I love Avweb, and respect Mike Busch’s recommendations. In this case, I can’t say much for AIM!!<<
In fairness, Andy, I’d like to point out that at the time I made my recommendations of the AIM 696 and later the AIM 935, AIM was a Canadian company located in Vancouver, B.C. In my judgment, they were an excellent company with an excellent product and outstanding warranty support.
Last year, AIM was acquired by Industrial Sensor Technology (IST) of New York. It is now apparent that IST acquired AIM in order to obtain some of their patented sensor technology. IST had no interest in AIM’s consumer products or customers, and demonstrated it immediately by drastically lengthening delivery times, reducing product quality, and neglecting customer warranty requests. Finally, just a few weeks ago, IST announced what I’m sure they knew all along – that they were getting out of the consumer products business altogether to concentrate exclusively on high-priced industrial sensors. In doing so, they offered their distributors and customers absolutely no warning – their letter was dated April 30, and the termination date was May 1! Cute, eh?
A real shame … AIM (the original Canadian company) was a good outfit with a good product and a good attitude. The same certainly cannot be said for IST-AIM. And while I’m certainly as unhappy as anyone about the acquisition and subsequent dismembering of AIM by IST, I can’t see how I could possibly have forseen this at the time I made my recommendation of the AIM 696 and 935 products.
Mike, your point is well taken. My issue is with AIM. Thanks for the info.
Andy