Argos Update: September 23, 2026

Argos Update: September 22, 2026

Hello everyone,

Update time! We know the question on everyone’s minds right now: production timeline. Installing back covers and finishing second QC on all of the machines we'd already assembled back in early August took longer than we expected, and that held up the assembly work that was supposed to continue in parallel. We've attached an updated shipping timeline below so you can see exactly where your order sits. Our new build numbers slipped during that stretch, partly because Ross was pulled away from assembly to handle other business needs. The good news is we've shipped 78 machines over the past 4 weeks and still have a steady assembly flow. A new team member started this week as both a Technical Customer Service Specialist and a Repair Technician. An additional responsibility for them will be mixing in part time machine assembly, which means we hope to hold this pace going forward without needing to pull Ross back into assembly to keep the numbers up.

Updated Lead Time

Right now we're quoting a 4 month lead time on new orders. Here's the math behind that number: we've got roughly 220 machines left in the backlog, and we've been shipping 17-20 machines per week, which works out to 3.2 months to clear what's ahead of a new order. We’re rounding up to 4 months as an attempt to be conservative. We currently have a surplus of inventory in production, so we're not waiting on parts to keep that pace up.

For those wondering how we landed here, here's the fuller picture.

Why This Has Been Hard to Predict

When many customers placed orders last year, our backlog had been sitting around 600 machines. Based on our staffing at the time, we quoted 7 months. Lead times on a build like this depend on a lot of moving parts at once. Manufacturing delays, staffing levels, and the quality checks each machine goes through before it ships can all shift that number more than we’d like.

Some of the additional time came from real improvements made along the way. We rolled out several part iterations aimed at improving quality and reducing failures including light tubes, heating elements, steam valves, and fluid probes. Worth doing, but each one meant developing a new process and additional rounds of quality control, both of which added time. On the staffing side, a few of our technicians left to pursue other opportunities, and hiring replacements meant our actual output per month swung more than expected.

With our recent investment, we haven’t needed to focus on balancing cashflow with output which allowed us to devote everything into shipping what was already in the backlog. This is a big part of what helped bring our backlog down from over 600 machines to under 220 without the need for new orders.

What's Next: Building Sales Back Up

Now that the backlog is in a healthy place, we're starting to shift some attention back toward bringing in new orders while we keep working through what's left in the queue. It's a balance we're being careful with. If we waited until we were fully caught up before doing anything on the sales side, we'd risk sitting on idle production capacity, which doesn’t help with overall business growth and sustainability. You’ll continue to see the backlog drop as we ship until new sales ramp up and ideally balance out with production. Our goal for the Argos is a 30-60 day lead time.

New Team Member: Technical Customer Service & Repair

As mentioned above, we've brought on a dedicated Technical Customer Service and Repair Technician who started this week. The role covers post-sale support, technical questions and education, and on-site repairs, all under one person instead of spread across the team, and they'll also be pitching in on part time machine assembly. It's going to take real weight off the team and result in faster, more consistent answers when you need help, while giving us a bit more flexibility to keep build numbers and support steady.

Scratch and Dent Update

We've got a technician working part time specifically on scratch and dent orders. We're almost halfway through that queue now and expect to have every scratch and dent order shipped by the end of October. These do not impact the timeline above.

Tariffs

A few of you have asked about the new Canadian tariffs that went into effect September 8th. We looked into it closely, and Argos machines don't fall under any of the categories in the harmonized list that those tariffs apply to. You shouldn't see any additional charges as a result. The standard import tariffs still apply. If you do run into any unexpected issues, reach out to support and we'll do what we can to minimize the impact.

Behind the Scenes

Less exciting but worth mentioning: we've been buried in compliance work the past month, getting filed for the new EU packaging and packaging waste regulations, going through our standard insurance audits, and working through patent office actions. Good news is that after 3.5 years of waiting, our utility patent is approved and we’re in the final stage of submission! Small win, but we'll take it.

R&D: Silicone Slit Valve

On the product development side, testing on the new silicone slit valve is going well. The goal of this part is to restrict the water flowing out of the grouphead to ensure even puck saturation. We're still dialing in the variables that affect opening pressure, trying to get even flow without adding unnecessary restriction, but early results have been encouraging. More on this as results improve. This part can be easily installed into any Argos.

Auto Refill

Functional prototype working with the app. We’ll continue to test different refill scenarios then use it on our shop machine while we finalize production part selection, enclosure design for the valve, then kick off production.

Thanks for sticking with us. We'll keep you posted.

Sincerely, Ross & William