NCE….still in business?

@Mojave Mike -

It looks to me like they're open for business, but that the booster you're looking for is out of stock. On their website, check the PDF dated 01-10-2023 and this Inventory link.

I recently needed some incidental parts for my system and got them on the strength of a phone call. That said, the following paragraph from their Product Availability Statement might be of interest -

We do not take retail reservations or backorders or have a preorder system. Due to New York state tax regulations, it cost prohibitive for NCE to keep inventory on the shelf and available for retail purchase. Our products are made to order in-house at our facility here in Webster, NY. Most product distributors place orders 12 months in advance for a specific product level. The raw components we use are also on a 12-month preorder cycle. These components have been tough to come by in the past two years. The entire global electronics industry is suffering from shortages and massive demand increases. Please contact an NCE dealer willing to take a reservation/preorder for what you need. Thank you for your continued support and understanding.

- Mike

I have been on their website, and I saw some products available, and like you many were "not in stock".

I just talked to them on Wednesday about some decoders in for repair.    I was told that they are making products as fast as they can get parts.     Most completed builds are sold out before they are completed!  

Remember they assemble all their own products in their own plant and are not a huge company like GM.    So all the stuff you buy from them is assembled in the USA - I don't know about where parts comes from.

I was also told that information about available products on the website does mislead customers.    He said orders are filled as soon as possible in the order they are received.

So based on my interface with them in the last few months, they are still in business going strong and making products as fast as they can given parts availability in the current economy.

My suggestion would be to call them and talk to someone directly about the availability of what you need.

NCE products are also sold through some of the hobby's larger distributors.  Unlike the penalization facing small manufacturers like NCE mentioned in Mike's response above, distributors located in other states can, perhaps, wholesale inventory NCE products to the retail market at less disadvantage.

So, I checked Walthers, a source our LHS has used for NCE products for many years.  Re the 10-amp booster, PB110, it is shown to be currently out of stock, but "Expected 01May2023".   If the store had received a customer order for this item during the past few months, they would have backordered this item and made note of Walther's availability updates to the customer.  The advantage of the backorder through a managed distributor is that your order maintains its date priority when stock becomes available.  If the distributor's advance wholesale order to a manufacturer experiencing component supply issues, like NCE, falls short of continuing/accumulated demand, then waiting until "In Stock" pops up might be very frustrating.  You might have to wait for another round of supply-and-demand issues to enable product build/ship.

It's been a few years since I last worked at our LHS.  But I do know that they have supported some very dedicated NCE users through the years.  And be it Digitrax, NCE, Soundtraxx, et al, the component supply issues are very common throughout.   But no one has thrown in the towel and walked away over them that I've heard about.

P-A-T-I-E-N-C-E continues to be the mantra.

FWIW...

KD

they are alive and well as I know the owner here in Rochester ny. like other electronics parts users they are struggling to get parts and or redesign boards to use replacement components no longer available. some dealers are Tonys trains , Mountain sub division hobby and Yankee dabbler that cary NCE products.

A lot of products are out of stock or come in but go out quickly.  Like others have said component shortage has really hit them hard.  We are taking backorders on this unit.  https://www.trainworld.com/nce...10a-nce-5240005.html

We carry the NCE Line here
https://www.trainworld.com/shop-by-brand/nce.html

I looked at the "tony's Train Exchange" site and they some Boosters in stock.    I did not see that model number however.

Tony's is the retail outlet for American Hobby Distributors, which distributes to many dealers.  

Good question and answers from the Forum!  One more suggestion, you can always create a saved search on some popular auction sites.

@prrjim posted:

I looked at the "tony's Train Exchange" site and they some Boosters in stock.    I did not see that model number however.

Tony's is the retail outlet for American Hobby Distributors, which distributes to many dealers. 

Purchased from Tony's recently? They're having problems ... incorrect inventory, shipping delays, difficult to contact, etc.  Not just me.

I've bought from them for many, many years and always liked them. I don't know what's going on. I hope all is well with them, too.

I have not purchased from Tony's for some years.   I got good service and what not back then.   I can't speak for now.    I was only relating what the website said.    In the past when I used them, the website was accurate to their inventory.

Thanx everyone for all your replies.  Ted, yes…I’ve got my search settings checking on eBay.