We would like to share a lot of positive news with you and also sincerely apologise that it has taken longer than usual to send out this update. To be honest, we have had our hands full in the last few weeks with production, deliveries, company organisation and the health of our staff, but overall we have made great progress and with each passing day things are moving forward and upwards!
As a business, we are pushing the limits of what is possible within our 4 walls. In the last 8 weeks we have completely overhauled our processes and optimised production, organisation and responsibilities. With new investments and additional manpower in the management area, we now have a more streamlined operation and are ready for a bright future with our efficient, well-organised company. In the new setup, we are optimistic that we will complete the production of pre-orders within a few weeks, presumably within October.
We are already seeing a 200% increase in daily volumes, with Anatoli (pictured right) taking over the management of internal production.
We have finally managed to receive the daily quantities from our suppliers that should have been achieved long ago. Significantly more pallets and boxes are now being delivered and circulated by us every day.
Since our suppliers have been delivering higher quantities, we have increased the production team and produce over 100 devices per day, which are usually picked up the next day.
Collections should take place daily. Unfortunately, the shortage of skilled workers also affects us here and we are sometimes stuck with the packages for longer.
This means that the driver has to take twice as many packages the next day.
We would have hoped for pictures like these of DHL cars filled to the brim much earlier. We are all the more pleased that we can now deliver these quantities.
Sometimes a second pick-up car has to be ordered because no more appliances fit into the first car. This is usually done by DHL subcontractors.
And if DHL skips one or even two pick-ups, they send over a big truck that drives the Heatles directly to the depot.
Why is delivery now taking longer than originally communicated?
Only 3 weeks ago, our supplier delivered the daily quantities to us for the first time, which were contractually agreed and already advised for April. Due to the now well-known shortage of skilled workers and the complexity of our technology, it took much longer to find the right supplier and to receive the promised quantities from them. As you can see in this update, as well as from our Instagram videos, production volumes have increased significantly since August, and we expect production to be completed in October. This delay is extremely inconvenient for us and we sincerely apologise for the inconvenience.
Another reason for the delay is our ongoing battle with PayPal, which we have reported about frequently on social media and in the press. The majority of our orders were paid for through this service, but the money never arrived in full and to this day there is a large six-figure sum hanging over PayPal - money that our customers believe they have paid to us so that we can produce. However, we can neither use the money ourselves nor refund it to our customers - it is completely in limbo with no binding statements as to when a payout will even be possible. But since we used the advance sale explicitly to finance the production, this money is missing at all corners, so we have to find it elsewhere - money that is actually already there! This is not only expensive and inconvenient, but also tedious and has sometimes contributed to production delays, as our suppliers also want to be paid on time. Unfortunately, this issue drags on and is a major problem for our customers, who cannot receive refunds as a result, as well as for us.
Despite the enormous challenges with finances and suppliers, we have come extremely far and continue to give everything to complete the deliveries of the pre-orders in the shortest possible time.
Development and optimisation
In order to make production faster and better, our hardware and software engineers (Anton and Adam here) also have to work in the production area.
So we have developed a fully automated test board that tests our induction boards quickly and efficiently. This saves a lot of time and the staff can devote more attention to assembly, quality assurance and logistics.
On-site and repair service
It has often happened that a customer drops a cup or a pot on the Heatle and damages the glass surface - like Alex, for example. Since we have designed the Heatle so that it can be easily repaired, you can send the appliance in or bring it to us so that we can repair it. If the glass plate is cracked, you should not continue to use the device for your own safety. Just contact us and we will replace the glass plate at a reasonable price.
We generally maintain an open-door policy and are always available for our customers at our location, whether for technical problems or for personal collections, like this one from Peter.
Stainless steel knobs available for pre-orders
Finally, the time has come. Since 2021 we have been asked for alternatives to the wooden knobs and these are finally being produced. If you are interested in such a knob, please visit our shop.
Production will take a while, but you can easily replace the knobs yourself if your Heatle arrives before the knobs are produced.
Glass Trays available for pre-orders
Our new glass trays are also going into production and can be pre-ordered. These are not only sustainable, heat and water resistant, but also suitable for all 3 disc sizes. The Triple Trays made of Tritan are no longer in production.
Optimised packaging
Here too, we have listened to our customers and are improving our packaging for the next batch. There will only be one level instead of three, and you have everything right at hand when you open the box. This also makes the packing process easier for us. The inlay is sustainably produced from bagasse and tucked into the box.
Events
We were at the IFA again this year and welcomed our customers and business partners. For the first time, we presented a Heatle that is built into a sink. Above you can see photos of teapots on the sink - there you can heat these vessels with the Heatle principle. This built-in variant has created a very high demand from industrial partners and customers.
