Please identify and locate at least three companies which are major
players in the U.S. in the business of manufacturing and/or importing
stainless steel neckchains (for jewelry pendants). The larger the
selection of styles and
sizes the better. The chains need to be fully finished and ready to
wear. Some may be plated with rhodium or gold over the stainless
steel. My customers need sturdy attractive chains at modest prices.
Bulk packaging is fine;display
packaging for retail is unnecessary. I seek direct wholesale
suppliers to the trade only, not middlemen or retailers. Furnish
company website URL's or (if no website) other contact info including
company name, email address, phone,fax,
mailing address. |
Request for Question Clarification by
ericynot-ga
on
07 Jan 2003 09:20 PST
Hi efstathios,
I looked hard, but couldn't find three sources. Apparently no other
researcher was able to either. Would you settle for one source that
looks pretty good (a decent variety of styles at approximately
$30/dozen)?
ericynot-ga
|
Clarification of Question by
efstathios-ga
on
15 Jan 2003 15:55 PST
I will settle for the one source, provided that it is really a
manufacturer or importer selling wholesale to the trade, not someone
selling to the public.
|
Request for Question Clarification by
ericynot-ga
on
16 Jan 2003 07:13 PST
Hi again efstathios,
I have good news, and (maybe) bad news. So, before posting my answer,
I need slightly more clarification.
First off - the good news - I've located a second promising source for
you.
But, here's my question - the chains I've found meet your budget
criteria ("sturdy attractive chains at modest prices"), but in
checking with the suppliers, I find that while they look like it, they
are not actually stainless steel. They are plated base metal, which is
what allows for the budget prices (around $2.50 each) for the
necklaces. Stainless (if we could find it) would cost much, much more.
I uploaded pictures of three of the necklaces I've located to a
website so you can have a look. The ones you'll be looking at are
$18.00/dozen for the snake chain, $33.00/dozen for the braided, and
$30.00/dozen for the bicycle chain. Check 'em out and let me know if
you think they'll work for you.
Links to necklace chain photos:
http://www.lucidmatrix.com/uploads/Flat snake chain.jpg
http://www.lucidmatrix.com/uploads/Braided chain.jpg
http://www.lucidmatrix.com/uploads/Bicycle chain.jpg
Thanks,
ericynot-ga
|
Request for Question Clarification by
ericynot-ga
on
16 Jan 2003 07:19 PST
Additional note - in checking out the links in the Clarification
Request above, I find they won't work as Google has posted them (the
spaces in the jpg file names confused the posting software). To make
them work, you'll have to copy the entire URL address, including the
jpg names like "braided chain.jpg", and paste it into the URL address
box in your browser, then press Go.
Let me know if you have any trouble with this
|
Clarification of Question by
efstathios-ga
on
16 Jan 2003 18:24 PST
Thanks for your effort. I looked at the chains you found, but no good
for me. Real stainless steel is a must. I have been retailing both
stainless steel and plated base metal chains for many years, and there
is a big difference in performance for the customer. I personally
wore a stainless chain against my skin every day for over 20 years.
It never broke, tarnished, turned color, or irritated my skin. Plated
base metal chains are only good for short term use, preferrably over
clothing, because they often react adversely to the body chemistry of
people's skin, as well as to airborne chemicals. Stainless steel
chains need not be much more costly. Currently I am buying stainless
from Bliss Manufacturing in Pawtucket, RI. They only offer 8 styles
(in a variety of lenghths). For example, their 18" stainless chains
range in wholesale price from $13.20/dozen to 25.20/dozen, and that
includes individual display packaging. Bliss manufactures pendants,
but they buy the chains from some company or companies they won't
name. I'd be willing to bet it's someone in Rhode Island or southern
Massachusetts where so much jewelry is made, or perhaps imported from
overseas. I want more selection and to cut out the middleman. I also
buy from Sanford White Co. (also in Pawtucket, RI). Their stainless
chains are priced lower than Bliss, but their selection is even more
limited. I hope this helps. Please try again.
|
Request for Question Clarification by
ericynot-ga
on
22 Jan 2003 13:14 PST
Hi again efstathios-ga,
This question has been tough, but I've stayed in the hunt. I have
found another company that might be able to supply what you're looking
for. Here's the relevant information from their website about their
offerings:
"All items are manufactured in aluminum, brass, copper, stainless
steel, steel, sterling silver and 14/20 gold filled.
All of our chains are available raw or finished to your
specifications, in finishes such as antique, copper, gold, high brass,
rhodium and imitation rhodium.
Please note, we sell to wholesalers and manufacturers ONLY."
In looking at their site, I counted 54 styles of neck chains. The
question is, do you qualify as a "wholesaler" or "manufacturer". If
so, this company may be the source you're looking for. I wouldn't be
surprised if they're supplying Bliss and/or Sanford White.
Of course, they don't post any prices on their website, and they're
not likely to give them to me, but as a manufacturer they should be
quite reasonable.
Let me know if you think the specifics of this company would
constitute a suitable answer for you.
Thanks again,
ericynot-ga
|
Clarification of Question by
efstathios-ga
on
22 Jan 2003 15:30 PST
Sounds like you're making good progress. However, I am a retailer,
not a wholesaler or manufacturer, so if they won't sell to me, this
company will do me no good. At least now I think you have a good idea
what I'm looking for. Please keep up the good work.
|
Request for Question Clarification by
ericynot-ga
on
23 Jan 2003 10:18 PST
Well, I called the outlet I mentioned yesterday to see if they could
give me the names of some wholesalers that buy from them that you
could buy from, and they asked "do you want to buy a bunch of chains",
and I said "yes", and they said, "well, you can buy directly from us",
and I said "but I'm not a wholesaler, I'm a retailer, and your website
says that would be a problem", and she said "you can buy from us, let
me send you a catalog". I told her I'd check with my associate and get
back to her. Sounds to me like you're in the door.
Here are links of photos from their website I've uploaded so you can
look at some of the chains these folks offer:
http://www.lucidmatrix.com/uploads/cable.jpg
http://www.lucidmatrix.com/uploads/rolling.jpg
http://www.lucidmatrix.com/uploads/curb.jpg
http://www.lucidmatrix.com/uploads/rope.jpg
What do you think? These goods look pretty nice to me, and, as much
looking as I've done over the past couple of weeks, I don't think
we're going to find any more stuff on the Internet at present.
ericynot-ga
|
Hi efstathios-ga,
Your question is getting near its expiration date, so I wanted to be
sure, since I believe I've met all your criteria, that I got this
information posted before the question expired.
Your criteria, as refined through RFC's, are:
* need inexpensive stainless steel neck chains
* metals other than stainless steel are not acceptable
* source must be wholesale only, no retail sales
* need at least one source
After exhaustive searching, I was able to come up with a source which
matches all these requirements. This manufacturing company is strictly
wholesale, and sells a good variety of stainless steel (as well as
other metals) neck chains. I counted 54 styles of neck chain offerings
on their website, and "items are manufactured in aluminum, brass,
copper, stainless steel, steel, sterling silver and 14/20 gold filled"
and "chains are available raw or finished to your specifications, in
finishes such as antique, copper, gold, high brass, rhodium and
imitation rhodium". Moreover, "Chains can be supplied on hanks, reels,
cut to length, or assembled to meet your needs."
The source is:
Garlan Chain Company, Inc.
1903 County Street
P.O. Box 3186
South Attleboro, MA 02703
508-399-7288
Their website is here: http://www.garlanchain.com/chain.html
Garlan has a printed catalog available throught their website, and you
can do your ordering over the Internet. They should be an excellent
wholesale solution for you.
If you have any questions about this information, please use the
"Clarify Answer" feature before rating this answer, and I'll respond
promptly.
Thanks for using Google Answers - I've enjoyed doing this research for
you.
ericynot-ga |
Request for Answer Clarification by
efstathios-ga
on
29 Jan 2003 12:12 PST
Thanks for finding Garlan Chain. It looks promising. You earned your
ten bucks. However, I became impatient with this project, and decided
to try again searching for myself. I remembered years ago seeing a
huge set of books in the public library which indexed US
manufacturers. Turns out it is now on the web at
http://www.thomasregister.com/. I tried their product search using
the words "stainless" "chains" and "jewelry", and came up with about
20 makers of stainless steel neckchains, including Garlan. Lots of
these companies have no presence of their own on the web. I received
Garlan's catalog in the mail a couple of days ago, and I'm getting
responses from several others as well. Check out the Thomas Register.
It should help you a lot with your Google answers work. Now I am
going to have to sort through a mountain of information to choose my
chains.
|
Clarification of Answer by
ericynot-ga
on
29 Jan 2003 12:47 PST
Thanks for your feedback about Thomas Register. I'll put it to use. I
hope Garlan - or one of the others - works out well for you.
ericynot-ga
|
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