EK seems to be having major issues

[GreiverBlade]

well, i had two waterblock and rads from them a few years ago... gunked up pretty fast and temps went "YAZOOOOOO" and "weeeeeee eheheheheh" (what? )
one was a CPU and the other was a reference R9 290 (went back to Alphacool for rads just as fast ... Phobya for CPU block and Aquatuning for the Kryographics Hawaii block for the R9 290 was just perfect )

i decided to test EKWB ... nope no thanks anymore
i had less issues with cheap stuff bought of AliExpress (Byiski, Barrow and co )

 

[BoggledBeagle]

... I think it should also be noted that the financial situation of the company may have been caused also by the amount of money the owners of the company have been extracting from the company. So the image of mr. König as the savior of the company may be questionable, when you realise, that it might be (also) him who has been milking the company so hard that he nearly killed it.

I tried to look in the Slovenian company register, but it seems, that the information about the company is not publicly available and you cannot see, who owns it.

And the situation seems to get worse now

It seems that mr. König is 85% owner of the company, that the US directing b**ch has been milking the company hard as well not paying too much attention to actually working as a director, the US company situation rather confusing and unclear.

No moral integrity, no clear leadership or interest in what the company does, web of chaotic and suspitions corporate structure and relations - I must say it is surprising that the company still exists.

Steve is doing a great job, however his video is all over the place. It contains unnecessary general legal education pieces, he started to examine what happened with that 5 US millions - did ne arrive to any conclusion?

 

[Panther_Seraphin]

Steve is doing a great job, however his video is all over the place. It contains unnecessary general legal education pieces, he started to examine what happened with that 5 US millions - did ne arrive to any conclusion?

A lot of people wont be versed with US labor law (Me being one of them W2/Contractor wtf is the difference? etc)
Regarding the money he said he could see where SOME of it went via import/export and extrapolating wages etc but the rest has just gone *Poof* into the ether but is still expected to be paid back while pointing a really big finger at the US CEO for double if not triple dipping into it. A Paid Employee, A seperately paid Contractor reportedly from other employees, and being responsible for this $5 million loan......


It was also interesting to see how initially it looked like Edward Konig was the good guy lead astray initially but this second video confirmed he was actually complicit with a lot of if not ALL the shady shit that was going on.

 

[Ruru]

well, i had two waterblock and rads from them a few years ago... gunked up pretty fast and temps went "YAZOOOOOO" and "weeeeeee eheheheheh" (what? )
one was a CPU and the other was a reference R9 290 (went back to Alphacool just as fast ... and Aquatuning for the Hawaii block for the R9 290 was just perfect )

i decided to test EKWB ... nope no thanks anymore
i had less issues with cheap stuff bought of AliExpress (Byiski, Barrow and co )

I have an universal block on my GPU (EK-VGA Supremacy) and it also needs cleaning from time to time. Otherwise nothing to complain.

 

[A Computer Guy]

And the situation seems to get worse now

This is getting heavy. GN getting into reporting of international business finances. Along the similar lines of gov't whistleblowers - just in case something happens - Steve did not "watercool" himself.

 

[Veseleil]

Huge thanks to Steve Burke and his GN team for this video. You may dislike him for many reasons, but importance of a such research and its presentation to the public, makes him a hero figure more than anything. I won't call him drama queen anymore, that's for sure. It just feel unjust. Maybe a drama King would be more suitable?

 

[A&P211]

As a part of the reconstruction of the company they could and should be very opened about how and where are their products made to support pricing of their products.

I have a pack of fittings from them and I can look on the package where are they made, if it helps.

I dont think thats non of our business. I guess you have never run your own business.

 

[cvaldes]

I dont think thats non of our business. I guess you have never run your own business.

Actually disclosing country of manufacture happens with increasing frequency these days. This started out many decades ago with food products but the practice has been adopted by many other retail domains.

For example, if you look at the products at the online store at Food52.com, you will see country of origin/manufacture in the product details. Some Amazon listings have information as well.

To ask EKWB to disclose this information going forward is not an unreasonable request in 2024.

 

[maxfly]

I was under the false impression that they made the majority of their parts in the EU, Slovenia specifically. I had no idea they had divisions in the US, Japan and China until the GN video. Which makes their money woes (and idiotic pricing) that much more shocking.

 

[A Computer Guy]

I was under the false impression that they made the majority of their parts in the EU, Slovenia specifically. I had no idea they had divisions in the US, Japan and China until the GN video. Which makes their money woes (and idiotic pricing) that much more shocking.

After reading the Tom's hardware article it seems EK may be another international business victim of DEI/DIE. It seems a substantial number of companies involved in DEI/DIE are taking heavy losses for apparently no good reason other than idiocy in mistakes, policy, and operations. The pattern at least in my point of view is ethics and professionalism seem to take a back seat when companies decide to entrench themselves in DEI/DIE especially at the management level. It wouldn't surprise me if after the global "cough cough" that EK may have needed to turn to investors (with strings attached) to keep afloat after various interruptions across industry and logistics. It would be interesting if GN discovers investors that have a stake in EK that were not previously known.

 

[Assimilator]

After reading the Tom's hardware article it seems EK may be another international business victim of DEI/DIE. It seems a substantial number of companies involved in DEI/DIE are taking heavy losses for apparently no good reason other than idiocy in mistakes, policy, and operations. The pattern at least in my point of view is ethics and professionalism seem to take a back seat when companies decide to entrench themselves in DEI/DIE especially at the management level. It wouldn't surprise me if after the global "cough cough" that EK may have needed to turn to investors (with strings attached) to keep afloat after various interruptions across industry and logistics. It would be interesting if GN discovers investors that have a stake in EK that were not previously known.

Your assumption that diversity-related hiring somehow has anything to do with EK's problems has zero evidence behind it. The fact that you choose to make that assumption, and air it publicly, given that all the evidence points to basic financial mismanagement, says nothing about DEI policies and everything about you. And what it says about you is nothing good.

 

[A Computer Guy]

Your assumption that diversity-related hiring somehow has anything to do with EK's problems has zero evidence behind it. The fact that you choose to make that assumption, and air it publicly, given that all the evidence points to basic financial mismanagement, says nothing about DEI policies and everything about you. And what it says about you is nothing good.

There is clearly a pattern between DEI and company failure. Companies are having significant management failures and the reason is not clear. Please don't paint me as the bad guy for seeing the pattern repeat over and over again. Yes it's an assumption based on observation which others are free to disagree with. Where there is smoke there is fire but that doesn't mean I know what house is burning down 5 miles down the road without traveling there.

 

[Chomiq]

This is getting heavy. GN getting into reporting of international business finances. Along the similar lines of gov't whistleblowers - just in case something happens - Steve did not "watercool" himself.

If I were the EK CEO I'd be more worried about making the next business trip to China.

 

[Assimilator]

There is clearly a pattern between DEI and company failure. Companies are having significant management failures and the reason is not clear. Please don't paint me as the bad guy for seeing the pattern repeat over and over again. It's an observation which others are free to disagree with.

Such a clear pattern that you're completely unable to provide any evidence to support this assertion. Why don't you just be honest and admit you're a bigot instead of trying to pretend that you aren't? It's not like you're fooling anyone.

 

[A Computer Guy]

Such a clear pattern that you're completely unable to provide any evidence to support this assertion. Why don't you just be honest and admit you're a bigot instead of trying to pretend that you aren't? It's not like you're fooling anyone.

I work with incredibly wonderful, talented, and diverse people every day from India, China, and Europe. I reject your assumption. Such aggressiveness to jump on the bigot bandwagon is just dumb and makes it impossible to voice observations and question if the implementation of corporate social engineering policies may be negatively effecting businesses - in particular to this topic EK and disturbing financial and behavioral issues that have been reported with everyone dumbfounded as to why. Coincidence is not causality and I made it clear my point of view based on (public) observation.

 

[Panther_Seraphin]

After reading the Tom's hardware article it seems EK may be another international business victim of DEI/DIE. It seems a substantial number of companies involved in DEI/DIE are taking heavy losses for apparently no good reason other than idiocy in mistakes, policy, and operations. The pattern at least in my point of view is ethics and professionalism seem to take a back seat when companies decide to entrench themselves in DEI/DIE especially at the management level. It wouldn't surprise me if after the global "cough cough" that EK may have needed to turn to investors (with strings attached) to keep afloat after various interruptions across industry and logistics. It would be interesting if GN discovers investors that have a stake in EK that were not previously known.

This is hilarious. So there was literally the ONE "token" Black guy in the US office that got all sorts of Racisim from the EK Headquaters visitors who are primarily slovakian and THATS the cause of all of EKs problems???

View attachment 1714491856270.webp much??????????


If anything by the looks of it the lack of diversity and pure nepotism has sunk EK just that its only now we are finding out about it.

 

[A Computer Guy]

This is hilarious. So there was literally the ONE "token" Black guy in the US office that got all sorts of Racisim from the EK Headquaters visitors who are primarily slovakian and THATS the cause of all of EKs problems???

View attachment 345766 much??????????


If anything by the looks of it the lack of diversity and pure nepotism has sunk EK just that its only now we are finding out about it.

No you fundamentally misunderstand my comment. Racisim among other bad behaviors is not acceptable in the work environment.

 

[Assimilator]

No you fundamentally misunderstand my comment. Racisim among other bad behaviors is not acceptable in the work environment.

If you claim that DEI practices are causing companies to fail, you are implicitly claiming that the candidates hired as a result of those practices are causing those failures. And guess what, those candidates are generally not white males. So what you are effectively claiming is:

"Hiring people who are not white males is causing companies to fail."

I encourage you to think about how that's problematic.

 

[A Computer Guy]

If you claim that DEI practices are causing companies to fail, you are implicitly claiming that the candidates hired as a result of those practices are causing those failures. And guess what, those candidates are generally not white males. So what you are effectively claiming is:

"Hiring people who are not white males is causing companies to fail."

I encourage you to think about how that's problematic.

It's only problematic for those who cannot objectively think beyond the most petty kind of discrimination called race and see everything through that lens. (not implying you) The DEI problem is not about race but unfortunately it's all too easy be be derailed by it. There is in my view a fundamental problem behind it that is derailing companies at the management level. Again not a race problem but an ethics and professionalism problem.

I can appreciate and respect your consistent and relentless drive to evidence based commentary which is why I don't block you but sometimes you rub the wrong way.

 

[Panther_Seraphin]

Well DEI wasnt a consideration from the start as it looks like the problem is actually from the Very Top of EK HQ which are both native white males from that country.

Oh and the US CEO was meant to be a friend of Konig anyway.....so yeah.....Nepotism at its finest.

 

[OkieDan]

DEI is definitely bad, but I don't see evidence of it here.

 

[A Computer Guy]

Finding this topic somewhat fascinating now I'm doing some digging and curious to know if this $249.99 water block really did have the $100 make it to charitable donations.

EK Releases Limited Edition Memorial Day Star-Spangled Velocity Water Block

EK, the premium water cooling gear manufacturer, has decided to do something special for its American fans this Memorial Day Weekend. Apart from being the unofficial beginning of summer, the last Monday of May has a lot of meaning for many Americans. Memorial Day is the reason why EK has created...

www.techpowerup.com

 

[BoggledBeagle]

Finding this topic somewhat fascinating now I'm doing some digging and curious to know if this $249.99 water block really did have the $100 make it to charitable donations.

You would need access to detailed internal records of the numbers of sold items and outgoign payments. I am afraid that the company itself may have problems finding that information.

 

[Ruru]

I was under the false impression that they made the majority of their parts in the EU, Slovenia specifically. I had no idea they had divisions in the US, Japan and China until the GN video. Which makes their money woes (and idiotic pricing) that much more shocking.

They've managed to get people to trust their brand. I admit that I thought that everything was made in Slovenia before this current mess.

 

[Chaitanya]

Actually disclosing country of manufacture happens with increasing frequency these days. This started out many decades ago with food products but the practice has been adopted by many other retail domains.

For example, if you look at the products at the online store at Food52.com, you will see country of origin/manufacture in the product details. Some Amazon listings have information as well.

To ask EKWB to disclose this information going forward is not an unreasonable request in 2024.

Many places it is mandatory to list where the product was manufactured quite prominantaly on product page.

E-commerce firms have to adhere to country of origin norm by 30 September

Initially, the government was keen to make it mandatory to display ‘country of origin’ of products sold on e-commerce platforms starting 1 August, but online retailers have pushed back saying the deadline may not be feasible

www.livemint.com