State of the BT Union 2015

BT Nation good afternoon. As our fiscal year closes and we prepare our returns we are pleased to let everyone know the State of The BT Union is strong!

The Period from September 30, 2014 to September 30, 2015 was a record breaker for us here at Team BT and it is because of you and our partners worldwide. We have shattered all sales records to date on the BT brand end and on the Vertex end of our business model. Fueled by the original Billet Tech Catch Can, which is often imitated but never replicated, we saw it picked up by more 3rd party private labels and we are proud to say that item is sold in 22 countries worldwide.

Sponsorship, Support and Paying It Forward

Throughout the past year we have been extremely proud to be strong supporters of many events nationwide including:

• Marquee Sponsor of ChallengerFest 2015
• Double Cash Money Payouts for Fall VMP of the Modern Street Hemi Shootout
• Charter Sponsor and day one sponsor of Lone Star Mopar Fest
• Title Sponsor of the Tilted Kilt Show in Charlotte in partnership with the Carolina Scat Pack
  (Team BT has also committed to being the title sponsor for the March 2016 event)
• And we were very pleased to when asked to provide the commemorative coins and a cash donation to the 10 year Anniversary of The South East Shindig that takes place in Perry, Georgia

We are also pleased to have had participation in several events all throughout this year with a total outflow of charity cash, sponsorship cash, and Billet Tech gift certification cash totaling well over $50,000 this fiscal year. Team BT never forgets where we come from and its very important to management and staff that we pay it forward as often as is possible for us to do so. Therefore, we say a heartfelt thank you! Thank you to you our customers for making it possible for us to pay it forward.

As many long time customers know we have always come forward to speak to the people when ever there are issues or concerns. These used to be in the form of weekly or semi-weekly updates on forums such as LXForums.com or Chargerforums.com, as well as technical bulletins if there was a problem with one of our products. We still use those tools, however, with the evolution of social media we are able to get our message out to you quickly via our website, Facebook, Instagram, and our Twitter feed.

Licensing, ICE and Disgruntle Ex-Employees

As many long time customers saw at the beginning of October the .com domain of Billet Technology was seized by ICE (trademark). This was a surprise to us as we’re sure it was to you as well. First and foremost let us clarify for the record our company has paid royalties to Chrysler. Those stating otherwise are incorrect. At the present time we cannot discuss the details of this matter. Be assured that as time moves forward and events materialize we will communicate with you openly concerning this issue. What we can tell you is this: our facility is open for normal business. No one has come and seized anything (contrary to the chatter from a disgruntled ex-employee and competitors).

While we are on the subject of disgruntled, it would appear that a former Billet Tech employee feels he was cheated out of his social security and made his gripe known in a very public posting at LX Forums earlier in the month. This is also false. As has been public since the inception of our brand the company was on the verge of collapse in early 2006 after three major Hurricanes.

As a result of that we fell behind on our Payroll Tax obligations to the IRS. In 2009 the IRS conducted a full audit of our books and records from 2000 to current (2009). No wrong doing was found except that we fell behind on our payroll tax obligations. The company hired Attorney Francis Sheehey, one of the top tax lawyers in the country, to handle those matters and we entered into an installment agreement with the IRS that is now nearly paid in full.

In fact, principles of this company have very friendly relationships with the tax payer advocates office in Weston Florida, as well as our local office in West Palm Beach, Florida. As is the case when a company enters into an installment agreement for back taxes the government secures its position in these matters in the form of a lien. Therefore, all liens will not be removed until the final installment payment is made to the treasury in July 2016. Just a few short months ago this former employee was copied on several emails with attorney Sheehy as to how he could “rectify” his situation (he doesn’t have one). Copies of those emails can be provided upon request.

Rest assured BT Nation, these matters were dealt with back in 2009 (over six years ago) and it is because of your support that we not only have been able to pay back our obligations, and remain current, we have also been able to flourish and pay it forward to many charities and events throughout the years since the inception of the brand.

Finally as it relates to former BT Employee’s posting at LX Forums, the current situation with ICE IS NOT public and that matter is sealed. Therefore, if this ex-employee were to “obtain” a record of that order he would be doing so as a direct result of working with the person’s filing the allegations (collusion). As of October 23rd, our legal team was only beginning to unravel the situation. Note: The matter is posted on the ICE Website in a press release now, but no formal complaints are posted. This situation stands if anyone other than our attorney or persons involved in the case would be privy to the complaint.

We are very well represented by one of the best law firms in the country, being led by lead attorney Judge Robert Rosenberg, former federal judge who sat on the bench for over 30 years. Some may recognize as the man federally appointed to lead the Florida Recount from the 2000 Presidential Election in Broward County. Judge Rosenberg is talented, well qualified and the right man for this job. We are grateful to be represented by Judge Rosenberg and we know we will be able to unravel exactly what is going on so that we can report back to all of you as information warrants.

What we can tell you is we are vigorously going to fight for the return of our .com domain name and we are 100% confident that many facts will come out over the coming months that will help clarify matters. Team BT has never hidden from bad information just as we have always been up front in sharing the good news with you our customers. Our open door policy with our clients is something we take seriously and is a key ingredient for the success of our business. This will not change! In fact it is priority number one to keep everyone informed to the extent that we can until this matter is closed for good.

Business as Usual at Billet Technology

In the meantime it’s business as usual here at the facility. We are still doing your custom orders. We still have the same great staff and partners. We still produce the very best product in the aftermarket period! Custombilletstore.com the site you have shopped at since the inception of our brand has never been down and is actively taking orders. In fact October 2015 is the very best October we have ever had here at the facility so we have say a humble and heart felt thank you to all of you for your support!

Yes you may have to wait a bit longer for our products. That will not change and we have always been above board and up front about that with you our clients and customers about our lead-times. What you will always get from us is exceptional one-on-one service from our staff, just as you always have since the day we came on the scene in 2006 to make it “Your Ride Your Vision.”

Your Billet Tech Team will always provide an original, innovative, well made product with that extra personalized touch that sets our brand apart from the look-a-likes, warehouses, and the blatant knockoffs. More importantly, we have expert staff who works hands on with the products and actually produces the products on site here at our facility. No part is made outside of this facility. Everything is 100% made right here with certified domestic materials.

Those so called warehouses and “experts” testing product don’t have a clue. They couldn’t build a running race car let alone understand the processes required to engineer and design a functional part. At Billet Tech we have been doing this since the inception of the mother company back in December 1975.

In Closing

As the fiscal year closes here at Team BT and we begin fiscal year 2016 we are very very excited with the many great things happening here at the facility! From our continuing relationships with the best companies in our platform, to our relationships with you our customers, the best clients in the car community, 2016 is going to be a banner year! We look forward to sharing that journey with you in our Tenth Anniversary Year of The Billet Technology Brand. We have literally been here since day one of the inception of the modern Hemi platform and we look forward to helping you make it “Your Ride Your Vision” for another ten years.

As we said at the beginning, the State of the BT Union is Strong! Thank you always for your support and trust. These are things we do not take for granted and never will.