Editing Heathkit (section)

== Kit era comes to a close ==
Selling kit computers not designed to be shipped preassembled sometimes caused problems, so the Z-100 was the first Heath/Zenith computer not designed first as a kit.{{r|mace19820412}} While Heath/Zenith's computer business was successful, the growing popularity of home computers as a hobby hurt the company because many customers began writing computer programs instead of assembling Heathkits.{{r|lawrence19920330}} While their assembly was still an interesting and educational hobby, kits were no longer less expensive than preassembled products;<ref name="pease19920723">{{Cite magazine |last=Pease |first=Bob |date=1992-07-23 |title=What's All This Muntzing Stuff, Anyhow? |url=http://electronicdesign.com/boards/whats-all-muntzing-stuff-anyhow |magazine=Electronic Design}}</ref> ''BYTE'' reported in 1984 that the kit version of the Z-150 [[IBM PC compatible]] cost $100 more than the preassembled computer from some dealers, but needed about 20 hours and soldering skills to assemble.<ref name="rash198412">{{Cite magazine |last=Rash |first=Wayne Jr. |date=December 1984 |title=The Zenith Z-150 PC |url=https://archive.org/stream/byte-magazine-1984-12/1984_12_BYTE_09-13_Communications#page/n251/mode/2up |magazine=BYTE |pages=252–259}}</ref><ref name="cohen198412">{{Cite magazine |last=Cohen |first=Henry B. |date=December 1984 |title=Building the H-150 Computer Kit |url=https://archive.org/stream/byte-magazine-1984-12/1984_12_BYTE_09-13_Communications#page/n257/mode/2up |magazine=BYTE |pages=258}}</ref> The continuation of the integration trend ([[printed circuit board]]s, [[integrated circuit]]s, etc.), and mass production of electronics (especially computer manufacturing overseas and plug-in modules) eroded the basic Heathkit business model. Assembling a kit might still be fun, but it could no longer save much money. The switch to [[surface mount]] components and [[Large Scale Integration|LSI]] ICs finally made it impossible for the home assembler to construct an electronic device for significantly less money than assembly line factory products.<ref name="BrueschkeMack"/>{{rp|152-153}}

As sales of its kits dwindled during the decade, Heath relied on its training materials and a new venture in [[home automation]] and [[lighting]] products to stay afloat. When Zenith eventually sold ZDS to [[Groupe Bull]] in 1989, Heathkit was included in the deal.<ref name="BrueschkeMack"/>{{rp|153}}

In March 1992, Heath announced that it was discontinuing electronic kits after 45 years. The company had been the last sizable survivor of a dozen kit manufacturers from the 1960s.<ref name=lawrence19920330>{{Cite news |first=Lawrence |last=Fisher |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/30/business/plug-is-pulled-on-heathkits-ending-a-do-it-yourself-era.html |title=Plug Is Pulled on Heathkits, Ending a Do-It-Yourself Era |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=30 March 1992}}</ref> In 1995, Bull sold Heathkit to a private investor group called HIG, which then sold it to another investment group in 1998. Wanting to only concentrate on the educational products, this group sold the Heath/Zenith name and products to '''DESA International''',<ref name="BrueschkeMack"/>{{rp|154}} a maker of specialty tools and [[heater]]s. In late 2008, Heathkit Educational Systems sold a large portion of its physical collection of legacy kit schematics and manuals along with permission to make reproductions to Don Peterson,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.d8apro.com |title=Data Professionals Heathkit Page |author=Don Peterson}}</ref> though it still retained the copyrights and trademarks, and had pointers to people that could help with the older equipment.

DESA filed bankruptcy in December 2008.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/dhpholdings-bankruptcy-idUSN2931880020081229 |title=Desa Heating parent files for bankruptcy |date=December 29, 2008 |author=Chelsea Emery |work=Reuters}}<!-- original link is dead, with no archive copy ( http://www.forbes.com/feeds/afx/2008/12/29/afx5865486.html ) so it has been replaced with an equivalent reference --></ref>  The Heathkit company existed for a few years as '''Heathkit Educational Systems''' located in [[Saint Joseph, Michigan]], concentrating on the educational market.  The Heathkit company filed for bankruptcy in 2012.<ref name="closed"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.arrl.org/news/heathkit-educational-systems-closes-up-shop |title=Heathkit Educational Systems Closes Up Shop |publisher=The National Association for Amateur Radio (ARRL) |date=May 9, 2012}}</ref>