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Post subject: On this date in Fender History....
Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2017 8:55 pm
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February 11, 1994. Fender's Ensenada Baja Mexico plant burns to the ground. Here is a copy and paste of a MUSIC TRADES article about it from their August 1994 edition. The article was titled "UP FROM THE ASHES" and subtitled, ""100 Days After A Devastating Fire Leveled Fender's Ensenada Plant, Production Is Up And Running."

"On the evening of February 11, a routine maintenance procedure in a spray booth at Fender's guitar factory in Ensenada, Mexico, resulted in total devastation. A spark that found its way into a spray booth vent erupted in flames that reduced the 22,000-square-foot factory to ashes in less than one hour.

Bill Schultz, Fender's president, recalled that disastrous night: "We were relieved that none of our employees sustained injuries, but the instantaneous destruction of the years of work that went into establishing this plant was overpowering."

In a feat that borders on the impossible, Fender is again producing guitars in Ensenada in a new plant that is double the size of its predecessor. In just over 100 days Fender management, with the help of hundreds of employees and contractors from both the U.S. and Mexico, completed construction of a modern 50,000-square-foot plant and outfitted it with hundreds of brand new machines as well as state-of-the-art dust collectors and spray booths.

In the small resort town of Ensenada, just 73 miles south of the U.S. border, Fender today operates three distinct factories producing guitars, amplifier cabinets, and guitar strings. In total, nearly 500 workers are employed in the sprawling complex of buildings, which cover 122,000 square feet.

Fender first came to Mexico in 1981, producing action pans for Rhodes pianos and again returned in 1987 with a small string-coiling operation. Guitar assembly and guitar cabinet assembly commenced in 1989, and complete guitar string production was launched in 1992.

The benefits of Mexico are two-fold, according to Schultz. "Wages run approximately one-quarter of those in America and Korea, and Ensenada's close proximity to our factory in Corona, California, allows same-day access for our American managers and engineers."

Global Sourcing Production of Mexican-made Stratocasters begins in California, where all necks and bodies are fabricated on computer-controlled machines. "This approach allows us to better utilize our large capital investments in the U.S.," stated Schultz. These parts are then trucked approximately 100 miles to the Ensenada plant where they are sanded, painted, and assembled. "By keeping the labor-intensive steps in Mexico, we're able to produce high-quality guitars at the most affordable price points. Our combination of working in both the U.S. and Mexico is tough to beat." With production now running at 405 pieces per day, Ensenada accounts for an important share of Fender's total output in North America. In addition to its North American operations, Fender sources production in Japan, Korea, China, and Taiwan. More than half of Fender's factory space in Mexico is devoted to cabinet production. From small guitar amplifier cabinets to large and complex mixer enclosures, the plant produces more then 900 cabinets per day. Finished cabinets are shipped to Oregon, where they am fitted with electronics at Fender's Lake Oswego plant. This system will soon change with next month's completion of a new 103,000-square-foot electronics plant in Corona, California. Beginning this fall Lake Oswego will produce tube amplifiers exclusively and relinquish production of all solid-state guitar amplifiers and P.A. equipment to the new Corona plant.

An additional 23,000 square feet in Ensenada will be added later this summer to accommodate an even larger level of cabinet production. "This reorganization and expansion of our electronics factories will allow us to dramatically increase production," explained Schultz.

As devastating as it was for Fender, the loss in Ensenada could have been far worse, according to Schultz. "For some reason unknown to us all, the fire miraculously stopped just ten feet from our cabinet plants. We were also fortunate with the great assistance and total coverage we received from our insurance company." Costly precautions have been taken to assure the events of February 11 will never happen again. At a cost of nearly $500,000, Fender has installed a 250,000 gallon water reservoir complete with pumping and backup pumping systems to drive sprinkler systems in the five buildings the company operates in Ensenada. "Sprinkler systems and fire hydrants are considered standard equipment in the U.S. In Mexico, they're non-existent. Our new fire suppressant system is state of the art down here," said Schultz.

On June 21, at dedication ceremonies attended by top dealers and local dignitaries, Bill Schultz was presented with the factory's first production guitar, a black 4600 series Stratocaster. Addressing the crowd, he stated, "Fender's ability to so quickly rebound from this disaster is a strong testimony to our quality workforce in Mexico, for without their help, assistance, and understanding, this accomplishment would not have been possible." Schultz also put to rest competitive rumors concerning Fender's production capabilities by stating, "Dealers both here and overseas will not experience product shortages in the all-important fourth quarter. Our plants are now back at full capacity, which today represents a level substantially higher than 12 months ago."


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Post subject: Re: On this date in Fender History....
Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2017 9:50 pm
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Good to see your post brotherdave. Great article, thanks for posting 8)

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Post subject: Re: On this date in Fender History....
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2017 12:15 am
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Wow, I never knew that happened. Thanks for the post. 8)

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Post subject: Re: On this date in Fender History....
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2017 12:26 am
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Very interesting... thanks for posting.

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Post subject: Re: On this date in Fender History....
Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2017 9:47 am
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Nice read
Thanks
mud


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Post subject: Re: On this date in Fender History....
Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2017 10:32 am
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+1 to all.

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Post subject: Re: On this date in Fender History....
Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2017 1:11 pm
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Very informative and interesting, brotherdave. This certainly puts a lot of questions to rest with the Mexican relationship to Fender. Great post.

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Post subject: Re: On this date in Fender History....
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2017 5:51 am
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brotherdave, you always post the good stuff :O)

perhaps worth noting just for funs that the "Lake Oswego Plant" referred to a few times in the article, was originally used by FMIC to produce SUNN product. As you've written about it SUNN so eloquently in the past, and though I know the brand was originally produced in Tualatin, I thought I'd add that little tidbit too.
All the best,
rob

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Post subject: Re: On this date in Fender History....
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2017 2:43 pm
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FRR34 wrote:
brotherdave, you always post the good stuff :O)

perhaps worth noting just for funs that the "Lake Oswego Plant" referred to a few times in the article, was originally used by FMIC to produce SUNN product. As you've written about it SUNN so eloquently in the past, and though I know the brand was originally produced in Tualatin, I thought I'd add that little tidbit too.
All the best,
rob


True, it was the Sunn facility. Lots has changed since that article 22 and one-half years ago as well. Much of what is stated in the article has little to do with how things are done now.

Fender has expanded Ensenada to 288,000 square feet employing over 1,000 workers making it the largest guitar/amp manufacturing complex on the entire continent. Fender's USA plant in Corona, California by comparison is 176,000 square feet.

Fender added CNC machines to cut bodies and necks at Ensenada years ago, but not sure exactly when, just know they have not been cutting them in Corona and trucking to Ensenada for MIM instruments for years.

The Lake Oswego, Oregon Fender owned Sunn amp plant is no more. Prior to mid 80's production at Lake Oswego the electronics for many highly regarded Rivera era Fender amps were actually made at the then CBS-owned Gulbransen Organ factory in Hoopeston, Illinois. (CBS owned Gulbransen Organ from 1960 to 1985.) Some Fender amps were made at Brea, California too. The Fender amp manufacturing process was and remains an always changing thing! On vintage Fender amps you can sometimes figure out by the serials first few characters where the electronics were actually made.


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Post subject: Re: On this date in Fender History....
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2017 3:48 pm
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Hi Rob !
Cool update brotherdave 8)

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Post subject: Re: On this date in Fender History....
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2017 4:04 pm
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brotherdave wrote:
Fender has expanded Ensenada to 288,000 square feet employing over 1,000 workers making it the largest guitar/amp manufacturing complex on the entire continent. Fender's USA plant in Corona, California by comparison is 176,000 square feet.


I believe there's a message here for those circumspect enough to discern it......

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: On this date in Fender History....
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2017 8:55 pm
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Nice bit of reading. Thanks for the post.

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