# Mann Lake / Shastina Millwork



## Riskybizz (Mar 12, 2010)

It appears that Mann Lake Ltd. is in the process of acquiring Shastina Millwork. It won't be long before you'll have exactly two choices to order supplies from. I'm sure there will be a formal announcement soon. Not the best news I've heard this week.


----------



## Outdoor N8 (Aug 7, 2015)

Any further news?


----------



## Riskybizz (Mar 12, 2010)

its a done deal they own them.


----------



## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

Mann Lake is the new “Amazon” of beekeeping. 
There will always be the little guys and we need to support them even if it means an extra buck or two.


----------



## beepimp (Dec 19, 2016)

Mann Lake, Shastina, Kelly Beekeeping and others were bought out by Grey Mountain Partners. They are a Private Equity Fund with other beekeeping equipment companies in their portfolio that suppled Mann Lake with some of the equipment that they sell. Mann Lake is no longer Employee Owned. They’ve gone total corporate now. Stuart was part of the buyout and was named CEO of Mann Lake Ltd. They are not the little guy by any means. They are THE powerhouse in the beekeeping universe.


----------



## JWPalmer (May 1, 2017)

beepimp said:


> They are THE powerhouse in the beekeeping universe.


I am OK with that, provided they remember that a great deal of what they sell can be easily replicated. Use their strength to keep costs low and they will do well.


----------



## AHudd (Mar 5, 2015)

If Grey Mountain Partners are anything like the majority of private equity firms, This could be curtains for Mann Lake.

Alex


----------



## wildbranch2007 (Dec 3, 2008)

AHudd said:


> This could be curtains for Mann Lake.
> 
> Alex


well I'll give you an example, a friend of mine has been trying to get cut comb foundation from the Penn. site. It's made by the Kelly part of the firm, for a month they keep telling him it's coming in, been ordered, supers are going on and no wax to be found. seems communications between the entities is lacking.


----------



## CBR Bees (Feb 28, 2020)

I ordered a 5 pack of un-assembled bodies and mediums. Mediums on back order. Started putting the deeps together, first 2 were fine the next 3 were terrible
would not go together without trimming of dovetails and when together would not sit flat and had 1/8-3/16 gaps. Tried to plane and correct the wobbling and gaps and now the frames protrude from the top of the hive body. 
I have emailed Mann Lake and called no response. 
Not a happy camper!!


----------



## Tigger19687 (Dec 27, 2014)

CBR Bees said:


> I ordered a 5 pack of un-assembled bodies and mediums. Mediums on back order. Started putting the deeps together, first 2 were fine the next 3 were terrible
> would not go together without trimming of dovetails and when together would not sit flat and had 1/8-3/16 gaps. Tried to plane and correct the wobbling and gaps and now the frames protrude from the top of the hive body.
> I have emailed Mann Lake and called no response.
> Not a happy camper!!


I too was not that happy with the budget deeps either but just figured they were budget. Was not happy with warped sides and knots that went completely through. I could deal with dovetails too tight to fit, that's what they made hammers for lol
Kelly I got mediums, budget, were a bit better.
Also know that sales on one site are not on the other, Kelly/Man lake. I just saved $5.10 on 2 inner covers from Kelly, Mann didn't have that.
Yes communication at Mann sucks


----------



## GerrieRPh (Mar 10, 2015)

Beepimp: I had foundation on order for over 2 months. Was told 3 weeks ago it would be on its way. I told the guy that when I saw the communication from the old Kelly location with the poor service, I was concerned. We left Kelly due to inability to ship. Guess I was right. I found another source and canceled the order. 

CBR_Bees: Our medium commercial grade boxes were horrible as well. Rail grove was incomplete and/or shredded, dove tails missing and wont fit together properly due to poor cutting. I can deal with knots, but this poor quality was the final straw. We're done with Mann Lake.


----------



## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

Hmmm , maybe there is a reason Dadant has been around so long..

Crazy Roland


----------



## Gray Goose (Sep 4, 2018)

Roland said:


> Hmmm , maybe there is a reason Dadant has been around so long..
> 
> Crazy Roland


I like Dadant, but I can drive there so nice to look first.

GG


----------



## CBR Bees (Feb 28, 2020)

I would kie to just get a response from Mann Lake but been almost a week.... Phone just rings off the hook. going to try another manufacturer, but not sure who has 8 frame equipment compatible with Mann Lake


----------



## Clayton Huestis (Jan 6, 2013)

Betterbee is an 1.5 hrs away. Better start giving them more business hate to lose them.


----------



## crofter (May 5, 2011)

It sounds like Mann Lake is now setting on more eggs than they can cover: they were not like that before buying out all the small competitors. Prices noticeably less attractive too perhaps. The price increase spills over to our canadian product too since Mann Lake supplies to many of our distributors.


----------



## Dogman2000 (Dec 28, 2016)

I have been almost 2 months trying to get a hold of Mann lake to get things they over charged me Drove 4 hours one way to get there In store price. Half my fault for not checking the invoice price. Same here the phone just rings and rings. Have brought a lot of stuff from them in the past. two years ago on there 10 percent aug picnic sale after I got home they only gave me one percent should of *****ed about it but just let it go..not this time. Better bee is looking a lot better


----------



## CBR Bees (Feb 28, 2020)

Finally got a call back after leaving a 2nd message with the " answering service"... They will be replacing 3 of 5 deep hive bodies. Keep trying and be persistent!!


----------

