Jump to content

Airfix 2018


old thumper

Recommended Posts

11 hours ago, Plasto said:

I don’t think there is any doubt that the 2017 new tool kits will all arrive at some point.  The tools are cut it’s just a case of production and logistics now I think...

But its those (poor) logistics that must be damaging Sales.  I suspect if you want a Sea Fury ( or two or three) you will buy them when they arrive, but if they are not in the shops at Christmas in those shiny red boxes with exciting box art , they will not get the casual or impulse sales, even if some of those end up as unwanted gifts.  From the manufacturers point of view, they don't need them to be built, just sold, and that revenue is likely to be lost in the 2017 year.  Then again, if they have secured the loans needed, perhaps they are holding back to get the revenue upturn in January.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, neilh said:

But its those (poor) logistics that must be damaging Sales.  I suspect if you want a Sea Fury ( or two or three) you will buy them when they arrive, but if they are not in the shops at Christmas in those shiny red boxes with exciting box art , they will not get the casual or impulse sales, even if some of those end up as unwanted gifts.  From the manufacturers point of view, they don't need them to be built, just sold, and that revenue is likely to be lost in the 2017 year.  Then again, if they have secured the loans needed, perhaps they are holding back to get the revenue upturn in January.

“Distribution issues” yep such poor form that a cyclone was able to delay the releases.

Edited by PhantomBigStu
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, PhantomBigStu said:

“Distribution issues” yep such poor form that a cyclone was able to delay the releases.

Guess you know more of the inside info behind the delays than I , however what I do know from direct experience of working for a global corporation is that if you do business in parts of the world where your supply chain can be effected by weather events ( and cyclones are not uncommon) you plan contingency so your supply chain has a decent chance of remaining intact.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, neilh said:

Guess you know more of the inside info behind the delays than I , however what I do know from direct experience of working for a global corporation is that if you do business in parts of the world where your supply chain can be effected by weather events ( and cyclones are not uncommon) you plan contingency so your supply chain has a decent chance of remaining intact.

The container the tooling was in, not the kits, was damaged in the cyclone, had to be unloaded ,returned to be checked for damage, they were undamaged ,then reshipped to the factory , the wanted both kits in the shops for November but this knocked it back and the kits are now on a slow boat from India.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, sniperUK said:

The container the tooling was in, not the kits, was damaged in the cyclone, had to be unloaded ,returned to be checked for damage, they were undamaged ,then reshipped to the factory , the wanted both kits in the shops for November but this knocked it back and the kits are now on a slow boat from India.

@neilh

Ill add to that, hornby though they have a revenue just over the limit for last year are effectively a medium sized business, how much actually capability would you think they have over this, most of it will be at the mercy of the shipping company and the two factories 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What ever happened to production in the UK which a few recent models have proudly displayed?

Ignoreing the economics this would of course help towards eradicating these delays and increase customer confidence in the company. Must add I have not noticed any issues with the  overseas produced models I have even though not actually made any yet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

27 minutes ago, chrisov said:

What ever happened to production in the UK which a few recent models have proudly displayed?

Ignoreing the economics this would of course help towards eradicating these delays and increase customer confidence in the company. Must add I have not noticed any issues with the  overseas produced models I have even though not actually made any yet.

I think the main reason production went overseas was due to higher wage and production costs in the UK. This is a not uncommon factor in companies shipping (no pun intended) certain operations overseas. I have no problem with producing in the UK but, should this result in an increase in the cost of the kits,will we not then have hordes of modellers complaining about large price hikes. I don't think you CAN really ignore the economics unfortunately:crying:

 

Allan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

40 minutes ago, PhantomBigStu said:

 how much actually capability would you think they have over this, most of it will be at the mercy of the shipping company and the two factories 

I think that sometimes things happen and delays occur dispite best efforts. 

 

My business once once had a shipment delayed by the effects of The Tsunami in Japan..

 

Hornby has had issues in the past with supply chain problems out of its suppliers in Asia (if you deal with Asian suppliers this is not that uncommon). The issue for Hornby is that it hurts them financially as the issues tend to manifest themselves around key sales periods. As I think they try to run a JIT system to reduce warehouse inventory. For 99% of us the Sea Fury arriving late is of little concern as we’ll buy it in January.

 

Simplistically 

For a Toy maker (which Hornby is) not to have its latest Toys available at Christmas is far less than ideal.

 

Its the missing present / gift buying sales that Christmas generates that go missing. Hornby miss out on those and the retailers also miss out.

 

If your JIT is actually JTL....

 

You then have form for poor management of this supply chain and it’s impacted you before around key sales periods then it’s not a good look for investors. 

 

‘A Cyclone delayed the tooling’ can sort of sound like ‘the dog ate my homework’ 

  • Like 1
  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've never understood why some people worry so much about new kits being delayed.

 

It's nice to be excited by shiny kit, but I'm still working my way through Airfix's back catalogue. I haven't even got to the He 111 yet! :lol:

 

By the time I get round to buying the B-25 it'll be out of production...

  • Like 4
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Albeback52 said:

I think the main reason production went overseas was due to higher wage and production costs in the UK. 

A common reason for shifting production ‘off shore’  to an economy with a lower cost base is that you want to retain or make greater margin on the manufactured item.

 

There is nothing wrong with that but it can mean your supply chain becomes more complex as Hornby have found out. 

 

I’m not sure where most of Airfix is produced. I have some kits moulded in India some in the UK and I think a few in China...

 

I seem to remember Roger Canham talking about re-shoring production post brexit and after a bad trading period a couple of years ago in some commentary in the annual report IIRC I think that sentiment might explain why the 1/48 Stuka B1 was moulded in the UK. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Julien locked this topic
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...