Aero Leather Clothing trial update

[Sloan1874]

I came upon that statement yesterday when I was looking at their site. It seems like a perfectly normal legal statement to me. Clearly they are prepared to defend themselves in court if it comes to that.

I should think they have been following this thread too judging by what they wrote about “public forums or dimly lit public slanging match with those vindictive parties...”

Anyway this is where I came in and the trial account has been interesting. Although it was probably what most people thought had happened really, and I don’t think there were any great surprises in it. But I still want AL to survive even if some here would like to dance on its grave. In the US there are a few custom jacket makers in competition now, but in the UK it’s just Aero and AL and i don’t want a monopoly situation where prices are ratcheted up.

What about ELC and BK? The latter has definitely set itself up as a competitor.

 

[Otter]

Have BK relocated ?

I blame Big J , but this lyric sums up the whole situation for me:

When logic and proportion
Have fallen sloppy dead
And the White Knight is talking backwards
And the Red Queen's off with her head
Remember what the dormouse said
Feed your head
Feed your head

 

[Sloan1874]

Fair point, I was thinking in terms of adjacent competition - you can get a BK without the agony of import tax etc.

 

[Otter]

Only ATM, I think Grexit is becomming inevitable (apologies for the off topic).

 

[Sloan1874]

Call old fashioned but I've always had an affection for the drachma... Right back on topic.

 

[Carlos840]

This is the same Steve Toohley who WL was letting into the Aero factory early in the morning to make jackets 'to keep his hand in'?
Lucky, that, seeing as he now has WL's job as Production Manager at AL.

Steven Toohey is actually Managing Director, or at least this is how he signed his emails a month ago...

Basically it started with Will Lauder at Aero and Steven working there even though he was not officially employed.
Will then became Managing Director of Alexander, and Steven's position was not confirmed.
When things started coming out, Will Lauder was downgraded to Production Manager, and Steven promoted to Managing Director.

When things got really bad, will was just "not working for them anymore"

It looks like the swap between Will and Steven was just a way of putting Will in a lower position and minimizing the impact on AL...
Better have a criminal employee than a criminal Managing Director!

 

[Big J]

Steven Toohey is actually Managing Director, or at least this is how he signed his emails a month ago...

Basically it started with Will Lauder at Aero and Steven working there even though he was not officially employed.
Will then became Managing Director of Alexander, and Steven's position was not confirmed.
When things started coming out, Will Lauder was downgraded to Production Manager, and Steven promoted to Managing Director.

When things got really bad, will was just "not working for them anymore"

It looks like the swap between Will and Steven was just a way of putting Will in a lower position and minimizing the impact on AL...
Better have a criminal employee than a criminal Managing Director!

Thank you. That's very interesting.

 

[Big J]

Have BK relocated ?

I blame Big J , but this lyric sums up the whole situation for me:

When logic and proportion
Have fallen sloppy dead
And the White Knight is talking backwards
And the Red Queen's off with her head
Remember what the dormouse said
Feed your head
Feed your head

Dude, I moved on to Hawkwind.

 

[Otter]

Dude, I moved on to Hawkwind.

I am NOT going there, no way !

 

[AdeeC]

Steven Toohey is actually Managing Director, or at least this is how he signed his emails a month ago...

Basically it started with Will Lauder at Aero and Steven working there even though he was not officially employed.
Will then became Managing Director of Alexander, and Steven's position was not confirmed.
When things started coming out, Will Lauder was downgraded to Production Manager, and Steven promoted to Managing Director.

When things got really bad, will was just "not working for them anymore"

It looks like the swap between Will and Steven was just a way of putting Will in a lower position and minimizing the impact on AL...
Better have a criminal employee than a criminal Managing Director!

Basically swapping hats. What ever suits?

 

[pawineguy]

The AL statement was probably warranted at this point, if they had been more factual. Why was a production manager setting up and coordinating the collaboration with IH? Seems a bit unusual. And frankly, SA wouldn't be much of a businessman if he brought in WL, from the MD role at Aero, with WL supplying the talent in the form of the defecting employees, and who knows whatever else, and makes him the production manager?? Thanks for everything now get down to the factory floor!? It defies logic.

Edit: The irony of them posting on the IH thread that WL was only involved in operational and machine duties is almost too rich. See @superfluous previous brilliant breakdown of how often WL was mentioned there, clearly in a sales / collaboration role.

 

[Big J]

The AL statement was probably warranted at this point, if they had been more factual. Why was a production manager setting up and coordinating the collaboration with IH? Seems a bit unusual. And frankly, SA wouldn't be much of a businessman if he brought in WL, from the MD role at Aero, with WL supplying the talent in the form of the defecting employees, and who knows whatever else, and makes him the production manager?? Thanks for everything now get down to the factory floor!? It defies logic.

Edit: The irony of them posting on the IH thread that WL was only involved in operational and machine duties is almost too rich. See @superfluous previous brilliant breakdown of how often WL was mentioned there, clearly in a sales / collaboration role.

Or maybe it just denies reality?

 

[pawineguy]

Or maybe it just denies reality?

Well, yes, that too. It certainly is contrary to things previously written about the company.

 

[Capesofwrath]

What about ELC and BK? The latter has definitely set itself up as a competitor.

Eastman doesn’t do custom work. At least they never did, and they seem to have gone off on a strange direction with their civilian jackets. I haven’t been to their site for a while though. I do have an Eastman Irvin type which I like, and I’ve had others in the past like their M422A, but I don’t like wearing military type jackets usually and the RAF is the only one I have now.

Is BK a competitor now? As I said I don’t follow these things that closely anymore, but the only time I had dealings with them they were in Greece and they only did US jackets I think. I don’t think they made any civilian ones then. Pegasus is another who make very good jackets but they’re not in the UK either.

 

[Big J]

Eastman doesn’t do custom work. At least they never did, and they seem to have gone off on a strange direction with their civilian jackets. I haven’t been to their site for a while though. I do have an Eastman Irvin type which I like, and I’ve had others in the past like their M422A, but I don’t like wearing military type jackets usually and the RAF is the only one I have now.

Is BK a competitor now? As I said I don’t follow these things that closely anymore, but the only time I had dealings with them they were in Greece and they only did US jackets I think. I don’t think they made any civilian ones then. Pegasus is another who make very good jackets but they’re not in the UK either.

I'm surprised. You seem to have been following Aero and Alexander leathers though...

 

[Sloan1874]

Eastman doesn’t do custom work. At least they never did, and they seem to have gone off on a strange direction with their civilian jackets. I haven’t been to their site for a while though. I do have an Eastman Irvin type which I like, and I’ve had others in the past like their M422A, but I don’t like wearing military type jackets usually and the RAF is the only one I have now.

Is BK a competitor now? As I said I don’t follow these things that closely anymore, but the only time I had dealings with them they were in Greece and they only did US jackets I think. I don’t think they made any civilian ones then. Pegasus is another who make very good jackets but they’re not in the UK either.

Google is your friend.

 

[jlanderson]

From AL's statement: William Lauder was engaged as an employee of Alexander Leather Company Ltd after his employment with Aero terminated in 2012. His employment with Alexander relates to operational and machine duties and he was never employed in any management capacity or given any directorship or shareholding in Alexander Leathers.

Odd that they would say that as Lauder was listed as Managing Director of the firm early, only to disappear after charges were announced. And threatening legal actions all around? Odder still.

 

[Capesofwrath]

I'm surprised. You seem to have been following Aero and Alexander leathers though...

Not really. I was expecting the trial to take place in March which was the last I could find out from googling the local papers. But then March went by and I searched now and again to see what was happening and saw this. So here I am.

Hardly been here for over a year until a week or so ago. The outerwear forum seems to be almost all about Aero now though. Can’t see the BK bloke posting here anymore either. He got a lot of grief from some of the more partisan members so maybe he just left.

 

[Capesofwrath]

Google is your friend.

I refer you to the answer I gave earlier. As they say in the other place.

 

[Sloan1874]

BK's issues were more to do with attitude than environment.