Customer Update: 29th December 2007

Looking forward to a brighter 2008

Hi, and everyone at FTK wishes all our clients a very prosperous 2008. We could also do with one ourselves !! I think it is now time to put the fire of Aug 2007 firmly behind us and move on to what we have planned for 2008.

In March we will open a new showroom in the heart of Puerto del Rosario, with our Spanish Door Manufacturing Partner. This will provide clients who want to see and touch the physical product, exactly that. We do not intend opening massive warehousing again, as with the knowledge and experience we have picked up during the last 3 years, we simply do not require. Most, over 80%, of our clients never visit us anyway! These clients transact there business over the internet via email, where they are provided with detailed plans and realistic 3D images of their proposed Kitchens prior to ordering. Once completed they also receive completion photographs which match exactly the plans and 3Ds that the contract was based on. We are planning a significant update to our Web Site, but this will take a little time because of the sheer amount of data already on-line. (268 Examples of Fitted Kitchens and 100 Examples of None Kitchen works) The Web is our greatest source of business and we will therefore concentrate our best efforts here, in an almost Back to Basics approach.

We will be providing a new section in examples of our work, called after the fire! This will let new and existing clients see that we are still turning out the highest quality work.

Since the Fire in August we have been very busy fulfilling our obligations to all clients we had previously agreed works with. With the exception of Amuley Mar II Garage Conversions, which have not yet been granted planning permission, we have now installed all previously agreed work, where the clients have completed on their properties. Of the 3 clients who did not complete their purchases until this week, their work is also scheduled for January. It was important to clear this work as quickly as possible for 2 reasons: 1st We needed to protect and maintain the excellent reputation we had built over the last 3 years. 2nd All of this work has been fitted at a loss, as we obviously had to re buy, everything that had already been purchased for these clients, prior to the fire. That of course is our problem and will be rectified eventually, when our Insurers settle.

We have also been very busy with new client installations since October 2007. This work has been life blood to us, as the profits from the new work, has obviously help offset the losses, from the other work described above. So a BIG THANK YOU to all existing and new clients who have put their trust in FTK. In total we have completed over 25 Kitchens and 15 Other Building works since the fire.

For anyone who is interested with the progress we are making with our insurers, we will now post in the News section of our Web Site, regular updates. The current situation is that our insurers have now agreed to finance the clearing of the warehouse, however they first of all require the Landlords permission. Sounds crazy, but that's how it is, so we are now just letting the lawyers get on with it.

So please make no mistake, FTK are back, and with the intention of staying and building further on our reputation to date.

Thanks
Paul Palmer - Administrator.

Customer Update: 12th November 2007

Hi Again All...

Well, this weekend will be 3 full months since the fire, and only a little further forward, as far as the insurance goes. Latest on that front is that our claim has been accepted, and we will either get everything, or nothing! Nothing would be based on the fire cause being determined as an electrical fault, caused by any of our machinery. Any other cause we are covered for. However until the cause is determined the file is pending. There is one glimmer of hope now, in getting the landlord to clear the wreckage, as his ONLY possibility of receiving ANYTHING is if the fire was electrical, as our insurance did cover for any damage we caused to his building through negligence. Even his own lawyer's are now telling him he has to find the money to finance this.

As far as we are concerned an electrical fire is simply not possible. As the mezzanine floor was constructed after we occupied the warehouse, we did not even have light switches for the area under the floor. This whole area, including the workshop was supplied from a separate feed on the main power board, that was switched on and off every morning/evening, as with no natural light, the lights always needed to be on whilst the building was occupied. As we were on summer shutdown, there was no power to this area of the warehouse, let alone any piece of machinery. However until the wreckage is cleared the confirmation, of that determination will have to wait, but we certainly feel a little more positive moving forward.

We are also a lot more positive because of the support we have received from existing and new clients alike. You know who you are, and a very big thank you goes to everyone.

We now have sufficient building works to take us up to the Christmas holidays, so unfortunately cannot take on any more this year, but have already decided that we will continue from 2008, albeit in exactly what capacity has yet to be determined.

We have also been very busy on new Kitchen orders, and now only have 5 fitting dates available prior to Christmas. Of course any Pueblo Canario clients, who are not signing prior to Christmas, need not worry as again we will be operating from the New Year.

That is about all for now. We will be posting this update on other forums as well as on our own website, where later this week we will also be adding a section to examples of our work, called After the Fire. This will confirm to potential clients that we are still turning out the same professional services that we were prior to the fire.

Thanks again for all of the good wishes we have received.

Thanks
Paul Palmer - Administrator.

p.s. I am still always available on the original FTK mobile number +34 646 564 251. all previous email addresses are now back up and running and the best one for contact is still enquiry@fuertekitchens.com

(Click images to enlarge)

To read full story in Word format from the LA PROVINCIA/LAS PALMAS NEWSPAPER, click here »

Customer Update: 16th October 2007

Hi Again All...

First of all we would like to apologise for not providing more frequent updates, as you know this is not normally our style! However, even as I type now there is still little more to say, other than to update you as follows.

All existing contracts are being honoured* (The one exception here is to clients, who ordered Auberge, or Versailles Solid Oak Doors. As we bought the last production range of these doors from England, and all stock was lost in the fire, we can no longer offer either of these. We believe only 1 client is effected, and they have been contacted to organise an alternative Door Style, or a full refund).

We are currently taking orders again for all Kitchens and none Kitchen works, that can be completed this side of Christmas. We are not thinking beyond Christmas at this time, as until we have more idea what we will receive from our Insurer’s, we do not know where we will be operating from, and may have to consider operating very differently from before.

Two full months after the fire, and the Fire Brigade and Policia National have STILL not carried out there forensic investigation. Only in Fuerteventura I hear!! The reason for this is that the Landlord of the Warehouse we operated from was not insured. (He initially tried to put that responsibility on FTK, however we had a copy of the Warehouse Contract at our Lawyer’s, and it has now been confirmed that the Insurance of the Building was not our responsibility) Coming back to the reason for the delayed investigation... The Landlord cannot afford to have the Warehouse cleared, to allow the investigation. (In the UK, this warehouse clearance would be paid for by the Government, and subsequently billed to the Landlord) Without the investigation the cause cannot be ascertained, and on that basis, our own contents insurers may withhold any payment to FTK. To date we have had no contribution from our insurers, and the business once again, is being supported by the partners.

We are also working with reduced staff on the Kitchen side of the business, as we simply do not have the vehicles or space to accommodate our original numbers. However as we did not take any Kitchen orders during August or September, we are now in a much better position to complete the available outstanding orders, and are now also installing new Kitchens on orders taken this month. (October)

The old Land Line Numbers still belong to FTK, but as the warehouse was in El Matorral, and we are operating from my Villa on the New Golf Course in Caleta, with no phone line availability yet, we cannot even divert these lines, so they will still both sound permanently engaged until we have a new location.

I am still always available on the original FTK mobile number +34 646 564 251

Thanks
Paul Palmer

Customer Update: 21st August 2007

Due to a severe Fire, in the early hours of Friday 17th August, that has totally destroyed our Warehouse and Offices; we are not currently in a position to communicate in any way other than by the FTK Mobile. 00 34 646 564 251.

Please only use this number in an emergency. I am currently spending every hour I can with our Legal Advisors, banks, Insurance Companies, Policia Local, Policia National, and Fire Brigade. By the end of this week we should be in a better position to advise how we plan to go forward.

All client orders already placed will be honored, however at present we are not in a position to take any new orders, or indeed even enquiries.

Please DO NOT use the @fuertekitchens.com email addresses, as these were ran on an Exchange Server, and it will take some time to get these services back up and running.
As I need the services of our Web Design team in the UK to make any change here, it is not really practical. Therefore by the end of this week I will POST a message on www.fuerteventura.com which will be headed, 'FTK Client Information'. As this can be edited at anytime by me, it seems the most practical route forward, at least for the time being.

Regards
Paul Palmer