Their games tend to be more complex to assemble (i.e. my POTC LE), but aside from the usual tweaking all my games have been very reliable. I agree on DI as I loved the layout/shots, but the theme was lacking for me....I get why operators wouldn't like JJP games as their price point is significantly higher than the Stern pro models. That being said its my understanding that POTC kills on location.

You don't think Stern uses temp workers? I ran a business a couple of blocks over, and used the same company. All but a handful of their production workers are temps. Most are not full time, and very few get any benefits at all. I have been there when the lines were shut down and the workers just go home and don't collect a check until they are called back.

Stern might have to build a wall because I heard Jack is bringing a bunch of high end microwaves with him.

Most times I find it is in the approach. If you go after them liked they spray painted graffiti on your fence and ran over your dog, then they are not going to respond. In turn, if you decide to be a decent human being that understands nothing is going to be 100% perfect out of the box and that "things happen" from time to time, then they will bend over backwards to help you get the issue addressed.

Hoping this means they are getting a bigger factory.

Very few (if any) of the production workers actually get a check from Stern. Most get paid by another company....but even temp workers can be on long-term assignments to a specific job. Many of the folks I had hired as temps, are still there today and it has been almost 10 years since we opened the doors. If you make the job attractive for them to stay, they will. A very good portion of the manufacturing and logistics in that area utilize mostly temp staff. It costs a bit more up front, but you have no pensions or benefits to worry about, and it becomes attractive to companies whose need fluctuates. If a supplier doesn't deliver, you send the group home until the lines start up again. They are not just there sweeping the floors. I don't know about other parts of the country, but when I moved to Chicago, I was amazed at the number of places that didn't have much permanent staff.

Well other people have. That being said I've had issues with both JJP & Stern.
Service calls/customer service were pretty easy for me with both companies though, although they each do sneaky things.

Can't argue with the washer thing...although I'm sure their take is different.

Yeah...... Can we get back to Chicago's good eating spots instead???

Over in Willowbrook, right off the interstate you have Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket. It is located on what was the original Route 66 and on the U.S. National Register of Historical Places. It isn't that far from Elk Grove Village and worth the drive. And if you like neon, the original sign was restored a few years ago and looks great.

chickenbasket (resized).jpg

dellrhea1 (resized).jpg

I only had fantastic experiences with support, great response time, technical help and fast in sending replacement parts.

Unfortunately I must also admit that my WOZ has spent a far higher time with its playfield up than any other game I've had, I don't know if it relates to how packed the game is, or if it has to do with the assembly line, but I never turn that game on without making a little prayer.

Just no Chicago. Because murders.

Yep. So like only 3% sales tax, and plenty of breaks. Jersey Jack from Illinois?

False advertising. I'm suing.
never.gif

No way. Never happen.

LTG : )

I'd be scared of that morphing into a kind of mediocre pins. Lose what we love about pinball now. The uniqueness of the various designers and software people. Lose the identity of the individual teams or people the people have come to love.

Everybody has their favorite company, designer, or programmer. I think it would be hard to keep separate companies, separate, if under on roof. Even if solely to merge the assembly end of the process.

LTG : )

Sounds like a lotta work with the service department
But true let's not forget the "maybe having to go through your distro" for replacement parts from Stern.

With both fake mergers discussed one company has to really offer the other something. Stern wouldn't think they'd get anything from JJP, but what advantage does American/JJP get? Higher Prices? "Better Themes?" Iffy.

Some of them makes you wonder if the games are even turned on once before they leave the factory.
Mine (and many others) arrived with a huge hum (like louder than the music) in the speakers. It's a 1 minute and 8$ fix, literally, but there is no way a QA person wouldn't have heard it even in a loud environment.

Yeah, maybe the billionaire that owns JJP will buy Stern and finally make their games actually worth their insane asking prices by increasing quality, and features. Maybe for $6k - $15k Stern games under JJP would at least have proper coil stops.

Why is Stern trying to save 50 cents a game by putting cheap coil stops in their $6k - $15k games?

It's been a few years for me. Do they still have Jake & Elwood there?

Move to St. Louis. The city would basically give you a location & cut your taxes for at least a decade. You can ship your pins via train to Chicago to ship overseas. I guarantee you'll save millions.

Wonder if this will have an affect on the release date of GnR...

It could but I think JJP will go into full production with GNR at their new facility. It's going to be interesting what JJP games other then GNR are built at the new factory. Wonka? Of course. Others such as Dialed In, and WOZ? Maybe. Seems like JJP wants to start putting two games out a year that have a slightly lower build of materials cost then games such as WOZ, Hobbit, Dialed In, and Pirates.

Elk Grove Guarnieri (EGG)

I kind of like this idea, but the reality of how it would really work doesn't feel so optimistic.

Skilled labor on the assembly line, or 2 , or 3, year round would be a very good thing.
They don't care what machines they build, only that they work full time.

Whatever you say. A company called Jersey Jack doesn't move to Chicago unless they have to. They're hurting and Stern is going to jump in.

They've always had split offices, which never made good business sense or practice. That was most likely done for reasons we can only speculate on. This move....makes far more sense.

How is Stern jumping in when the press release mentions JJP hiring for around 50 positions in the Chicago area?

That's what Bally wanted to do with their new solid state board set.

The melt down this will cause is going to be phenomenal if you end up being right.

Where do you come up with this ?

If they were hurting. Pulling up stakes and moving 850 miles away. and setting up shop. Wouldn't that cost $$$$ ? Have to - that cost would be prohibitive to a company having to do anything.

Stern isn't jumping anywhere. They have their own company, which is quite successful. And no need to take on a "have to".

With the possible exception of Jack. The most important people to JJP are already in Chicago. Pat, Keith, Ted, Joe, Eric, and others I'm forgetting. Having New Jersey and Chicago all under one roof, where the most important people to JJP are, makes sense.

LTG : )

Don't even worry about that one.

LTG : )

From my travels: Chicago has cheaper tolls, you can pump your own gas, you can turn left without having to turn right, AND the food is a whole lot better!

Just show us GNR please

This is interesting, I wonder if Jack had much say in this or are the VC guys now running the show.

Awesome News

A tax break in IL!
That's the funniest joke I've heard all day!!!!!!!!

There are unfortunately a few people here that want JJP to fail. Why? Who knows. Maybe they are pissed that a new pinball company came out of nowhere and one upped their all mighty Stern and repeatedly puts out a higher quality product with more features.

Some of the best damn pizza on the planet. When I lived in L.A. it was hard to find a good slice. Yes, there were places. Just nowhere near as many good places that are in the Chicagoland area.

LTG with a large mug of common sense!

Man you were making sense up til there

That is unfortunate. I always hope for the best. Even if I don't like something about it. I hope JJP, PPS/CGC, AP, Stern, Deep Root, Spooky, and others I may have missed, all these companies have great and prosperous futures.

Because that is good for pinball. Good for us. A variety of new games to choose from. And parts. Lots of parts. Pinball staying healthy is good for all.

LTG : )

The only JJP game I really like enough to consider owning is Dialed In. That being said, every game they have made is twice as good as Star Wars Home Edition and to state otherwise is a complete joke.