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Harold Country: | Posts: 1200 railman28 Fireman Posted - 07/31/2018 :  5:12:00 PM     has any of these companies given any reason for their closer? It's only make-believe Country: USA | Posts: 5707 deemery Fireman Premium Member Posted - 08/01/2018 :  2:24:57 PM     quote: Originally posted by railman28 has any of these companies given any reason for their closer? A Chinese manufacturer for a lot of model RR companies closed suddenly, see http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=50778 I hope the impacted companies can get their tooling back. There are horror stories about factories closing and keeping the tooling (property of the foreign kit supplier). dave Modeling 1890s (because the voices in my head told me to) Country: USA | Posts: 8831 OK Hogger Crew Chief Posted - 08/01/2018 :  3:47:35 PM     Mike: The rumored reason is the aging of the original founder and his offspring do not wish to continue with the company. Andre Country: | Posts: 891 Gloucesterman New Hire Posted - 08/01/2018 :  4:02:05 PM     The company at issue is Affa Technology, a Hong Kong based, family firm that produced not only model trains but electronic and other consumer goods for North American affiliates, using factories in mainland China. The closing was not due to finances or politics as has been widely speculated on other forums. The owner and CEO, Kwok-kit Ku, who had run the company since its founding (when Hong was under British rule) did not want to take it public, and with no family member to replace him at the helm, he decided to close it down. Over half a dozen North American train importers are going to be affected, and they will probably be hard put to find alternate suppliers in the immediate future. That is because this is the second big shut down of Chinese model producers. Back around 2008, another outsourcer for Western companies, Sanda Kan, was bought up by a rival Hong Kong firm called Kadar. Kadar's intent was not only to eliminate a local rival but to weaken the Western firms Sanda Kan supplied. Kadar, which had purchased Bachmann earlier, was then using that firm as a cover to buy up other Western firms to directly enter both the North American and European model train markets. And by closing Sanda Kan's production to outsiders, Kadar, sought to enhance its own market position at their expense. So, again, that closing wasn't due to the model industry having become unprofitable. Indeed Kadar has done almost too well. Since becoming perhaps the dominant firm in the model train industry, it attracted the attention of J.P. Morgan who staged a highly leveraged financial takeover, leaving Kadar with a heavy debt service. That may impact it more than rising costs in China in the next few years. Frank Country: | Posts: 41 OK Hogger Crew Chief Posted - 08/02/2018 :  12:47:56 AM     Leaving the concerns of the infamous China Syndrome striking again... and update: (Drum roll, please.) I bit the bullet and ordered all the flex track I think I'll need! 7 bundles of Micro Engineering Unweathered Code 70 Flex Track will be heading my way. Pretty fair amount of change was spent... but I wanted all of the flex track on hand so if Micro Engineering gets in trouble with a supplier, ain't my issue. Once track is in hand, it will be figure out what lumber items I need to get started, and get those on hand. All fer now! Andre Country: | Posts: 891 Michael Hohn Fireman Posted - 08/02/2018 :  08:16:04 AM       Andre, There’s nothing like piles of track and lumber for motivation. And I bet you can hear that empty space calling out “fill me up with layout.” Mike _________________________________________________ Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced. James Baldwin Country: USA | Posts: 7189 railman28 Fireman Posted - 08/02/2018 :  11:49:39 AM     I got to give you an At'a boy! That's a step away from the arm chair. It's only make-believe Country: USA | Posts: 5707 OK Hogger Crew Chief Posted - 08/02/2018 :  12:58:18 PM     Mike: Hopefully so! Ordered last night after midnight (isn't online purchasing wonderful?)... and this morning received an email "Shipped" notification w/tracking # from Micro-Mark. Fast service! FWIW: I purchased 7 bundles at $28.95 per bundle + shipping. That was the best deal I could find on the net. I figure the track should be here next week sometime. Andre Edited by - OK Hogger on 08/02/2018 5:39:10 PM Country: | Posts: 891 Michael Hohn Fireman Posted - 08/02/2018 :  2:55:02 PM       Andre, It’s not everyone’s favorite but ME code 70 track is what I use at home. I like the look and also the way it stays bent when you bend it. Our club uses code 83 in the usuals brands; when I use it and the track springs back in a moment of inattention I just want to strangle somebody with it. Good thing I never have. Mike _________________________________________________ Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced. James Baldwin Country: USA | Posts: 7189 railman28 Fireman Posted - 08/02/2018 :  3:11:47 PM     I too use ME code 70. And, I like it. It's only make-believe Country: USA | Posts: 5707 deemery Fireman Premium Member Posted - 08/02/2018 :  4:33:09 PM     You have to be careful with ME Code 70 and smaller, the scale spike heads can break off (too) easily. I have one stretch of track where the spikes broke off and I'll have to figure out how to respike that section down. dave Modeling 1890s (because the voices in my head told me to) Country: USA | Posts: 8831 OK Hogger Crew Chief Posted - 08/02/2018 :  6:32:50 PM     I reckon you'll be able to add me to the ME user base, now! Dave: I have gauges and spikes n' stuff left over from hand laying days... so if the molded spikes sheer... no biggie. Andre Country: | Posts: 891 OK Hogger Crew Chief Posted - 08/03/2018 :  7:57:08 PM     Itty bitty update: Received two more Mehano cattle cars today that are in near mint condition at only $3.99 each. Got 'em both for something like $12 shipping and all! These additional two should give me plenty of cattle cars for the fall rush now. (Think I have ten or more?) All fer now! Andre Country: | Posts: 891 Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 of 57 Topic    New Topic |   Reply to Topic |  Previous Page | Next Page Jump To: Select Forum Railroad Line Administrative Forums       Forum News       Administrative Posts General Forums       WorkShops, Garage, Machines and Tools       The Tour Bus       The Arrival Track       RR-L Member Personal Websites       The Crew Lounge       The Classroom       Interchange Tracks       Rail Events       Reference & Research Model Railroad Forums       The Sn3 Branch       Mike Chambers' Craftsman's Corner       HOn30 and HOn3 Forum       Early Rail Forum       Dead Rail Forum       The On30 Line       Railroad Photography Forum       Small Scale Model Railroad Forum       Mid Scale Model Railroad Forum       Large Scale Model Railroad Forum       Logging, Mining, & Narrow minded       Model Railroad Construction       Micro & Mini Layouts       Layout Design / Operation Sig Forum       Startin' from Scratch       DCC, Computers and Electronics for Model Railroads Shop Talk       Vehicle and Non-Rail Transportation Modeling       The Steam Shop       The Roundhouse       Rolling Stock: the Car Shops       The Diesel Shop Company Store       Railroad-Line Swap Meet       New Product Announcements Fallen Flag Railroad Forums       Erie / Lackawanna Railroad Forum       Raritan River Railroad Forum Railroad Software Forums       Atlas Right Track Software       Railroad Line Software Library Model Railroad Club Forums       The Model Railroad Club Forum Sponsor Forums       Rusty Stumps Scale Models       KingMill Enterprises Railroad Line Weblinks       Badger Creek Lumber Co.       Central Missouri & Southern RR       Raritan River Railroad       Thor's All Gauge Page  -------------------- Home Active Topics Frequently Asked Questions Member Information Search Page Railroad Line Forums © 2000-2020 Railroad Line Co.
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