Some of y'alls' been asking about what's going on with SMI (!?). Well, we didn't fall off the face of the earth when we moved to TN, despite rumour, but we have been busy.  I've finally put together a summary, incomplete as it is (more pics and links to come!), we just wanted to give you an update on our progress, and thank you for your patience while we've been settling in.

Once upon a time, back around Christmas 2003, Peter, Sharon and Christian Readey drove cross-country to find a small-business friendlier state.  After many miles and lots of discussion about weather, cost of living and, of course business climate, they found themselves considering Tennessee, among a small handful of other states. 

In June-July of 2004, with the help of their friend and business associate, Dan Smith - many meetings with town councils, planning committees, realtors and the mayor of Smith Co. TN - the Readey's found a property and planned a purchase contingent on building approval, to relocate Steam Machines, Inc. from California to Tennessee. 

At the end of July, Pete returned to CA, after attending a planning committee meeting in Smith Co, TN,  to find out that SMI's overhead in CA would double in October 2004.  This instigated advancing the relocation plans from the end of 2004 up to the end of September 2004. SMI, family, friends and colleagues pooled resources to start a staged shift of equipment and resources from CA to TN.  Moving began in August

August, 2004:

View from the Top

Priorities

Help from our Friends

1st Trailer

Trailer Tarped

Wings' Mega Truck

During the month of August, while SMI was still waiting to hear if Smith Co. Planning Committee would grant permission to build a new facility on the new property, the decision was made to build a temporary facility inside one of the tobacco drying barns on site (ca.1860) to house equipment in the interim. With help from new friends in TN, Pete & Chris Readey and a local workforce began construction of our "building within a building."

• Pete makes 2 RT trips CA-TN-CA, pulling  Pete's 16ft trailer.  The first round trip was with Wings and his F450 mega van, the second round Pete pulled the trailer with his 1985 Mercedes Diesel station wagon, and Chris riding shotgun.

• Between drives, Chris and Pete help build the new workshop.

• SMI, CA continues manufacture and production of rigs; stockpiling parts for the transition month of October.

• At the end of August SMI receives approval to build a new facility on the Readey's new property.

September, 2004

2nd Trailer...

...somewhere in TX

• 2 more blistering hot, cross-country trips

• Construction on the temporary, "new" shop continues

• Production continues in LA, despite all, stockpiling to minimize down time in October/November

PRISM cowlings

Brass rings

Heads in a basket

Why we moved

We needed more space!

...lowering

October, 2004

• We have separate business and home phone lines coming into the house, but both will not run simultaneously. Luckily the cell phone still works.

• Pete does  RT #6 while Sharon "does DEMA" in Houston, with the help of some friends

• Pete does his 7th and final RT, pulling his heaviest load (~3.5 tons) through rain, sleet, snow, lightning storms and tornado alerts; arrives at the farm just in time for Halloween.
   

	Construction from August through October Building a Temporary Facility inside the Tobacco Barn			Building site, View North July
	South View	South East View	East Wall and Doorframes	Same View North September
	South Door	East & South Doors

November/December 2004

• Still waiting on Power up at the shop...

• Snow, lots of rain and flooding; SMI begins planning the location, , layout, etc, of the permanent facility:

• Insulated flooring is installed in the Temporary Facility.

• We FINALLY have power in the shop!  This means our business PHONE LINES/FAX work, and our work numbers are live 24/7 (except during lightning storms!).

• Heavy equipment: ovens, molding tables, vacuum pump, desks, etc are moved into place.

January/February, 2005

• Molding is up and running. Pete turns out our first parts "Made in Tennessee!"

• Cable doesn't run this far from town; a satellite dish is planted in front of the house

• Our new IT guy proves his worth, stamping out viruses and setting up our network.

• Training our first new employees, Mack and Brett.

• Computers in the shop go online (finally)!

• Storage shelves goes up; "Stuff" is finding its way from storage areas to the shelves in the shop.

• Assembly area is designated, and will be set up in March.

• Peter and Sharon make plans to attend Beneath the Sea, in March.

• Temporary Machine shop area is weather-proofed.

We may work in a Barn, but the view is great!

Mack Molding

South Door Molding area

View North Brett and Mack Molding

The IT Guy, stompin' viruses by the North Door

Machine Shop in Progress

Machine Shop in September

East Wall-Machine Shop

North Wall

North East Corner

Finished Machine Shop