MFJ Enterprises, founded in 1972 by Martin F. Jue K5FLU, manufactures a wide range of products for the amateur radio market. They specialize in station accessories, such as antenna tuners and antenna switching equipment. According to Wikipedia, MFJ manufactures more amateur radio products than any other company worldwide.

The company announced last week that it will cease on-site production in Starkville, Mississippi, on May 17, 2024. The same applies to its sister companies, Ameritron, Hygain, Cushcraft, Mirage, and Vectronics.

In a letter dated April 25 and shared with customers and dealers, Mr. Jue noted that he recently turned 80 years old and wrote, “I had never really considered retirement, but life is so short, and my time with my family is so precious.” He cited the COVID-19 pandemic as a cause of a downturn in business from which the company never recovered.

It would appear that all the Internet hype about MFJ going out of business is just that—hype. In the absence of any other market data or business intelligence, the only information we have is in the letter itself. We know that manufacturing operations are shutting down and that Martin F. Jue is likely not to keep office hours going forward, but the letter does not specifically say MFJ is going out of business.

“We are going to continue to sell MFJ products past May 17, 2024. We have a lot of stock on hand. We will continue to offer repair service work for out-of-warranty and in-warranty units for the foreseeable future.”

The letter states that MFJ products will still be sold, and stocks are currently high. It also points out that MFJ will continue to offer service and warranty repairs. So, the MFJ name is not going to disappear any time soon. What goes forward now is open to conjure. It is possible that MJ will find offshore manufacturing options. OR, it may sell the brand to another company that will find those manufacturing options.

At this juncture, the horizon is wide open. There could be potential collaborations with dealers like GigaParts or Ham Radio Outlet. During this transition, we might witness a streamlining of the product range, with slower-moving items being phased out. Suppose a retail partner like GigaParts or another company were to take over the MFJ portfolio and make it their house brand. In that case, they would likely discontinue the slower-moving items. Some of the MFJ brands, such as Cushcraft and Hygain, could potentially be acquired by other antenna companies like Diamond or Comet. The only certainty we can draw at this point is that the MFJ brand will continue to have a presence in the marketplace, albeit to a certain extent, and that Mr. Jue is set to enjoy a well-deserved retirement.

Click to read the letter

Tags: MFJ, End of an era, Ameritron, Hygain, Cushcraft, Mirage, Vectronics