RUMOR: Dr. Mueller calls it a day

[solarmeter®]

Or.... Writing on the wall for LED tanning beds?

Maybe. Maybe not.

Back when I worked at GM engrg car tailights with LEDs were an expensive novelty. Now there are quite a few on the road (not counting fake-LED-looking bulb versions). When I was in Japan last week real LED taillights are everywhere - big time. Even on late model trucks.

[RobertK]

Wow Digital your horns are showing. Sorry you are so irked.

First I did indeed work at Future but certainly never got fired. Infact I choose to leave two years ago to pursue other avenues. Twan will certainly back that up so give him a call. If you read my posts above I did not say one negative thing about Future nor did I bash them. In fact I do not think anyone was bashing them. As for KBL I was there last year and they have a rather large facility accross the street from those fancy offices where there sure were a lot of people working on a lot of beds. I go to Germany on a regular basis and have been to KBL a couple of times and Dr Muller many times so I think I can shed some light on this topic. I certainly do not have it in for anyone nor am I pissy and if I spend anymore time on my stuff I better get rid of my wife. Thanks for asking and I always enjoy reading such intelligent posts.

Robert

ps Hopefully this cleared things up for you but if not please feel free to give me a call. (888) 526-7712 x77

[John]

KBL has a huge factory, very clean also. The only bigger one in Germany would be Ergoline. KBL does send unassembled beds here to some US Distributors. They add thier own lamps & componets, keeps cost down.

[digital11]

Let me rephrase what I said:
Some of you pick on some, and some of you who pick on some also protect some, ok so you have favorites and people you may not like.

My point was like, how come you have so much time on your hands ... the guys you pick on seems to have very little or no time to devote to this crap.

In regards to RobertK, I refer to earlier notes on Future, he sounded like a sourpuss. Future, I understand to be a well run company (and I don't even have any equipment from them) that has had weak supplier.
So, in regards to Mueller, well it seems to me that place has been going down hill for 5-6 years already. And they may have had real people on real payroll, but certainly no manufacturing in house for a while.
In regards to KBL, same thing, nice and clean, no welding, drilling, painting etc. Assembly at best. My friends never saw a screwdriver. Not that I care, I was just yapping. They sell even less than the Muellers here.

Me thinking that this site should be a site to exchange ideas, not taking people down, wishful thinking maybe, since I am pretty direct myself. Ciao.

[RobertK]

Hey everyone is entitled to their opinions. You would be amazed how many of those people that you say do not have time actually spend a fair bit of time reading up on the boards.

Sourpuss....not a bit. I choose to leave and started my own company and could not be more pleased. Have never looked back.

Muller as much as most tanning manufactures has indeed been "manufacturing". Parts come in from many different suppliers and the beds are "manufactured". Do they mold the plastic or paint the pieces themselves? No but most do not! Same goes for almost all the beds you see. There is not enough volume in tanning beds to own and operate some of the true manufacturing procceses.

KBL is much much larger then Muller and does indeed sell more beds now in the US then Muller.

[angell1964]

Digital11- I will step in for Robert. He didt get fired. He resigned. So dont assume all that you hear in the tanning gossip world. And if you knew Rob you would know how smart he is and why hes has successful businesses. And if your saying Rob was the CEO of Future which that is what it looks like your saying your wrong again. So dont throw stones unless you know for sure. I didnt think he was pissy at all and dont be jealous of a successful buisiness man. A very happy successful business man at that. He knows his sh-t and people cant handle that. Drew, AUVL is not a bed it is a lamp.

[totaleclipse]

well i have foreign tanners here that go to college near by .. funny thing the other day .. they said to me .. i heard certain parts of europe are taking out the tanning beds... maybe thats what they meant... LOL

[digital11]

Angell:
RobertK a Future CEO? Hmmm, funny, where did you get that.

AUVL, yeah maybe a lamp today, but if I recollect it was the name of the first company that purchased the assets of Mueller some years ago.
Ladies (?) first, don't mean to be picking on you, but hey, facts right? By the way I did talk to a bird at Future today and will leave it at that.

I wish all the best, as long as they are honest and work hard and tell the truth. I don't like b-s artists that promote their own stuff backwards through posts. I'd those suckers, rather than continue a pissing contest.

[angell1964]

Digital-(You did work for Twan Bentlage, CEO of Future, and got fired as I understand it?) This is where you said it. Looks to me like you may have written it wrong. Check into the history of AUVL. Get back to me on it. And just for your FYI, your bird at Future may be wrong. Did you ever think about that?

[Drew]

So Twan ISN'T the CEO of Future Ind.????

Then who the hell is the CEO if it isn't Twan??

Who the hell was Robert working for if it wasn't Twan???

Angel? Hello. WTF?

And I know that AUVL is a lighting company as the stupid name suggests. But when you are putting AUVL on all the Glass that used to say Dr. Mueller..well......you pretty much re branded the bed AUVL.

And I don't care how badly you all want to confuse the American Tanning salon owners about who makes what and where it is made and who assembles what bed and what company hasn't been paid by whom or who owns the name and the molds and can anyone else get them and make them etc.

Bottom line is, the US market sucks now and has sucked for a few years. Niche players like Mueller did great when things were booming but are DOA during a consolidation.

If the EU doesn't figure out it screwed up royally with their new irradiance rules...look for a total crash in the EU tanning industry. But word is that they actually may be able to get that ammended somewhat PRIOR to the enforcement of the new law. (which currently is a clusterphuck as to when and how and what countries will enforcement start etc)

Don Smiths article in the TANNING JOURNAL was dead on..and I may add, it was hillariously written in "Donsense" and the Europeans must have had a hellava time trying to understand what we here in the USA allready know we can't understand.

KBL's distribution is worse in the US than Muellers was. Don't look for big things from them. They can't even figure out why the Muellers outperformed the hell out of them. Maybe they don't care either.

[angell1964]

It looked like you said Robert was the CEO, Yes Twan is the CEO. You have anger management problems. I am sorry to say that AUVL didnt take over any GLASS that may have said DR. Mueller. Dr. Mueller is the manufacturer of tanning beds. AUVL is the name of a brand of lamp. Why is it a stupid thing???? I dont get it. Do you know what it means??? May not be so stupid if you knew that. Calm down killer Mueller is an awesome bed. Tans great and the beds last forever.

[digital11]

Come now Angel, no need to get testy, dear.

My statement: -(You did work for Twan Bentlage, CEO of Future, and got fired as I understand it?)
Had I said -(You did work for Twan Bentlage, as CEO of Future, and got fired as I understand it?) then it would mean something different.

Anyhow, yes in the US AUVL may be a lamp, but in Germany it is/was the name of the company that now owns or owned the trademark Dr. Mueller, the brand of the bed. I was at Solaria a few years ago, so I know. The guys in California that really started the Mueller thing here used to own the name Mueller and sold it to Ergoline. It is all on the Looking Fit web, no mystery there my dear Angel. Google and you shall learn. Original Dr. Muller with the two dots on the u. There is another Dr. Muller at some of the airports in Germany, they have smaller rooms but no beds oddly enough. Boy I feel like being funny today. Anyone been there?

[John]

Essen, Germany, May 9 , 2008


Zonnepark Holding BV (the Netherlands) is pleased to announce the acquisition of Original Dr. Müller (Germany) from AUVL Gmbh (Germany).


Original Dr. Müller is becoming a full member of the Zonnepark group with professional production and distribution of a.o. Ultrasun, Gardasun, Sunfit, Stayl and now also Original Dr. Müller in 55 countries.


By joining the Zonnepark group, Original Dr. Müller and her customers, will enjoy the continuous benefits of Zonnepark’s centralized production facilities in Germany, global leadership and worldwide partnerships in the professional tanning market.

Zonnepark Holding BV

Willem Fabels, President

[Jim Fisher]

well there you go

[navigatin1]

Originally Posted by navigatin1

False!!! They are moving to a new factory/builder for their line of equipment.

Dr Muller is alive and doing fine.

Allow me to quote MYSELF from the begining of this topic.

[jbizz]

There is a rumor circulating that Original Dr. Müller is calling it a day—but here's the real scoop from a press release I received this morning from Willem Fabels: it has been acquired. Netherlands-based Zonnepark Holding BV has acquired Original Dr. Müller from the German company, AUVL Gmbh.

Original Dr. Müller will become a full member of the Zonnepark group, which currently oversees the production and distribution of Ultrasun, Gardasun, Sunfit and Stayl equipment in 55 countries.

By joining the Zonnepark group, Original Dr. Müller and its customers will enjoy the benefits of Zonnepark’s centralized production facilities in Germany, global leadership and worldwide partnerships in the professional tanning market.

[RobertK]

Ok folks lets not jump to too many conclusions just yet.

The factory is closing and all the employees were given notice. Dr Muller as we know it will no longer be.

Ultrasun did buy the name and designs. Time will tell what they will do with it.