are no longer expecting fast progress. The stock price will settle to some lower base and the hope is that there will be real progress in the Fall or 2011
Or the Spring of 2012.....
The following Item was first published in one of Integral`s 10Q`s about two years ago. It has continued in every filing since then.
"After twenty-three months of refining the manufacturing and molding process of ElectriPlast™, the Jasper facility is now capable of producing over 50,000 pounds of ElectriPlast™ pellets per month."
Word for word. All that work that apparently concluded two years ago and has been not utilized since. Yet every 3 months Integral dusts off the rubber stamp and brags about the un-utilized potential of Jasper`s manufacturing process for Electriplast. Strange!!!If they can accept that so matter-of-factly, what`s another year and a half...or two.....or whatever.
Or the Spring of 2012.....
The following Item was first published in one of Integral`s 10Q`s about two years ago. It has continued in every filing since then.
"After twenty-three months of refining the manufacturing and molding process of ElectriPlast™, the Jasper facility is now capable of producing over 50,000 pounds of ElectriPlast™ pellets per month."
Word for word. All that work that apparently concluded two years ago and has been not utilized since. Yet every 3 months Integral dusts off the rubber stamp and brags about the un-utilized potential of Jasper`s manufacturing process for Electriplast. Strange!!!If they can accept that so matter-of-factly, what`s another year and a half...or two.....or whatever.
Check out:
http://www.officialelectriplast.blogspot.com/
For info on Bright Lights Conference
JBinAZ
Yep. The Bright Lights Conference was a tremendous success. 14 of the 39 presenting companies received "awards" - but not our Integral.
Management was able to speak with a few potential investors. That's good. We should be seeing more private placements where they give away shares for 25 cents to keep themselves paid. Great - more cheapie private placement shares out there to anchor the stock price.
But they'd better hurry. Even with all this "favorable promotion" the stock price is accelerating downward.
Remember what Buffet says, "buy when others are fearful". Believe it or not there are buyers on the other end of the shares being sold, and a few happy investors getting in at a lower cost basis...
Warren also likes to say:
"Buy what you know"
What does anyone actually know about Integral or Electriplast that hasn`t originated from company management?
1) That 8 years since Integral began trying to market it, not a single customer has signed on.
2) That in those same 8 years not a dimes worth of product has been sold.
3) That also in those same 8 years, not a single product containing so much as a single pellet of Electriplast has made it to the marketplace.
4) That company management has burned through $32+ million in shareholder funds without a thing to show for it.
Sorry, but even Warren Buffett doesn`t have enough money to buy every dog that no one else wants.
The climate is making it harder to raise money. I see us falling back below .50 over the next month. They will likely be able to raise money but maybe back at the .25 cent range.
I hope they find their way. I put a bunch of cash in and am riding it out. Not feeling great about the tisk right now...
Same here.
The Bright Lights conference was a bust for ITKG - no awards, not even an honorable mention. Actually, NO mention of ITKG.
And you're right - they're going to have dump shares out there for 25 cents to get any takers. This will put the share price on the down elevator.
This is going to get ugly.
This morning I read a post from "greg" on yahoo finance. Originally (earlier this year) he was all for the company and even seemed to reason through a few things we all struggle with in terms of understing ITKG. He even went as far as to say he owned over 100,000 shares and would be increasing his position. He has now changed his tune and says something to the affect of management trying to depress the price so they can take the company private - what?
Sorry "greg" but that is the most idiotic thing I've heard. Are you implying they would be better off as a private company?
Maybe it's "greg" that is trying to depress the price...
I'm starting to think this guy was actually attempting to run his own pump and dump operation. Maybe now is a good time buy again "greg"??
Too bad about the latest update on the company corner. Looks like they are contradicting earlier releases about test results. They said many were in process several times. Now it is back to wait and see.
I had hoped they had learned their lesson about releasing info with no follow through, or at least only what they know they will follow. Just more in a string of broken promises...
I am surprised we have not gone lower at this point. ITKG has always been good at hooking new people. I have been long and have not sold my holdings. I tend to hold them until they die.
I am getting much more sympathy for the posters that lurk here eith negative comments. They speak the truth.
They've got to raise cash. They certainly are not going to get a loan for operating expenses in this environment (and with their track record). Their only alternative to discount shares heavily for private placements. Its probably going on right now.
The entire process stikes me as highly unethical - you and I have to pay market price for shares. A few fortunate ones get to buy at a deep discount and sell at a profit - all below market.
I guess ITKG shares are like dog food - cheaper by the 50 lb bag.
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