DMP 2000 - Built in the UK?

[chinnyhill10]

While researching some Sinclair stuff I came across this photo of the troubled Timex factory in Dundee. This is the factory that Sinclair made most of the Spectrums in and who Sugar dumped when he launched the +2. Looks like he may have given them some work assembling the DMP2000 to soften up the political situation.





Very interesting. Unlike Sugar to produce stuff in the UK let alone a plant that had such a terrible reputation. Must have had very good reasons.

[khaz]

Could have been political? Even though the manufacturing price of the main hardware had to be the lowest possible for the flagship product (the CPC itself), Amstrad could afford pricing higher an accessory that was essentially a niche product (made for adults with money, unlike videogames). By keeping the factory afloat this way, he could have eased off public and political criticism, which could have hurt their image and therefore their margins much more than artificially keeping open a factory in the red.

[chinnyhill10]

Could have been political? Even though the manufacturing price of the main hardware had to be the lowest possible for the flagship product (the CPC itself), Amstrad could afford pricing higher an accessory that was essentially a niche product (made for adults with money, unlike videogames). By keeping the factory afloat this way, he could have eased off public and political criticism, which could have hurt their image and therefore their margins much more than artificially keeping open a factory in the red.

Entirely possible. Long term the factory was doomed of course but assembling parts sent from the Far East in the UK is something Amstrad also did themselves at their own warehouse. It was a good way of avoiding import duty.

[Bryce]

Maybe Sugar had shares in a Permed-Hair Shampoo company and didn't want his prospective customers to be short of cash?

Bryce.

[Lazy Dude]

How no one has mentioned the awful working conditions shown is beyond me.
I mean 1 DMP is noisy enough, can you imagine a whole assembly line of 'em being tested!!!!!