International Detector Center (IDC) Part Ways With Minelab
It won’t come as much of a surprise to many that Minelab has been causing some friction in the detecting world of late.
There have been huge delays in the delivery of their flagship product the Manticore. Yet at the same time, the company has recently launched a new entry-level machine, the X-TERRA PRO. This machine is due to be in stock at dealers by the end of March. People who had preordered the Manticore are obviously none too happy about this situation. They feel let down by Minelab. Surely the company should have focused on delivering the Manticore?
Added to this unhappy situation Minelab is also currently suing Nokta in the US courts for a breach of patent rights. This is mainly due to the technology used in Nokta’s very popular ‘Legend’ SMF machine. Naturally, Nokta is defending the lawsuit and denies any infringement of Minelab patents.
Now we have Europe’s largest and best-known distributor, International Detector Center, based in Germany, taking the decision to completely sever ties with Minelab. They will no longer stock any Minelab products or service Minelab machines. A statement from the company reads as follows:
Important information about Minelab products
We regret to inform you today that we have made the decision to no longer offer Minelab branded products.
There are several reasons for this decision. The catastrophic or non-existent communication about the availability of the new models is only part of it.
Our principle has always been to provide our customers with the best possible experience.
This includes not only honest and competent advice, but also professional service and respectful communication.
However, this is only possible if we have an equally respectful and trusting relationship with the manufacturers we work with. Because we will not sell products to our customers if we do not stand behind the manufacturer.
Unfortunately, Minelab has disappointed us very much with their behavior in recent months and made it impossible for us to continue behind them and continue our relationship. We did not take this decision lightly, but further cooperation is not compatible with our principles.
We end the entire cooperation with Minelab, i.e. we stop with direct sales as well as with distribution to all dealers as general agents for Germany, Austria and Switzerland. In addition to the products, we will no longer offer technical support for Minelab products in the future.
We always strive to act in the interest of our customers, so we hope you understand our decision. Even without Minelab, we still have an extensive range of products from fantastic brands for all sondlers and outdoor friends.
We look forward to continuing to offer you the best experience around metal detectors and our beautiful hobby.
Important information for you:
Repairs, warranty and warranty claims
- If your Minelab device is currently being repaired by us, we will handle the case as before.
- If you have bought a Minelab device from us in the last two years and have problems with it, you can of course also contact us about the warranty.
- However, if you have a problem with your Minelab device outside the warranty, or have not purchased it from us, please contact Minelab directly:
E-mail: service@minelab.ie
Minelab Service: www.minelab.com/eur/support/service-support
Reservations
We had set up a waiting list for customers for the Minelab Manticore. Unfortunately, we have to cancel these pre-orders or reservations. If you are on the waiting list, you will receive a separate e-mail. This also applies to the Equinox 900.
Availability
We still have a few Minelab products in stock, which are available in our webshop. These will be sold off and after that we will not receive any new products.
Statement Ends.
Links:
Follow Treasure Hunting World on Instagram
Join our Treasure hunting World Facebook group
Wow, that’s got to hurt ML in Europe.
It will certainly have an impact in the short term. IDC was the central distribution point for Minelab in Europe so they will now have to find another distributor who has the resources to take on the job. There must have been more to this than we are seeing. A company like IDC would not just drop Minelab on a whim and to do it so publicly indicates that the problems ran a lot deeper than poor communication. I am sure we will hear more over the coming weeks and months.
Very proud of IDC! They are a very reputable distributor in this industry. They’ve been supporting and growing all the brands they carry including Nokta, Quest, Minelab and others and treat all very fairly. But Minelab asks her to drop Nokta and Quest or ……….. you can guess the rest of the story. Thank you IDC for being fair, courageous and standing up for healthy competition and for the valued end-users an dealers of this industry!
We did think that might be the case. IDC would not just drop a brand due to “communication issues”. If Minelab were putting pressure on IDC to drop Nokta I think that is a huge mistake and definitely not the way to conduct business in 2023. IDC was obviously left with no choice but to walk away from Minelab. It is what I would have done.