Minelab outsourced the repair services for a reason. One would suppose that running a repair center in FL would be less costly than in Chicago. It is reasonable to suppose that Minelab's compensation to K'co is less than the costs ML was incurring previously.
The rate K'co gets was likely negotiated based on the status quo when this all started, before the passing of their technician.
Why all this speculation on my part? Because folks have difficulty understanding why a replacement or two haven't been hired. Maybe it's as simple as that the salary and benefits K'co can afford to pau are insuffifient to attract qualified applicants. If this is the case, then Minelab is the only source of funding to solve the problem.
Of course, maybe this is all wrong and it's just that fixing metal detectors is so strange and difficult that almost no one can do it. Also maybe I'm just overlooking some other reasonable explanation.
If I am right however, then the solution can only come from Minelab.