It’s important to know who you are dealing with

It would be silly to part with your hard earned cash without doing a due diligence. Have you done your research? I’ve certainly done mine.

ICOM Inc. is a Japanese manufacturer of radio transmitting and receiving equipment founded in 1954 by Tokuzo Inoue. The company’s original name being “Inoue”. Its products now include equipment for radio amateurs, pilots, maritime applications, land mobile professional applications and radio scanner enthusiasts.

According to the last publicly published data: year to year, ICOM’s revenue is up 7.73%. Employees: 1,080. As per the chart above: a solid 24% growth in the past 6 months. At a time when things are globally going from bad to worse, when competition from Chinese radio manufacturers is heating up, ICOM is doing just fine. In April next year ICOM is celebrating their 70th anniversary. ICOM is here to stay.

Yes, before I decided to part with my hard earned cash, I did my research. And I am more than happy to invest in ICOM radios. With the end goal to keep every available transceiver, receiver and accessory in stock, at all times, a significant chunk of working capital will be permanently frozen. But I am quite happy with that. It’s worth it, and dividends will be paid in years to come.

My question is simple: are you doing your own research? Not necessary in a type or a model of radio you want to invest in, but rather in the long term relationship between you and the brand you are investing in? Is that manufacturer going to be around in 70 years from now, happy to support you, ‘look after you’? Does the brand have sufficient capital to invest in research and development? Solid workforce with 70 years of experience making a cutting edge product?

And broader: are you ready to support a dealer like myself who is absolutely

blown away with ICOM, who spends hours every day on air, using ICOM radios?

Or a dealer who has no actual stock on hand, relentlessly discounting and disrespecting the product?

One thing is certain: you know that I am not paid to speak highly of ICOM. I am a dealer, but my opinion is not for sale.  And definitely not because I am desperate to make a sale. I am doing it from conviction and from due respect for a maker that makes my hobby immensely enjoyable.

As always, the choice is yours. Either way, I am here to serve you.