While I was installing a machine in Peru late January, Mike Rickard (the contracted engineer, contracted to build the APS3000) removed 5 finished / partly finished machines from my factory. My wife called the police who attended the premises and said that I should have the matter resolved by the courts. This will take quite some time. I had paid already close to 2/3rd on his agreed price to assemble the 5 machines. All 5 machines are clearly identifiable in several places and I have title to them. So if you are contacted by Jimmy Freese/Ralph Freese, Mike Rickard or anybody else who wants to sell you an APS3000, please take the necessary care and let me know.
It was me who invented and created the APS3000 in all her glory and I am the only one with any IP on it. Jimmy and Ralph were the software suppliers and paid by my company for each individual license in form of two payments, one being for the program license and one being for the future program development and upgrades. Besides this dealing, Jimmy and I do have a distribution company where Jimmy holds 25% but that company ceased trading back in 2005.
The patents for the APS3000 are in my name and in my name only and they will be legally enforceable here in Australia in a few months. The patents are also applied for in the US and as the US offers triple compensation for patent breaches, enforcing them is quite easy. Do not be fooled by bullshit talk about the patents, if you are seriously interested contact a patent attorney or let me know and I hook you up with mine for a chat.
So, why was all this happening besides the glamour for Jimmy/Ralph and Mike and whoever else to earn more money?
I assume the real target was the machine network, all those beautiful machines around the world waiting for someone smart to come and join them up in a way that could earn 8 digit numbers per year (so say the business plans…).
My age old idea of the kiosk network that connects customers over the shop kiosk or the internet with shapers from any corner of the world and then creates a custom order with the machining center being the active part and the shop the point of delivery.
I offered this idea to Billabong in 2001 and I had all the international directors in my sweaty, dusty little factory. It created a lot of excitement but there was a “but”… it was just after my separation with Emmanuel Vilmin (Shape 3D) who decided to sell his program to everybody and not as expected exclusive to me. My whole concept was built around the APS3000 machine that could create individual custom boards connected to the best software and I wanted the software exclusive and in "the eyes of Billabong ", my system was at that stage not yet complete…
This kind of network needs to be built on trust and with what has happened in the last few weeks, the necessary level of trust does certainly not exist any more. I spoke with several big name shapers about it and they all do agree. I will try to revive the idea at a later time but in the moment I will strengthen and support the “basic” network between machines and shapers around the world and I started exactly that yesterday with one of the biggest surfboard brands. Many more shapers will follow and quite a few already use it.
Ok, it will not make me any money but it will make the APS3000 network bigger and stronger and more fun for all involved.
Hijacking my business plus taking control of the network, what an interesting concept, well worth the effort you may think. But there was a big “but” too…
The existing machine owners did not accept Jimmy’s and Mike’s attempt, they actually greatly refused them and stood right behind me with very few exceptions. And those exceptions most likely had vested interests…
Of the 13 machines on order I had 8 reconfirmed within 12 hours, 11 to date. In the last two weeks I had more important things to do than the dirty washing with Jimmy or Mike, I had to restructure my business and I had to get my new machine production into full swing.
Smelling a rat way back I started the machine production with a Sydney based engineering company already last year. This company has been the supplier for the aluminum frames in the past and we redesigned the machine in details, improving reliability as well as "looks”. To some degree I was not very happy as this new machine costs quite a bit more money and the boards it makes will be of the same quality but all this changed when I received a letter from Jimmy that he quits our relationship. Now I could change the program which I was locked into with a handshake deal and all started to fall in place. Shape 3D had in November 2006 changed its age old flaw with the decks curve definition and started to give the APS3000 program a run for their money, offering far more functionality especially in 3D and tool path creation. It has also many more features (not necessarily needed by some of us) but it also has the file import possibility for designs created in the SurfCAD program (DSD) as well as the free APS3000 program. And it costs considerable less than what Jimmy charged me for his program.
The result of all this is very pleasing. An APS3000 machine of higher standards backed up by a reputable company with several engineers involved to assist customers, much higher production output and much shorter delivery times, a program with many more possibilities like full 3D capability but still the ability to use the simplicity of the APS3000 program, better tool path control and the full backing of the company that supplies the electronics and controllers. And all this without having to change the price… I am very pleased with this outcome.
I secured the copyright for both logos, my head logo designed by Kevin Ancell as well as the APS3000 board logo designed by Sam Howard. I have applied for the trademark APS3000 and I am in the process to create a new website. I can not shut down the www.aps3000.com site before my trademark is approved, tough luck.
All future dealings will continue through my Family Trust with APS3000 Pty.Ltd being the trustee. I have closed down my little manufacturing business and will use the factory for R&D only. All this gives me more time to concentrate on the important things within the APS3000 project, the machine installation and client training, assistance where needed, machine development as well as program development. And it will give me a few more hours every week to enjoy with my family too.
Thanks to everybody who supported me through this ordeal. In case you want to contact me, please use the Swaylocks messenger or write to
see ya miki