"Matt Langenfeld" writes:

Perhaps I should have phrased differetly. I'm not discountig the value
added by distributers.

Distributors are well down on the food chain in the epoxy business.

There are probably no more than 5, possibly 6, manufacturers of base epoxy
resin in the world.(Shell, Dow, & Ciba come to mind).

The base resin by itself doesn't even make a good boat anchor.

The value add to these base resins comes from those who develop and supply
the catalysts to create a system.

I have no idea how many of the firms exist on a world wide basis, but the
quantity is substantial. (In the US, WEST & Systems3 come to mind)

Distribution provides value add by providing time, place and package size
value add to the process.

As an example, my supplier(distributor) will deliver 500 lb drums of resin
and 40 lb pails of hardener on my door step with 24 hour notice at
competitive price levels.

Without that support, I wouldn't be building a boat.

HTH


--
Lew

S/A: Challenge, The Bullet Proof Boat, (Under Construction in the Southland)
Visit: http://home.earthlink.net/~lewhodgett for Pictures
--
Lew

S/A: Challenge, The Bullet Proof Boat, (Under Construction in the Southland)
Visit: http://home.earthlink.net/~lewhodgett for Pictures