Another one bites the dust???
An icon fades to a memory. I’m only in my 20’s but I remember those cheap but fun kits. I hope they make a comeback. I’d hoped that picking out a couple Airfix kits would be a way to share the hobby when I have kids.
Very unfortunate indeed.
Darwin, O.F. [alien]
The Humbrol “paint tins” had become an icon. I can only hope someone will pick up the ball where they leave off.
I guess in the meantime the collectibility of Airfix kits will rise?
Sad news, but I suspect that if they do go completely that their molds will soldier on in other’s hands. Revell Germany has never shied away from repopping the kits of long gone manufacturers and Italeri is also pretty good in that department.
“A new management team brought in during December 2005 to restructure the business”
That should have sent employees scrabling to update and mail their resumes! “Restructing” invariably means “hey, we’re going to fire 1/2 of you guys and let the company fail a little more so we can buy the controlling shares and then sell the brand names and equipment worth anything.”
The problem for Airfix is that Heller went into receivership a month back. Back in 1981 Airfix gave up manufacturing in England, and instead, Heller took over the moulds, and made the kits for Airfix. When Heller went into receivership, it stopped producing the kits, but, and here’s the crucial point, the receivers would not give Airfix the moulds either. Thus, for a month now, Airfix has had no supplies. As it’s likely to take 2 years for Airfix to get it’s moulds, it had no choice but to fold.
Does that mean that if someone decided to step in and purchase the company, they could not get the modls for two years, as well?
I would guess so
another dark day for modelling. What frustrates me is that the hobby is still very popular worldwide but that, as in the corperate world is the case so often, more and more smaller companies disapear and we will be left with only a few player having almost complete control over the market.
On the bright side, eastern european and asian brands are on the right road, the kits are becoming better by the year and the selection / choice is also getter better as time passes.
I sincerely hope somebody, with a love for modelling that is!, will buy the Heller, Humbrol & Airfix properties and will continue the releasing models etc. I am afraid though it will be one of the existing big players. Only time will tell…
That’s a bummer.
On the other hand, I suspect that Airfix kits will be easy to find for quite a while yet.
Regards,
Sad news indeed. There are many kits not available from other manufacturer’s. Case in point is this Sunderland that I built earlier this year.
Hope that current stocks last until they can get it all sorted out.
So I’m confused as far as the consequences to the Humbrol paint line, is it packing it in aswell?
Thats [censored]
Will
Humbrol were weeks (days?) away from launching their new line of acrylic paints, and had already started issuing leaflets about it. Apparently, they took on board comments on their original range (that you can’t airbrush it, etc), and developed something really good. Will we ever see it now?
I have some here and the showed promise. The brushed paint well and dried fast. Not had a chance to put them through the airbrush yet.
Airfix molds have been acquired by another modeling company about three weeks ago.
All of them? Even though they’re still locked behind the gates at Trun? Wanna tell us more, Swanny?
Cheers,
Chris.
This I just found…
Revell goes it alone
14:30, Sep 14th by Ronnie Dungan
Revell has announced a major restructuring of its business which will see it split from its US sister to become an independent operation in Europe, as part of a management buy-out.
With immediate effect, Revell GmbH and Revell Monogram operate entirely independently. The German management team and a group of outside investors now own Revll GmbH, which will be exclusively responsible in the European market for all Revell and non-Revell branded products.
In turn, the former parent company is exclusively responsible for the US market. The companies will jointly service and will remain partners in serving all remaining global markets under a perpetual agreement governing sales, marketing and intellectual property.
The ownership structure of Revell GmbH has been radically altered. Alongside managing director Hans Ulrich Remfert, sales director Bernd Wiegmann and other members of the management team, new partners include private investors from US, Belgium and Switzerland. Additionally, numerous Revell employees from the upper and middle management have also been involved in the buy out.
Thomas Randrup, country manager of UK and Ireland commented: “Our independence puts us in a strong position to develop our increasingly successful interests in both the toy and modeling industries in the UK and across Europe. The Revell slogan ‘Build your Dream’, which was often quoted during our anniversary festivities, has now taken on a new meaning for the passionate owners of this company.”
and this…
German firm set to rescue Spitfire-maker Airfix models
Revell MBO eyes Humbrol assets
Ian Briggs
A GERMAN firm is set to fly in to save model-maker Airfix, famous for its plastic kit replicas of Spitfires, Hurricanes and Lancaster bombers.
Hobby firm Revell yesterday revealed its interest in making a move for Airfix, whose future was put into doubt last month after its Hull-based parent company Humbrol went into administration.
Revell would also not rule out moves for other Humbrol assets.
Accountancy firm Grant Thornton, in Leeds, which was appointed administrators, made 31 of Humbrol’s 41 staff redundant.
The move was blamed on “severe cash flow pressures” and disruption to supplies due to the insolvency of Heller, its main manufacturing supplier in France, in spite of a new management team being brought in last December to restructure the business.
Administrators said they hoped to sell the company’s ‘iconic’ brands and intellectual property rights.
The news that the future of Airfix was in doubt was greeted by an outpouring of nostalgia for the plastic kits of well-known aircraft which enjoyed their heyday in the 1960s and 1970s.
Fans were concerned it could signal the end of the brand.
Humbrol, which also owns Plasticine and Young Scientist, has suffered trading losses for several years.
German-firm Revell, which makes Kick-O-Mania footballers, yesterday announc-ed a restructuring.
Its European businesses have been bought out by the management team and split from its north American businesses which it said puts it in a better position to make potential acquisitions, such as Humbrol assets.
Revell country manager, Tom Randrup said: "The announcement of our independence strengthens further Revell’s position in the European market.
“As Europe-wide leader and number one supplier of plastic kits and accessories to the UK toy and hobby market, we can confirm we have registered an interest in certain assets of Humbrol.”
Earlier this month train set giant Hornby said it was considering putting an offer in to rescue Airfix.
Airfix has its origins in a company founded in London in 1939 by Hungarian-born Nicholas Kove, which manufactured cheap rubber toys filled with air.
Its first model kit was the Ferguson Tractor in 1948. The Spitfire was introduced in 1953.
Due to its massive popularity, Airfix became one of the first toy companies to have its own magazine in 1960 and it gradually expanded through acquiring a number of other companies, including Meccano.
Its range grew to include vintage and modern cars, motorcycles, trains, ocean liners and spaceships.
Children spent hours making the models which were famously difficult to assemble.
A dip in popularity saw Airfix go into receivership in 1981.
It was bought by Palitoy, part of the American General Mills toy group, and production moved to France.
In 1986 it was taken over by Humbrol, but has suffered from falling sales as children became hooked on computer games and TV.
A recent survey commissioned for First magazine found youngsters spend an average of 25 hours a week in front of either TV or games console screens – rising to 42 hours a week during the school holidays.
I see how this is a plus, when it comes to the contined use of Airfix molds. I’d noticed that Revell Germany had a tendancy to re-box a number of kits (which meant I had to do some research before picking one up). What I’m wondering is how this is going to affect the prices/availability/whatever of Revell Germany kits here in America. Revell of Germany is (so far) one of my favorate kit manufactures, offering one of the best quality vs. price ratio out there. Anybody who knows business better that I do have any ideas?