Hornby buys Corgi....

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"Toymaker Hornby has bought die-cast model car maker Corgi for £7.5m as part of its strategy of expanding in the hobby and collectibles market."

Hmm, I hope they are not heading for their 'Rovex' moment, to many toes in to many pies, this is the third 'non core' purchase (Airfix, Humbrol and now Corgi), diluting the brand has it's risks...

Reply to
:Jerry:
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":Jerry:" wrote

Of more relevence to this group, Hornby's acquisition of Corgi means they now own the Bassett-Lowke name, bringing an end to the rivalry which dates back to the 1920s I believe.

John.

Reply to
John Turner

What does it mean to the many toes? Are the toes major shareholders?

MBQ

Reply to
manatbandq

Hmm, yes, are they planning to re-brand their live steam range?....

Reply to
:Jerry:

As long as they don't put "Hornby" on the Corgi boxes, they'll do just fine.

Reply to
Wolf Kirchmeir

I'm more worried that it might be the other way around, trying to cash in on more 'collectors' rather than their core market - the modeller... :~(

Reply to
:Jerry:

Well, I've been wondering about that. Firstly, there's bit of collector in pretty well every modeller I know. I mean, how many modellers do you know who own only as many locos as they actually _need_ for their layout?> Or carriages and wagons, for that matter? ;-)

Secondly, over the past few years there has been an increase in the variety of models produced. Not only are a variety of engines being offered, more and more are being offered in prototypically correct liveries with prototypically correct detail variations. Partly this is a function of CAD/CAM, which makes molds cheaper, but mostly I think it's the collector who wants "one of each." True, the modeller benefits, because now he can have a loco that fits his layout exactly, or will do so with minimal rework. But considering that some of the liveries are quite obscure (esp. here in N. America, where there are dozens of short lines), I don't think it's the modeller that's driving the market. I mean, are there really a couple hundred modellers of the Green Bay and Wwestern? I doubt it, yet several GB&W loco have been offered over the past few years.

I've also noticed that some of my friends assemble whole trains, without regard for the supposed line or ear they are modelling on their layouts. they just like to have "some of each", I guess.

Confession: I like the Soo Line, both when it painted its diesels maroon with "gold" lettering, and a little later when it switched to blinding white with large black letters and a scarlet front ends. But I don't _model_ the Soo. I just acquire a loco from time to time.... ;-)

So I think that the collecting urge is one of the major drivers of the market.

Reply to
Wolf Kirchmeir

At the moment I don't have a real layout and all my locos are in a display case, so I guess that makes me a collector. They have all, however, been test run and chipped and await the day when I find my "round tuit".

I thionk some purchasing is also driven by the recent batch manufacture culture. If you don't buy that loco today, can you be sure you will not have to pay through the nose for one later? I read that the latest Heljan special (Kestrel or something? Wrong scale for me so I don't pay too much attention), yet to be produced, has already sold out.

On the other hand, it seems that with some manufacturers it pays to wait for a second batch when they have, hopefully, ironed out all the problems.

I don't mopel the LNER but I will buy a Dapol B17 if they release

61653, because it means something to me, rather than being appropriate for the layout. Rule 1 applies here.

MBQ

Reply to
manatbandq

That may very well be the case now [1], that is what's worrying me is - is that market sustainable? - I fear it might not be, collecting 'fads' come and go, collectors move on (sometimes even at a loss), we are already seeing a separation between the highly detailed models sold for a premium and the less detailed models sold at 'train-set' prices (such as the Hornby Railroad range), I fear that if Hornby are now going for the collector rather than for the person who would have in the past bought and built an etched brass or white metal kit they and the hobby could catch a very bad cold in not worse.

[1] not helped by market distorting auctions web sites, such a (crim)eBay, where 'auction fever' so often suppresses common sense...
Reply to
:Jerry:

It's interesting what you say about batches. When trying to decide what gauge to retrun to, one of the thoughts I had was the possible difficulty of actually getting what I wanted, e.g. a Class 47 in proper blue livery (none of those ugly large logo's etc), when I wanted one (I don't do s/h unless really pushed). It was actually the thought of having to repaint a model that got me thinking that I might look at kits, which led to thinking O, which led to.... The "batch culture" actually back-fired on the manufacturers there, though I doubt they'll be up all night worring about it!

Cheers Richard

Reply to
beamendsltd

Their core market is surely the "toy market"?

Reply to
Greg Procter

That creature is surely just a myth - or a beginner? ;-)

Greg.P.

Reply to
Greg Procter

Agree with you there and corgi products are just more toys. So although there may be slight difference in the markets the business model remains the same and with buying the company then they get the people that have the knowledge of the new market.

Cheers, Simon

ps Only agreed with Greg cos he gave an answer to my question on other thread. :-)

Reply to
simon

You're back to only one point off my Christmas Card list! ;-)

Greg.P.

Reply to
Greg Procter

Sorry but Corgi have long accepted that children don't play with their products anymore, kids are more likely to be playing the latest computer game that allows them to drive a car - assuming that the older ones are not busy trying to drive someone else's real car! - rather than playing with a model of one on their bedroom carpet... Corgi are/were very much in the collectors market and have aimed their products and marketing in that direction for many years now.

Reply to
:Jerry:

Yeah, somehow I don't think it's children spending £50-60 on HGV models, especially not when they can buy things like GTA 4 for almost half that price.

Fred X

Reply to
Fred X

wrote

I think the quote should refer to 'fingers in too many pies'. In the past when Hornby have diversified, they've got their fingers burnt - let's hope that in their seemingly endless drive for growth they don't go there again.

Having witnessed the difficulty they've had recently in getting new model railway products out of China, I can't help thinking this acquisition is unlikely to help that cause with both Corgi and Bassett-Lowke coming from the Orient.

John.

Reply to
John Turner

Its the broad definition of toys that includes 'models for adult collectors'. But they may bring out a range equivalent to current Skaledale one - I bought 3 but havent seen 2 of them since his nibs found them. Some children still love cars as well as games consoles. See Humbrol/Airfix is bringing out a range of railway related colours in autumn - theres an LMS crimson included.

Cheers, Simon

Reply to
simon

I think the difference with the 'recent' set of acquistions is they've all, in the main, got one thing in common: they complement the model railway side of Hornby's business (i.e., Airfix do planes at 1:72, Corgi do cars at 1:72, etc). The thing that kind of surprises me is that they haven't ventured into N gauge rolling stock - they do Lyddle End, but not any stock of any kind...

Ian J.

Reply to
Ian J.

I think that might be more a happy coincidence, indeed the Airfix 1:72 scale military vehicle range will - I'm sure - find homes on many layouts, mostly modified no doubt though.

Perhaps they are going to follow Greg's "Lets re-invent the wheel" logic and re-introduce the old Lima range...!

Reply to
:Jerry:

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