Andoran Industries Ltd.
Andoran Industries Limitied was a small BattleMech manufacturing firm on Bell.
Overview
Andoran Industries was commissioned by the Star League to produce a modern medium 'Mech for compliance with the Star League Armaments Act. The company's cost-cutting design features were what allowed Andoran Industries to undercut its competitors and win the contract with their Clint BattleMech design. The first 'Mech was completed in 2607 and full production ensued one year later with Andoran Industries as its sole proprietor.[1]
While the 'Mech would prove effective in its intended role, the company's corner-cutting and exclusivity of production limited the machine's ultimate impact on the Inner Sphere. Unlike other designs comissioned by the SLDF, the Clint would only be produced at the Andoran factory on Bell. The prevalence of original-design parts and Andoran's unwillingness to sell component manufacturing licenses to other companies prevented production rates from increasing beyond the Bell factory's capabilities. Furthermore, these components required a higher standard of maintenance and more frequent replacement, netting the company a robust service contract for machines purchased by the SLDF.[2][3]
On the high-side, SLDF leadership recognized the 'Mech's quality in the field and elected to continue its procurement from Andoran Industries. On the low-side, the design proved difficult to maintain and replacement parts had to be ordered directly from the factory. Whether this was by intent or simply a bonus to initial cost-saving efforts is still a matter of speculation. Nonetheless, though limited production capability prevented the 'Mech from becoming as prevalent as intended, their contracts with the SLDF secured Andoran Industries' longevity for nearly two centuries.
Andoran Industries' twilight years began with the fall of the Star League. Their contracts with the SLDF terminated by default and the company was forced to seek new contracts with successor states directly. This was somewhat difficult given that their closest customers were the Capellan Confederation and the neighboring Federated Suns. The death blow to Andoran Industries Limited was delivered during the First Succession War when its factory on Bell was destroyed in 2812 along with the Clint blueprints and manufacturing specs. The halt in production cut off Andoran's source of revenue and rendered the company incapable of providing services for existing machines. The loss of this income forced the company to dissolve shortly thereafter.[2][3]
Manufacturing
Andoran Industries Limited had a manufacturing center on the following planet:
Bell
Components produced on Bell:[1] | |
---|---|
Component | Type |
Mechs | |
CLNT-2-3T Clint[1] | Medium BattleMech |
Chassis | |
Andoran Model III | Clint[1] |
Fusion Engine | |
Pitban 240 | Clint[1] |
Armor - BattleMechs & Vehicles | |
Durralex Medium | Clint[1] |
Jump Jets | |
Andoran Modell JJII | Clint[1] |
Communications System | |
Raldon R1 | Clint[1] |
Sloane 220 Lockover System | Clint[1] |
AC-5 | |
Armstrong | Clint[1] |
Medium Laser | |
Martell | Clint[1] |