My friend Rich Barrett -- you may know his name because veteran newsgroup readers sometimes benefitted from a free copy of his Fastener Design Manual -- did a consulting job for Performance Friction Corp. in Clover, SC. This company makes, among other things, rotors and brake calipers, especially for racing cars.
This gig called for Rich to pass along a final report, after which he would be paid a US $600 balance. This balance Rich never saw. In short, he was stiffed. Stiffed by a company who uses the following as part of its operating principles:
"Excite the customer, by exceeding their expectations, with the absolute best product, delivery, and value through a total commitment to product and process integrity. Continually improve on the execution of TS16949. No Compromises."
Notice this says nothing about the way they treat their vendors.
I am telling you this in the hopes that readers will be careful in their dealings with this company. If they stiff a stand-up guy like Rich, how will the rest of us fare?
For more on Rich: