Well, this has got to be a milestone. Sgram #100! I never would have guessed that we’d have come this far together would’ve you? I thought I had retained them all, but the oldest that I have (and labeled as #1) is dated August 27, 1997 and purports to be the first one after we moved here to Georgetown, TX. Since it refers to "the last communiqué" there must have been some before. I just don’t remember. Someday we’ll print what we’ve got and start the "STI Museum".

It seems that I should have something "really special" to announce in this one and I do!!!!!! I pointed out in Sgram #99 that we are still taking orders that can be delivered in time to be available for Christmas. Not only is that still the case but things are getting better by the week. Thanks to the "guys (and gals) in the back", it’s getting better quickly! Those folks are bustin’ butt for you and had turned out more guns at the end of July than were produced for ALL of 2005. At the current rate, complete firearm output for 2007 should be approximately 65% over 2006. Pretty damn good! Some of your orders should soon start completing ahead of our promised dates and I believe that we can start quoting 14-15 weeks right now. A large single order can obviously change that but that’s our story currently. The goal is to be able to quote you 8-12 weeks by the end of this year and we’re pretty confident that that will happen. The goal for 2008 is to get you into the 6-8 week lead time range. Get hold of your contact here for particulars.

Some of you "over achievers" are placing your order schedule for 2008 already and that’s not a bad idea. We’re not going to do a "dump" into the scheduling system until we have this year firmed up but we’re not ignoring you and you really are locking your place into our schedule.

We’ve got a major debate going on within our own Sales Group about the SHOT Show. As most of you know, the Freeman Exhibition group who produces SHOT has recently created their "Law Enforcement" section, put it near the front of the show, and pushed all of us "long timers" further back in the exhibition hall. Because STI overlaps customer bases, we can position ourselves (in 2009) up in the LE section (along with the body armor, pepper spray, flashlights, and riot control gear) or continue to be in our normal "firearms" section (along with camo gear, duck calls, knife sharpeners, and reloading supplies). What do you think makes us easier to find? Does it broaden our exposure and open new markets to you if we move to LE? Does it make no difference to you? We’re looking for opinions. Help!

Having mentioned Law Enforcement, the following seems almost counterproductive. Even though we’ve shown a potential new release, the "Off Duty", at a couple of matches and had very good responses to it, we have chosen not to release it at this time. We have posted a "web poll" on our site in an attempt to better define the size of that market. We also are putting further sales of the "Duty One" and "Duty CT" on hold until we at least get caught up to that 8-12 week lead time point. All orders on the books will obviously be honored.

The "USPSA" (USPSA SS, USPSA DS) guns have been well received. Rightfully so, they’re beautiful guns! The "Sentinel" and "Legend" are off to a fine start, also.

Well, this is the time of year when I normally ask you all what type new products or additional variations of the current themes that you would like to see us introduce for next year, 2008. I expect, though, that I would again be deafened by the silence so I’m going to approach it a little differently this time. Three part question:

1) Are there any products in our current lineup that you consider to be "dogs" that should be discontinued?

2) Is there still room in the market for another 9mm, polymer, DA/SA, hi-cap pistol similar to the Beretta PX4, but with a few new wrinkles? 3) Is there a market for a gun (probably a "blowback" model) similar to the description in #2 above, but chambered in .380ACP? 

This is also the time of year when I’ve got to look at our hole card as far as marketing and sales is concerned; set direction, set budgets, consider additional equipment, staffing, systems, etc. I feel that, as we’ve grown, I may have lost touch to some degree with the sales process and how the interaction currently plays out "where the rubber meets the road". If you Distributors, Dealers, PDP’s, and OEM’s, have any input, suggestions, or criticism that you’d like to share, you have my email address and/or phone number. If I don’t know about a negative condition, I can’t fix it. If you’ve got something that will make both of our businesses better, I want to hear it.

HAPPY 100TH! Let’s go for doubles!

Do good. Sell a bunch. Have fun. Not necessarily in that order!