General-Electric went out of vacuum production in 1972, or 1973. etiher one.

And yes, they put a radio transmitter in the Magnessium's handle, that way it be powered on from the handle, without an un-sightly cord.

If I was Oreck, I'd do what  I could to stay alive, put out more TV commercials (IF there's even a budget for that sort of thing), and maybe radio ads? Idk.

I see what you Beta-max and VHS.

(For those whom do not know, He's referring to the rivalry between home video cassettes in the 80's. Beta max was better quality, but had less space and was mroe expensive. VHS was cheaper, and lasted about 2 hours, allowing movies to be recorded, which is the main selling point of how VHS won over ;)

-Alex.

Oreck desperately needs to advertise. I think a good majority of their sales comes from return costumers.   Most people I hear from that own Orecks are extremely loyal and have bought numerous products at full retail. They need to get more people hooked. Their Orbiter floor machine is amazing, and the best cleaning investment I've ever made. They need to get the word out about this product. The sales people at my Oreck Store seem to direct people only to their uprights. Is David Oreck is good health? He needs to be the spokesman for the company once again! Even his son, I think Tom, would be an improvement. 

I too would slim down the upright product line. Just one of each style is necessary. Bring back the Dutchtech canister if possible. I've heard some great stuff about that model. All their current canisters are outsourced, cheap, and extremely overpriced. The Ironman may be an exception, but I don't know much about that model. 

Oreck used to be pretty big on their air pruifers; not so much recently. We have one their huge floor models from the early 2000s and it does a fantastic job. The water is always black when we wash the cell. Their desk models were very unreliable but the scent tablets smelt amazing and the current Truman cell offerings seem to do better.  Go back to in house air purifiers and advertise. 

I do like the Oreck cleaning chemicals. As mentioned in the other thread, they hardly smell and do a great job. Since Oreck is already selling uprights at Target, why not sell the chemicals there? I'd rather pick up some quality products there than go to the Home Depot. 

Here is the radio Oreck you asked about. I would love to own one of these. Has anyone seen one in person? I never saw any for sale at the Oreck store back when they were available. Maybe they were catalog only? 

Here's an interview with David Oreck that was just published today:

Nevin Batiwalla

Staff Reporter-Nashville Business Journal

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If he had to do it over again, David Oreckwouldn’t have sold his vacuum company to a private equity group 10 years ago.

“It was a successful company doing well, manufacturing in America,” said Oreck, who founded the company in 1963 then sold it to American Securities Capital Partners in 2003 for an undisclosed sum. “We were creating jobs in retail stores owned by individuals making a good living and educating their kids. What the hell is wrong with that. I can't for the life of me understand why people would buy something very successful and decide everything it was doing was wrong.”

Oreck, who continued as spokesman for the company in TV spots, said mismanagement by American Securities Capital Partners and Black Diamond Commercial Finance, which bought the company in 2010, led to its struggles and recent filing for bankruptcy.

Now Oreck, at age 89, and his family seek to buy the company back. He vows to keep its manufacturing in the Unite States and says he will focus the company back on its direct sales roots. He has no doubt other potential buyers would shift production overseas, where most major vacuum brands are made.

“Where it’s made will depend on who takes it over,” Oreck said. “If Oreck Group prevails our products are going to be made in the U.S.”

In recent years the Nashville-based company made a push into big-box stores, as vacuum shoppers shifted to major retailers. Oreck would like to return the company to selling direct to consumers in specialty stores that provide a high-level of customer service.

“Oreck vacuums have a lot of features and benefits, but a salesman has to explain it to the customer,” Oreck said. “You don’t get any personal attention at a big-box store.”

Oreck still wouldn’t trust a bagless vacuum in his home— even the new Oreck model that bears his name.

“They spew dirt into the air,” he said. “In my opinion that’s a very bad thing.”

Oreck would love to see the company he started become successful again.

“The product is still excellent and in some respects better,” he said. “There’s nothing wrong with the product. There’s something wrong with management, that’s all.”