lougord99 wrote:Can't order a new one on-line so I am going to have to deal with their wonderful ( not ) phone system.
tjr wrote:And on the Weber IPO, probably better than if they were bought by a hedge fund that would strip all the value out and just keep the brand name.
Weber launched its first grill in 1952. Since 2010, it’s been majority owned by BDT Capital Partners, the Chicago-based investment firm and merchant bank founded and led by Byron Trott.
Trott and BDT Capital Partners, as well as Weber’s management, are listed in the filing as being among its biggest shareholders. The company plans to use the IPO proceeds to buy back shares from its holding company and from some existing shareholders.
A planned initial public offering by Weber Inc. would give public investors a taste of the grill maker's red-hot growth.
But if company management can't keep the coals burning, outside shareholders won't have much power to call in a new chef. Like so many recent IPOs, Palatine-based Weber's deal effectively disenfranchises public investors through mechanisms that ensure insiders will retain control after the offering.
Most prominent among those insiders is BDT Capital, a Chicago-based investment firm run by Byron Trott, a former Goldman Sachs exec who earned fame as "Warren Buffett's favorite investment banker." Since launching BDT in 2009, Trott has made a specialty of buying into sizable private companies still controlled by founding families, helping them expand and eventually cash out some or all of their holdings. BDT's investments have included the Wrigley Building, Lou Malnati's, Culligan International, Athletico Physical Therapy, Peet's Coffee, Whataburger, and Tory Burch.
ekreider wrote:Weber has been majority owned by a private equity firm since 2010.
From a Bloomberg story carried by Crain's Chicago Business on July 12:Weber launched its first grill in 1952. Since 2010, it’s been majority owned by BDT Capital Partners, the Chicago-based investment firm and merchant bank founded and led by Byron Trott.
Trott and BDT Capital Partners, as well as Weber’s management, are listed in the filing as being among its biggest shareholders. The company plans to use the IPO proceeds to buy back shares from its holding company and from some existing shareholders.
BDT has had majority control for 11 years and will continue to have majority control after the IPO thanks to a multi-class stock structure.
Joe Cahill's column on July 14 has more information as well as some reasons investors should avoid the IPO.
A planned initial public offering by Weber Inc. would give public investors a taste of the grill maker's red-hot growth.
But if company management can't keep the coals burning, outside shareholders won't have much power to call in a new chef. Like so many recent IPOs, Palatine-based Weber's deal effectively disenfranchises public investors through mechanisms that ensure insiders will retain control after the offering.
Most prominent among those insiders is BDT Capital, a Chicago-based investment firm run by Byron Trott, a former Goldman Sachs exec who earned fame as "Warren Buffett's favorite investment banker." Since launching BDT in 2009, Trott has made a specialty of buying into sizable private companies still controlled by founding families, helping them expand and eventually cash out some or all of their holdings. BDT's investments have included the Wrigley Building, Lou Malnati's, Culligan International, Athletico Physical Therapy, Peet's Coffee, Whataburger, and Tory Burch.
lougord99 wrote:So I ordered a new top on the phone today.
It was actually pretty painless. The guy wanted the serial number from my kettle, explaining that there are several varieties of 22" kettles and this would be sure they were sending the correct top. When I went outside and he was explaining to me where the serial number was, I lost the call because I have a wireless phone at home ( yes I still have a landline ) and I guess it lost the base when I was at the grill. He immediately called me back. Total time on the phone, including waiting for an agent was less than 15 minutes. I would give them a solid B+ to A- on handling the problem.
BrendanR wrote:About six years ago, one of the welds on the lid handle of my daily driver, a circa 2005 Jumbo Joe (the 'full size' 18" portable), broke. It had been threatening to give way for a while. I drilled it out and put in a stainless nut & screw along with a couple washers to hold it back together. Better than new! And I kicked myself for waiting until it actually broke since I'd been babying it for some time. Then, a year or two later, the other side busted through. Buzzt went my drill and a new set of hardware fixed it right up.
Yesterday, I was out cooking and my next door neighbor leaned over the fence to chat. I'd just put some stuff on and couldn't pause and was trying to converse while flipping zucchini planks and pushing shrimp around the various zones. I felt a little silly doing that hunched over a knee high grate. A portable grill was a necessity when I was in an apartment but I've got house now with a mostly covered patio for my outdoor cooking. I don't know that I'll get another 15+ years out of it but I don't see this grill going anywhere soon. It's a good size for my household and, with the welds fixed, it's hard to imagine anything else catastrophic bringing it to an end. It's just a quality product that's been a pleasure to use hundreds of times.
The chimney is the same age and the wire bottom is really getting thin. I've got a replacement chimney on deck but I'll keep using this one till the very end. I wouldn't be surprised if it lasts another season or two.
ronnie_suburban wrote:Well, sad to say that this news probably means that Weber is getting ready to jump the shark. I anticipate that prices will go up and that the quality of goods and service will continue their decline . . .nasdaq.com wrote:Weber, a leading outdoor grilling brand, filed on Monday with the SEC to raise up to $100 million. However, the deal size is likely a placeholder for an IPO that we estimate could raise $1 billion.
Weber states that it is the leading outdoor cooking company, with a 20%+ share of the US and global global outdoor cooking markets in 2020. The company's product portfolio includes traditional charcoal grills, gas grills, smokers, pellet and electric grills, and recently its Weber Connect technology-enabled grills. Weber is the leader in the largest markets in outdoor cooking, and beyond these markets, estimates that it has either the number one or number two brand position in each of the key geographies it serves.
Outdoor grilling brand Weber files for an estimated $1 billion IPO
=R=
Weber Inc., showing the limits of barbecue grill makers going public, cut the size of its initial public offering by more than half and priced it below a marketed range to raise $250 million.
in an email, Weber.com wrote:Dear Ronnie,
This morning you received our weekly "Recipe of the Week" email, which is sent to you every Friday.
In today's email we highlighted a grilled meatloaf recipe. At the time we shared this recipe with you, we were not aware of the unfortunate passing of American singer and actor Mr. Marvin Lee Aday, also known as Meat Loaf.
We want to express our deepest apologies for this oversight and for any offense this email may have caused.
We send our condolences to Mr. Aday's family and fans.
Thank you for understanding.
The Weber Family
G Wiv wrote:I’m incredibly offended at Weber’s lack of foresight and rude insensitive behavior. I’m switching to Charbroil.
RIP Michael Lee Aday
G Wiv wrote:ronnie_suburban wrote:Grilling
Lump charcoal, direct cook, lots of flipping and rotating. It was done in minutes . . . just like it always is.
Steak on the wavy cast iron grate looks cool, that's a bonus point.
One thing I notice, same as on the BGE and such, is the cooking grate is a few inches below the kettle rim. Means you have to stick your hand in a hot grill and more chance of a burn on the side etc. Also harder to cleanly flip delicate proteins.
I have an extender for my BGE, works like a charm, and I notice there are grill hooks on the top part for higher placement.
I'm a Weber guy through and though, doesn't mean there isn't something better out there. Will be interested in your take on the Napoleon after 5-6 goes.
So, can you leave the grate at the lowest position for cooking, and then, using some insulated mitts, fairly easily lift the grate up by those two handles to rest on those higher pegs to make it easier to remove the food? If so, could you do the same to lift the grate occasionally to rest on the higher pegs to flip the food? Or would all that be too much hassle?ronnie_suburban wrote:Looking closely, you'll see that there are actually 2 additional positions where the grate can be placed
Cooking Grates In Lowest Position
Yes, when the grate is in this lowest position, it's a deep and inconvenient reach into the bowl to get to it. Those two additional, higher levels -- facilitated by flat pegs 'hardwired' into the extender above the bowl -- can also hold the grate, and they do provide easier access, even though the trade-off is that using them positions your food pretty far from the heat.
Katie wrote:So, can you leave the grate at the lowest position for cooking, and then, using some insulated mitts, fairly easily lift the grate up by those two handles to rest on those higher pegs to make it easier to remove the food? If so, could you do the same to lift the grate occasionally to rest on the higher pegs to flip the food? Or would all that be too much hassle?ronnie_suburban wrote:Looking closely, you'll see that there are actually 2 additional positions where the grate can be placed
Cooking Grates In Lowest Position
Yes, when the grate is in this lowest position, it's a deep and inconvenient reach into the bowl to get to it. Those two additional, higher levels -- facilitated by flat pegs 'hardwired' into the extender above the bowl -- can also hold the grate, and they do provide easier access, even though the trade-off is that using them positions your food pretty far from the heat.
Katie wrote:Ah, that makes sense; I forgot about them being cast iron.
ronnie_suburban wrote:Weber is currently patting themselves on the back with the release of some 70th Anniversary edition kettles. At $439 each, they're going for about twice the price of many of the standard 22" kettle varieties.
For that extra dough, you can chose one of four limited edition colors, plus you get some wood-like nylon handles (actually preferable to wood, imo), white wall wheels and a hood ornamentesque temperature gauge in the lid. It also comes with an ash catcher and lid bale, making it most analogous to the Master-Touch, which also includes those convenient features and currently runs at $275/each (or ~60% cheaper than the 70th's).
=R=
cito wrote:ronnie_suburban wrote:Weber is currently patting themselves on the back with the release of some 70th Anniversary edition kettles. At $439 each, they're going for about twice the price of many of the standard 22" kettle varieties.
For that extra dough, you can chose one of four limited edition colors, plus you get some wood-like nylon handles (actually preferable to wood, imo), white wall wheels and a hood ornamentesque temperature gauge in the lid. It also comes with an ash catcher and lid bale, making it most analogous to the Master-Touch, which also includes those convenient features and currently runs at $275/each (or ~60% cheaper than the 70th's).
=R=
Being the total cheapskate that I am, I bought the basic 22” grill and placed a galvanized bucket on the bottom triangular wire support (after removing the flimsy ash catcher). Ash problem solved, works better than the buggy Master Touch version.
No need for an inaccurate lid thermometer, all in for slightly more than half the price of a Master Touch…
ronnie_suburban wrote:I recently had an issue with some back-ordered parts from Weber. Older parts, so I had to call, as they were not available on the website. That took some time but I got some good help and thought I was on my way.
However, my credit card had been hacked a few days after the order was placed and I received an email from Weber informing me that if I didn't call to update the payment method within a week, the order would be cancelled. No problem. Made perfect sense and not likely Weber's fault (unless they were responsible for my card getting hacked).
I called the number provided in the email and even though I had the order number, the CSR with whom I spoked required a lot of additional information from me beyond my name, the order number and my email address. Honestly, I think it was easier to get a mortgage. In any case, 20+ minutes later, after quite a bit of fumbling at Weber's end (and me being put on hold several times), I was able to provide them with the new cc number. The CSR didn't sound very confident and didn't seem too competent, so who knows if it actually took. I guess I'll find out soon enough.
ronnie_suburban wrote:However, my credit card had been hacked a few days after the order was placed and I received an email from Weber informing me that if I didn't call to update the payment method within a week, the order would be cancelled. No problem. Made perfect sense and not likely Weber's fault (unless they were responsible for my card getting hacked).
I called the number provided in the email and even though I had the order number, the CSR with whom I spoked required a lot of additional information from me beyond my name, the order number and my email address. Honestly, I think it was easier to get a mortgage. In any case, 20+ minutes later, after quite a bit of fumbling at Weber's end (and me being put on hold several times), I was able to provide them with the new cc number. The CSR didn't sound very confident and didn't seem too competent, so who knows if it actually took. I guess I'll find out soon enough.
=R=
cito wrote:I have a feeling that a call to Weber is also in my future. I have a Genesis gasser that has a rusting rectangular deflector thingy that is nowhere to be found in any exploded diagram that I’ve seen…
ronnie_suburban wrote:cito wrote:I have a feeling that a call to Weber is also in my future. I have a Genesis gasser that has a rusting rectangular deflector thingy that is nowhere to be found in any exploded diagram that I’ve seen…
That may mean that the part has been discontinued . . . or maybe not. But parts I needed that were not on the schematic were, in fact, no longer available.
=R=