Hornby (Airfix / Corgi) Reports Big Loss!

G’Day all. As a guy in his late 50’s, built my first kit at age 7. My wife and I went to see the museum at head office a couple of years back on a trip to the U.K. In the shop asked for one of the diecasts they had “out the back”. Unfortunately they couldnt supply it as it was in an unopened box? What can you do but go somewhere else to find it.

hopefully its not a repeat of frog, new models then suddenly gone

Airfix and Humbrol made profits for the group. Its on the Airfix Facebook page. Humbrol was by 20%!

Don’t build your hopes up too much; according to one of the photo captions in the Sky article – “Traditional Airfix models that require glue continue to be made in India”

Sadly their aim for ‘electronic sales’ will do no favours for the independent retailers!! 🙁

There have been ups & downs with Hornby manufacturing in China – slow development & production of models, shipping fuel costs, delays when containers have been stranded in ports. New models are usually ‘in development’ or ‘in transit’. The quality is excellent but prices have steadily risen. Would be a welcome move to see production and model development for Airfix back in the UK, possibly with a view to Hornby coming back too?

Their new 1/48 Spitfire PR XIX is a beaut too:cool:

Lots of new releases – new tool Spitfires, Lancasters, Gladiator, Typhoon, Vampire, Gnat – all getting rave reviews for quality and price.

Yes, Airfix have certainly stepped-up-their-game recently; driven, I would think, by not-so-cheap competition from Chinese manufacturers.

They’ve also made some genius moves with their existing 1:76 Military Vehicles kits (my first love!) ‘Crocodile’ and ‘Bridge-Layer’ additions to their Churchill Tank, ‘Female’ version of the Mark 1 Tank and ‘Crab’ addition to their Sherman Tank kit…

…I’d like to congratulate whoever thought of that…..pure genius!

Their new 1:76 Military Vehicle kits are in a new class too, Cromwell Tank and King Tiger; sadly these make the original kits from 1965 look very dated now!

Saw one of the new 1:72 Spitfire kits at Duxford; superb…

…and the idea for the Airfix Model Tent at airshows, with free kit to make, there and then…..another brilliant move!

Another take on it:

http://news.sky.com/story/1100667/airfix-owner-hornby-battles-for-britain

Bringing production back to the United Kingdom from China; that’s an extremely interesting development…

…to this day I remember the shudder that went up my spine when production was moved to…..France!!!

Naive / optimistic view of public interest in Olympic mascots looked like a major contributor to their woes over the year – see: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/business/industries/retailing/article3548825.ece

Not just the mascots but a whole range of Olympic souvenirs – mini Olympic torches for example – for whatever reason, the demans just wasn’t there (IMO theys et their price point too high for many of them)

Well, I tried in god knows how many stores to get the Mk XII spitfire for my son, funny thing is, it’s not in production anymore, yet it’s still advertised. I love airfix and hornby but – get there acts together and sort it out. But I guess it’s the British way, profit first quality last sod the customer then blame the customer —
Britains finished I’m sad to say.

Or (looking at it another way) Hornby have sold their entire production run, which means they’ve made a profit on the deal; I was able to get the kit last weekend, and The Aviation Hobby Shop still has it in stock (checked 2 minutes ago, just for you.)

Well, I tried in god knows how many stores to get the Mk XII spitfire for my son, funny thing is, it’s not in production anymore, yet it’s still advertised. I love airfix and hornby but – get there acts together and sort it out. But I guess it’s the British way, profit first quality last sod the customer then blame the customer —
Britains finished I’m sad to say.

Amazing.

From your inability to procure, a seemingly readily available plastic kit, you have written off a whole Country.

Another take on it:

http://news.sky.com/story/1100667/airfix-owner-hornby-battles-for-britain

Well, I tried in god knows how many stores to get the Mk XII spitfire for my son, funny thing is, it’s not in production anymore,

Nine in stock at Hannants.

One in stock at Relish Models

In stock at Wonderland Models

In stock on Airfix’s own website.

Creative Models……. the same…

Need I go on ???

If you look at a few modelling websites – Britmodeller, ARC etc – they are raving about Airfix and Hornby.

Lots of new releases – new tool Spitfires, Lancasters, Gladiator, Typhoon, Vampire, Gnat – all getting rave reviews for quality and price.

I can’t speak for their finances, but since being ‘rescued’ by Hornby, they have come out of the modelling doldrums in a big way.

Ken

Naive / optimistic view of public interest in Olympic mascots looked like a major contributor to their woes over the year – see: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/business/industries/retailing/article3548825.ece That plus the write-off related to the Italian arm of the business look to be the causes according to business reporting. Hope they can survive and get the supply chain back on track too.

This outlet is doing its best to support them!

Not sure about stocking the Spitfire for PP, but at least NAM’s 106 Op Lancaster I W4964 ex IX(B) Squadron managed a nice mention in latest edition of the ‘Corgi Collectors’ magazine!! 😉

I don’t think it is as bad as it looks – the actual article describes a huge one-off ‘write off’ that accounts for much of the loss.

Well, I tried in god knows how many stores to get the Mk XII spitfire for my son, funny thing is, it’s not in production anymore, yet it’s still advertised. I love airfix and hornby but – get there acts together and sort it out. But I guess it’s the British way, profit first quality last sod the customer then blame the customer —
Britains finished I’m sad to say.