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Company and Web Site News
April 17, 2008
VFD-Fire Group Adds Multiple New Web
Sites and The VFD-Fire Group of Will Griffin Fire has added multiple new web sites, which have been sitting dormant for a long period of time. These new web sites will each rank higher in the search engines in the very near future, while also increasing the search engine rankings of our existing web sites. The new web sites include:
Used-Pumpers.com Although the last four (4) web sites are part of the VFD-Funding Group, the links for fire truck sales there will enhance the search engine ranking of all of the VFD-Fire Group's web sites. The VFD-Funding Group is announcing that during the past FEMA-AFG submission period, which ended on April 4, 2008, the company (notably owner Will Griffin) wrote more than 250 AFG grant applications for free for fire departments throughout the USA. This will increase the sales of both new and used fire trucks for the VFD-Fire Group in the coming year. Many of these departments also qualified for VFD-Funding Group's internal Griffin Fire Grants, for additional equipment to be added to the apparatus, or for down payments should the department not receive the grant and then be compelled to purchase their apparatus using low interest tax-exempt lease-purchase programs. These Griffin Fire Grants apply to used apparatus, while the AFG only will fund newly built apparatus. The Griffin Fire Grants only stipulation is that any new or used apparatus acquired be purchased through the VFD-Fire Group, to assure the quality and condition of the fire trucks. "We have had many fire companies come to us to finance purchases through other vendors, which we do not do, because we cannot verify the condition of the apparatus, or we know the character of some of the brokers, which raises many red flags for us per quality and integrity", states Griffin. In many of these situations, the inquiring fire department found they could afford a new fire truck, with lower payments, than had they purchased an unverified and non-certified used fire truck elsewhere, certainly when applying a Griffin Fire Grant to the down payment. In a time when many banks, financing companies, fire truck dealers, and fire truck manufacturers are experiencing financial difficulties, the VFD-Funding Group and the VFD-Fire Group continues to enjoy expansions in the number of fire departments we are servicing. "Our costs and our commissions are low, because we have many web sites sending us customers, with the added bonus that our competitors are spending their money to send us customers, so we're going to continue our existing policies, practices and procedures for an indefinite period of time", Griffin affirms. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it", concludes Griffin.
March 3, 2008 Brad Radakovich Joins VFD-Fire Group VFD-Fire Group is pleased to announce that Bradley Radakovich has joined the company to help with new & used fire truck sales and fire trucks financing for the State of Colorado. Brad was formerly with Government Leasing LLC. "We're pleased to welcome Brad to our team, as we are some of the other people who have come on board with us, after leaving another finance company or seeing how superior what we do per the sales of new and used fire trucks compares to others in the industry". states VFD-Fire Group owner Will Griffin. VFD-Fire Group has enjoyed receiving quality staffers, equally as the company enjoys a significant number of customers who contact us, after trying to get quotes for new and used fire trucks and financing from other sources and the various competitors in the industry. In addition to financing customers, many customers also ultimately purchase their new and used fire trucks from the VFD-Fire Group, after contacting VFD-Funding Group for financing. This has been a growing trend for the past two years, equally as the star performers of other finance companies are also migrating to the VFD-Funding Group. To contact Brad, you can call him at: 710-231-2822, or by e-mail at Brad@VFD-Fire.com
February 4, 2008 VFD-Fire Owner Decides to Maintain and Grow Group Although the prospects of returning to retirement may have had its appeal, VFD-Fire Group owner Will Griffin has decided to keep and grow the fire truck selling business at least for the next few years, due to market opportunities. With the plight of E-One, the very recent bankruptcy of American La France and other manufacturers predicting a market decline in 2008, the opportunities could not be better for the VFD-Fire Group to continue to grow and exploit the demise of so many other companies in the industry, as their sales decline, market share declines and they price themselves out of the market. The company sees the current market conditions and the absolute state of confusion of the industry and dealer networks, along with the administrative entropy of many companies as opportunities that should not be neglected. Companies such as E-One and American La France have demonstrated they do not have scientific strategies for remediation and that this is a great time for opportunities for a company postured as well as the VFD-Fire Group. Oshkosh (Pierce) has predicted (2/1/08) a 15%-20% decline in their sales in 2008 due to municipal budgets, but as the result of the VFD-Funding Group's more affordable and longer term financing, VFD-Fire Group is predicting and already seeing an increase in sales and this to potentially include sales that may have gone to Pierce. Instead of divestiture, the VFD-Fire Group is actively discussing with a few select manufacturers regarding the strategic marketing potentials, while the VFD-Fire Group is also considering marketing and manufacturing their own line of apparatus, except for aerials and quints, which will be referred to the strategic marketing partners. "We simply can build most of these trucks ourselves with some smaller shops at lower costs, using the same chassis, the same parts, build them with the same or higher quality, market them at lower prices, and we have far better financing and other options, which will make the apparatus acquired through us to be far more appealing and affordable", concluded Griffin. Griffin and the senior staff also concluded that even if financing were offered to a potential acquiring company, there isn't a manufacturer capable of handling and effectively managing the traffic from this many web sites, even if the could afford to acquire it in better market conditions. In contrast, Griffin and the VFD-Fire Group are in a position to acquire a company currently in financial distress, which is indeed an option that Griffin will keep open throughout the year. VFD-Fire Group very quietly and under the industry radar has captured a growing market share, due to the high search engine rankings of so many of the group's web sites. Part of the reasons for this is the gross underestimating by many companies, notably those who use to receive sales referrals from the VFD-Fire Group and its many web sites. This is as true globally, as it is domestic USA. The group no longer gives direct e-mail links to the manufacturers of new fire trucks and the sellers of used fire trucks from any of their web sites, because too many sellers were not servicing the customers and tracking sales was extremely difficult. Regarding the used fire trucks, VFD-Fire will continue to service fire departments directly, but will no longer list apparatus for brokers, who are showing they have a growing inventory of fire trucks they cannot sell. Most of the VFD-Fire Group's sales of used apparatus have come from customers of brokers/dealers contacting the VFD-Funding Group for financing, then to find that instead of a used apparatus, the fire department/community was able to afford a new fire truck with full warranties. This has led Griffin and other similar staff members to conclude that several use fire truck brokers no longer may be in business in the near future, certainly as the market diminishes and they are also sending VFD-Fire Group and the VFD-Funding Group their customers. This will continue to increase the company's market share of used apparatus as well. There are no plans to acquire any of the existing used fire truck broker's companies or web sites, because these web sites are the only assets of these companies and with some new SEO strategies being exercised by Griffin and the VFD-Fire Group, these domain names and web sites may be totally worthless in the very near future anyway and the selling departments will simply contact the VFD-Fire Group to either buy or to help them sell their used fire trucks. However, considerations are now being given to acquiring a manufacturer or initiating a manufacturing facility for new apparatus and to refurbish used apparatus. "We love our competition in the fire truck business, whether it is one of the major manufacturers for new apparatus or brokers of used fire trucks, because they spend a lot of their money to advertise and then when the customer does an on-line search for apparatus and/or financing, we make the sale", says Griffin. Often used fire trucks are sold even before they are posted on the Group's many web sites. VFD-Fire Group will be adding more staff to assist customers on a global basis to acquire fire trucks, similarly as the VFD-Funding Group is also beginning to hire employees of other finance companies, who are leaving their employers for higher commissions and better working conditions at the VFD-Funding Group. Although the VFD-Fire Group will continue with fire apparatus sales, the firefighting equipment web sites and the equipment sections of the VFD-Fire sites (referrals) will be divested, to simplify and focus on building and selling new fire trucks, while refurbishing, acquiring, and selling used apparatus in addition to the used fire trucks the group will market for fire department customers. The VFD-Fire Group may be sold at some point in the future, as Griffin and others choose to retire, however, this may not happen until other companies in the industry are in a position to be able to afford the company's assets and then know how to use them effectively. It does not appear this will happen in 2008 or 2009.
January 23, 2008 VFD-Fire Considering Inquiries to be Acquired. As the result of rumors and inquiries, VFD-Fire Group owner Will Griffin and other senior personnel of VDF-Fire Group become intrigued and they are considering the potentials of the entire VFD-Fire Group being acquired or merged with a larger company needing the on-line marketing and sales resources enjoyed by the company. Some of the companies, who have inquired and those who have been contacted to determine their potential interest and needs for these acquisitions are publicly traded on the NYSE, thus who these companies are will not be disclosed, unless/until they are the successful acquiring company, at which time it will be up to them how and what they would disclose to their stockholders and the general public. Griffin is considering some of the options and offers and this to include accepting the acquiring company's stock as a portion of the acquisition payment and to also finance the acquisition for any USA-based company. All options and offers remain open with those who are making serious inquiries and reasonable offers. The dramatic outcomes in 2007 for E-One, after the VFD-Fire Group removed links and E-One models from all of their web sites in January 2007, has clearly shown the value of these web sites to anybody manufacturing, marketing, and selling fire trucks. "I feel sorry for E-One and their stockholders at FSS and I don't delight in what happened to them and certainly their employees throughout 2007, but E-One caused this themselves and they compelled me with no alternative to discontinue sending them customers and then financing their fire trucks" Griffin says. The experiences with E-One also prompted another change which occurred during the last quarter of 2007 which was the removal of the direct links and e-mail contacts to the remaining fire truck manufacturers, due to difficulties in managing, confirming and assuring customer service. The loss of these many links has caused many companies to lose their search engine rankings, in addition to many lost sales, similar to what happened to E-One. "I've not made any decisions as of yet except to listen to any reasonable offers, discuss the potentials, and see who may wish to make an offer to prevent their competition from acquiring all of these web sites and assets", states Griffin. There is a substantial amount of the on-line market share available from and through the VFD-Fire Group. Another option under consideration is for VFD-Fire to continue to grow and acquire their own manufacturing facilities, whether this will happen as a new start up or the purchase of an existing manufacturer. The exit strategy for a few years in the future will be to IPO, if a company already publicly traded isn't purchased by Griffin "We've not really tried to sell fire trucks and in some situations assertively tried not to sell fire trucks and yet somehow we've sold more fire trucks than some of those who employ every tactic and method imaginable trying desperately to sell fire trucks", Griffin states. This is why for so long manufacturers enjoyed direct links from all of the web sites in the VFD-Fire Group, because the volume of inquiries are so significant. When this proved to not work for the company and their customers, they pulled down all of the links and models from the VFD-Fire owned web sites and what happened per someone's search engine rankings is thus of no fault or consequence to the VFD-Fire Group. Thus the paradox that VFD-Fire Group has that which it really does not want and what many others in the industry desire and need. Another potential option is the spinning-off of the firefighting equipment business, which contains two (2) web sites, equipment sections on the other seventeen (17) web sites, and the equipment sections on some of the VFD-Funding Group. Currently, all links for firefighting equipment have been given to Tom Darley at eDarley.com for free, because Griffin and the VFD-Fire Group does not have the time to process all of the inquiries/orders and Griffin does not wish to expand into warehousing, selling and shipping firefighting equipment. Darley is aware that the sites are available to be acquired and that the new owner will then immediately begin to receive all of the traffic, inquiries and sales. A preference for the potential merger or acquisition of the VFD-Fire Group is being given to USA-based companies, who may wish to acquire all of the nineteen (19) web sites in the VFD-Fire group. However, if an offer from a USA-based company doesn't occur and in contrast a good offer is given by a foreign corporation at some point in the future, the VFD-Funding Group may become their new prized assets. Although the proprietary methodologies and Griffin's 'Midas touch" for successful on-line marketing will not be sold, one of the obvious elements of the strategy/methodology is to own as many top-level and generic domain names with web sites as is possible, which is the reason why the VFD-Fire Group owns so many domain names such as these and all of the specific domain names acquired were done so, even if the cost for just the name only was over $25,000. With web sites on these domain names now, their high search engine rankings, the daily visitor traffic each has and the number of inquiries and sales generated, they are certainly worth more than their original acquisition costs now and most certainly with the synergy of all of them combined. "I'm not sure if the rumors and the private inquiries we've received about being acquired were started by our competitors doing some fact-finding-fishing, some trying to figure out how we can have so many web sites rank high in the search engines, or companies and major institutional stockholders of some of these companies toeing the water to see what someone's future stock values may be; but what this has done has been to create some interest in acquiring the VFD-Fire Group by several companies and has now created some interest and consideration for me to divest the entire VFD-Fire Group to someone, who would do very well with these assets and I can then go back to enjoy being a retiree", declares Griffin. Griffin concludes: "I really did not wish to get into the fire truck and firefighting equipment selling business in the first place. I could strangle the guys who left me with all of the bills and all of the work, even though this really grew into a major endeavor and enterprise. All of this grew out of the VFD-Funding.com web site and I had to do something with all of the money I was making, even though the rates we were charging are 1/2 of the industry standards. I started all of this to help other less fortunate folks have a job, gain job skills, and to have something they could grow and grow with . . . I certainly didn't plan to do all of the work or want or need a job myself. Now that some companies are talking to me, inquiring about the potentials of acquisition and thus they are wishing in essence to help me return back to the status of a 'retiree', I'm intrigued and I'm listening." About VFD-Fire Group: The VFD-Fire Group emerged from the VFD-Funding Group which was started by a retired Will Griffin to help several unemployed volunteer firefighters in western Pennsylvania to have a job and then grow into ownership of a company servicing other volunteer fire departments find financing, write grants and to acquire apparatus and equipment at reasonable prices. All work, developments, and acquisitions were solely the efforts of Will Griffin, who remains the sole proprietor and the ultimate decision maker. The web sites in the VFD-Fire Group include: New-Firetrucks.com, New-Fire-Trucks.com, Used-Firetrucks.com, Used-Fire-Trucks.com, Used-Fire-Apparatus.com, International-FireTrucks.com, Tanker-Pumper.com, Pumper-Tanker.com, Firetruck-Dealers.com, Fire-Truck-Dealers.com, Fire-Trucks-Sale.com, Police-Cruiser.com, Firefighting-Equipment.biz, Firefighting-Supplies.com, and VFD-Fire.com. Domain names which have yet to have web sites developed include: VFDFire.com, Used-Pumpers.com, Used-Aerials.com, Used-Tankers.com, and Used-Rescues.com.
January 18, 2008
VFD-Fire Announces Alliance Agreement with
OBX Fire Tech VFD-Fire Group is announcing that as of the beginning of 2008, we have entered into a strategic alliance with OBX Fire Tech of North Carolina to service customers needing to repair and refurbish existing apparatus. So far in 2008, even at this early date, VFD-Fire has also sent four (4) orders for new wildfire units and mini-pumpers to OBX Fire Tech to construct to the fire departments' requirements. As there has been major industry disruptions and failures in the past couple of years with the dealer networks of the major manufacturers, this has created tremendous opportunities for VFD-Fire Group to service customers of other dealers/companies and to then to have these fire department customers become VFD-Fire loyal and thrilled customers for service, repairs, refurbishing, updating, upgrades, and to also purchase new and used fire trucks from the VFD-Fire Group. Many customers are reporting they will now become long-term VFD-Fire customers, due to the customer service and very reasonable and affordable prices. In 2007, VFD-Fire Group enjoyed massive growth as the result of more fire departments choosing VFD-Fire to buy and sell their used apparatus and to buy new apparatus at discounts and prices far less than most others in the industry have charged. This was also the result of higher search engine rankings of more VFD-Fire Group web sites and due to many manufacturer dealers simply failing to provide prompt and professional customer service to fire departments. Indications are that the problems manufacturers have been experiencing with their dealer networks won't improve in 2008, thus VFD-Fire Group will only get more requests for repairs, refurbs and to sell more new and used fire trucks in cooperation with the smaller manufacturers, who are currently represented by the VFD-Fire Group and from whom VFD-Fire purchases new apparatus. "We simply serviced the customers and our fees and prices are less than anybody else, so it is no wonder we have grown and we continue to acquire more customers, who may have been with another company for decades", says VFD-Fire Group owner Will Griffin. Griffin also explains: "We've had dealers not return our phone calls and not even reply to our e-mails to sell us equipment and apparatus, so we simply spent our money and referred our customers to someone who did." As more younger officers are moving up the ranks, they are all web savvy and web literate, thus they are researching and seeing that often the $450K fire truck and the $200K fire truck have the same chassis, pump gpm, pump manufacturer and same tank size and type. Thus, brand loyalty is quickly waning in the industry. Now that VFD-Fire Group will provide certification, repairs, refurbishing and upgrades of apparatus, while also processing financing for this work, more fire departments will choose this option and to purchase their new or newer used apparatus through the company. The trade-in program and the in-house grant program of the VFD-Funding Group will also motivate more customers to migrate to VFD-Fire Group. OBX Fire Tech, is owned by Willie Wimmer, who is a EVT formerly with KME. Willie is certified on Detroit diesels, Allison transmissions, Hale pumps, Waterous pumps, Darley pumps and aerial repairs. Willie will also work with the VFD-Fire Group to help sell both new and used apparatus. VFD-Fire has also discussed a similar alliance with James Wessel at Brindlee Mountain Fire and to also refer some used apparatus customers to Brindlee, however, no formal written agreement has been processed as of yet. Griffin states: "I've been sending some customers to James for a few years now, but we have never had anything more than a verbal or e-mail confirming agreement. As we overload OBX with repairs, refurbs and building smaller units for us; we will then send this overage to Brindlee, because we know James and his people will provide our standards of excellent customer service." More such repair and refurbishing agreements are anticipated in 2008, certainly as many shops of the former dealerships of the major manufacturers and other smaller shops/manufacturers are contacting VFD-Fire to enter into such strategic alliances and to obtain financing for the work their customers are requesting.
January 16, 2008 No Merit to Rumors VFD-Fire Group Has Been Sold. To dispel rumors, but to clarify matters, VFD-Fire Group has not been sold and no serious negotiations for the sale have occurred with any company to acquire the company and its nineteen (19) web sites. The inquiries regarding the rumors and the rumors themselves may be the result of competitors of the VFD-Fire Group attempting to do some fact-finding fishing, other larger manufacturers toeing the water, and/or investment groups looking at potentials of either acquiring the VFD-Fire Group or investment into companies who have their apparatus listed and sold by the VFD-Fire Group. However after several such inquiries, the potential does exist the owner of the company, Will Griffin, may now consider such a sale and may even finance the qualified buyer in the future, if a reasonable offer is submitted by a qualified buyer. If it is sold, then this will be a turn-key operation, with all of the web site assets of the company including domain names, existing web sites, forms, processes, documents, current search engine positions and existing fire truck order inquiries will be part of the sale. The sale will be complete and final, although it is possible the firefighting equipment component of the group and the two (2) corresponding web sites may be sold separately. In addition to the rumor being untrue VFD-Fire Group has been sold, no sales price or valuation determinations have been made regarding the VFD-Fire cluster. Although one barometer of the value may be demonstrated by what happened to E-One in 2007, after VFD-Fire Group was compelled to discontinue listing, marketing and referring sales to E-One as the result of poor customer service and lack of responses to customers to purchase apparatus by E-One and their dealers. At the beginning of 2007, E-One was poised to receive $25M in tax considerations, if they stayed in Ocala, FL and also expanded and upgraded their facilities. During this time the VFD-Fire Group discontinued sending domestic USA and International sales referrals to E-One, while also removing all listings of E-One models and links to E-One's web site. This was the result of poor customer service from E-One dealers and then ultimately E-One corporate, who for whatever reason put it into writing they were trying to not sell fire trucks.. The VFD-Fire Group has it well documented how seventy-five (75) apparatus sales were lost by E-One (includes USA and international sales) due to the lack of service to VFD-Fire and their customers from mid-November 2006 through mid-January 2007. The VFD-Fire Group was then compelled to refer these customers to other manufacturers and to purchase apparatus from other manufacturers for their customers. By the end of 2007, E-One had reported a loss of over $20M, had losses each and every quarter in 2007, had upper management changes/replacements, and laid off 10% of their 1,300 employees. VFD-Fire Group found no delight in the demise of E-One, however, E-One only damaged themselves and only have themselves to blame, while at the same time showing what may be the annual sales and total value of all of the web sites in the VFD-Fire Group cluster. To provide quality customer service, the VFD-Fire Group continues to refer the order inquires to others. In 2007 of the 12 domain names, which have web sites, VFD-Fire Group enjoyed a total of 215,048 visitors, although some of these included visitors to VFD-Funding.com, which is not part of the VFD-Fire Group. All of these visitors were looking for fire trucks and firefighting equipment for sale. Of these 12 VFD-Fire Group web sites, 6 of them were not acquired or had web sites on them until June of 2007. There are an additional 7 domain names, which do not, nor have they every had a web site on them, but this will soon change in 2008. Thus with the 12 web sites continuing to rank higher in the search engines and with their growing visitor traffic, 6 sites which are now beginning to rank higher in the search engines and with the 7 top level domain names, which do not have web sites developed on them, it is very likely total number of USA and international visitors to the VFD-Fire Group web sites will easily top over 350,000 in 2008. "I'm retired and wish to get back to acting more like a retiree" declares VFD-Fire Group owner Will Griffin. All of the web sites and businesses in Will Griffin Fire, including the VFD-Fire Group, VFD-EMS Group and VFD-Funding Group were purchased and developed to give some under-employed and unemployed volunteer firefighters jobs. The venture has grown rapidly and huge, where either more expansions will occur, or the companies will be sold to larger enterprises who could use and need the on-line dominance that the web sites in the VFD-Fire Group have grown to enjoy and which will continue to become the preeminent cluster for many years to come. If the VFD-Fire Group is not sold, then the potentials exists that the company will acquire a manufacturer, or may develop a facility of their own to be located in the State of Florida in 2008. Offering higher wages and profit sharing will be used to recruit top management and skilled workers, if such a facility does indeed become the option exercised by owner Will Griffin. However, unless there is a reasonable offer, it is unlikely the company will be sold in 2008, because of the significant potentials it will only grow more valuable throughout the year and perhaps more than double in revenue, profits, and value. Any fire truck manufacturing or selling company wishing to discuss such a potential purchase and to have such a purchase financed should contact Will Griffin. "I'll consider any reasonable offer and if a company's credit/history are good, I'll finance any reasonable offer. But, who knows...I might either buy or build our own manufacturing plant in the very near future...we'll just have to see what the future holds. If I don't sell the fire truck selling business, continue to build upon our growth and certainly if I acquire or build a manufacturing plant of our own, then it would seem more than E-One may be making the Lamentations of Jeremiah look like a whimper in 2008 and for many years to come", states Griffin. Several fire truck manufacturers have been contacted to determine the interest in acquiring the VFD-Fire Group and the valuation of all of the assets. Any company making a reasonable offer will also be given consideration for reasonable financing, which is estimated to be 5% down, 5% interest and for a term of 5 years. However, much depends upon the offer and the company making the offer. If the VFD-Fire Group is not sold, then in addition to financing and huge visitor traffic, the objective will be to continue to sell high quality fire trucks for less than other manufacturers/dealers are charging, which will reduce prices and profits throughout the industry in time. IF/when the VFD-Fire Group may be sold, a joint announcement from Griffin and the new acquiring owners will be made public.
January 14, 2008
VFD Fire to Benefit From VFD-Funding Group
New Changes VFD-Fire Group will make it even easier and affordable for fire departments to acquire new and used fire trucks as the result of the internal grant program and changes in the financing offered by VFD-Funding Group, for qualified programs. Beginning immediately, any and all new and used listed and offered for sale by the VFD-Fire Group will qualify for a Griffin Fire Grant and also reduced rate financing offered directly by the VFD-Funding Group. A Griffin Fire Grant is available to USA volunteer or combined fire departments, who purchase their apparatus through the VFD-Fire Group, or who are financed by the VFD-Funding Group. Grants range from $500 to $75,000 and can be applied to a wide range of legitimate purposes. It is anticipated that a total amount of $3.6M will be offered in 2008, however, this amount may increase later in the year, depending upon the success of the program. More information about Griffin Fire Grants is available by visiting the Griffin Fire Grants page. "We've tried to work with many dealers and manufacturers in the past, but we've found those who don't respond to phone calls, e-mails or any attempt to purchase apparatus from them by the departments and even with us", states owner Will Griffin. As the result of this lack of quality and professional customer service, only manufacturers and dealers with agreements with VFD-Fire will have their apparatus to qualify for grants. Similarly, the VFD-Funding Group will purchase and then make available both new or used apparatus under a low cost and low interest rate for fire departments. Only those apparatus listed and sold through the VFD-Fire Group will be purchased and then offered to qualified fire departments in this lease purchase program. As VFD-Funding will be the direct and initial purchaser of the apparatus, this will simplify the process for the company, purchasing departments, and for the dealers & manufacturers. Competitive bids will be sought from those manufacturers with marketing agreements with VFD-Fire, unless the customer requests specific apparatus made by a particular manufacturer. A total number of up to 250 pieces of apparatus is expected to be sold globally in 2008, using the new VFD-Funding lease-purchase program.
January 2, 2008
VFD Funding Group Expands Financing
Offerings to VFD-Funding Group has expanded their financing offering to now include refurbishing and repairs of fire trucks, in addition to the financing for acquisition of new and used fire trucks and the many other types of projects which have been historically and traditionally assisted by the company. As a product of the VFD-Fire Group's abilities to take trade-ins, the VFD-Fire Group will finance any repairs, restorations and/or refurbishing completed by VFD-Fire Group authorized shops and dealerships. There will be no administrative fees added to the financing of such repairs by the VFD-Funding Group for VFD-Fire Group customers. "Too many departments need to upgrade and update their existing apparatus, or to do repairs/refurbishing to extend the life and use of these fire trucks with their very limited budgets, instead of trying to buy a used apparatus and certainly for new apparatus", states VFD-Funding Group owner Will Griffin. "As we now have authorized shops and EVT certified staff affiliated with us to help the company with those apparatus taken as trade-ins, it only makes sense to send some of our fire department customers to these shops and then to also provide the financing for the work needed to be done." The additional funds to finance repairs/refurbishing will come from the discontinuation of financing of used fire trucks for any company, dealer, or broker who are not in formal and written strategic alliance agreements with the VFD-Fire Group. To also help fund the repair/refurb financing, only new & used fire trucks listed and sold through the VFD-Fire Group will qualify for the VFD-Funding Group internal financing. These savings will enable the VFD-Funding Group to help more departments to repair, refurb or replace their fire trucks. More Information: The VFD-Funding Group is a division of Will Griffin Fire and is under the direct management of Sr. V.P. Mr. O. Kheir. OKheir@VFD-Funding.com The web sites in the VFD-Funding Group include: VFD-Funding.com, VFD-Financing.com, VFD-Loans.com, Fire-Grants.com, FireTruck-Leasing.com, Firehouse-Funding.com, Firehouse-Financing.com, Fire-Stations.com, 911-Funding.com, 911-Financing.com, Ambulance-Funding.com, Hospital-Funding.com, Tax-Exempt-Leasing.com, Lease-Program.com, Municipal-Funding.com. The web sites in the VFD-Fire Group include: New-Firetrucks.com, New-Fire-Trucks.com, Used-Firetrucks.com, Used-Fire-Trucks.com, Used-Fire-Apparatus.com, Used-Pumpers.com, Used-Tankers.com, Used-Quints.com, Used Rescues.com, International-FireTrucks.com, Tanker-Pumper.com, Pumper-Tanker.com, Firetruck-Dealers.com, Fire-Truck-Dealers.com, Fire-Trucks-Sale.com, New-Ambulances.com. New-Ambulance.com, Used-Ambulance.com, Police-Cruiser.com
January 1, 2008
VFD Funding Group Exercises Tighter
Controls for Starting in 2008, VFD-Funding Group has initiated tighter controls on the banks and finance companies receiving projects, referrals and other services from the VFD-Funding Group. "We've made our agreements with banks and finance companies to be much more formal and structured than we did in the past", declares VFD-Funding Group owner Will Griffin. Similarly, if a bank or finance company is not in a formal alliance with the VFD-Funding Group, services such as appraisals, apparatus condition research, certifications, referrals, and other services are not extended to that bank or finance company. "Back in the beginning, we had some finance companies and banks we tried to work with on a friendly and professional basis that were not only ripping us off, but our customers as well, so we discontinued these relationships immediately upon learning that someone's rates/fees were higher than they declared to us, excessive, ARM, they attempted to circumvent us, and we give no second chances to such banks and finance companies", states Griffin. VFD Funding Group will not arrange any financing that is ARM based, because it has been the company's policy to have low fixed rate financing as the only financial products offered. These restrictions are similar to the limitations which were previously imposed last year on some of the fire truck brokers, who were making large fees/commissions for doing absolutely nothing but complicating and losing sales for the fire departments trying to sell their used apparatus. These companies didn't provide any condition assurances, documentation, or any other services to either the selling or buying fire departments. They offer no documentation, which is necessary to enable the transaction and is imperative for the buying department to have of record. Starting January 1, 2008 VFD-Funding Group will only internally finance new and used fire trucks which are listed on VFD-Fire Group web sites for the owners or apparatus which is directly owned by the VFD-Fire Group. Referrals to other finance companies and banks will occur for other apparatus only if these fiduciary companies are in formal strategic alliance agreements with the VFD-Funding Group and meet their very high standards. If the apparatus is listed with any broker receiving fees/commissions, other than the VFD-Fire Group and those with structured formal affiliate agreements, the VFD-Funding Group will not internally finance the acquisition, but will refer the project to one of the banks underwriting the VFD-Funding Group, where such a formal strategic alliance agreement exists. Also from early company experiences, VFD-Funding simplified the documentation and streamlined the processes, due to much confusion and loss in trying to cooperate with some other used fire truck brokers and some of the new fire truck dealers. Too often customers were not contacted, trucks were sold without notification, some trucks listed by brokers were bogus, and VFD-Funding quickly learned that most of these brokers and dealers were not trustworthy, honest, professional, or friendly. If a broker/dealer advertises hundreds of used fire trucks for sale, it is because there is either something wrong with them, or there is something wrong with the fire trucks that they can't sell them. This led to the concern that similar was being experienced by the many fire department customers of Will Griffin Fire and an industry standard needing immediate remediation. There are those fire truck brokers, who will never receive VFD-Funding Group financing again and as banks contact VFD-Funding to determine value and condition of a fire truck they are considering financing, the company advises these banks not to finance the apparatus of some brokers, due to the high risk of unreliable and uncertified apparatus typically offered by some of the used fire truck brokers. Currently, only those brokers/dealers with a proven track records, who have entered formal written agreements with VFD-Fire Group and who have agreed to use VFD-Fire Group's documentation, processes and standards of excellence for professional customer service will have their apparatus listed on the many Will Griffin Fire web sites and will qualify for financing assistance through the VFD-Funding Group. Therefore, if a fire truck dealer doesn't have the VFD-Funding logo/link on their web site, they are not financed by or through the VFD-Funding Group. More Information: The VFD-Funding Group is a division of Will Griffin Fire and is under the direct management of Sr. V.P. Mr. O. Kheir. OKheir@VFD-Funding.com The web sites in the VFD-Funding Group include: VFD-Funding.com, VFD-Financing.com, VFD-Loans.com, Fire-Grants.com, FireTruck-Leasing.com, Firehouse-Funding.com, Firehouse-Financing.com, Fire-Stations.com, 911-Funding.com, 911-Financing.com, Ambulance-Funding.com, Hospital-Funding.com, Tax-Exempt-Leasing.com, Lease-Program.com, Municipal-Funding.com.
Contact us at VFD-Funding today or fill out our convenient on-line feedback form, give us your wish list and tell us a little about your organization and then let's see what all we may be able to do for you and your volunteer fire department, rescue squad or EMS service. REMEMBER, there are NO up front costs or fees required. Last modified: April 20, 2008
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