Large Scale Central

Status of LGB product availability?

General Discussion
#81
John Joseph Sauer said:
..........................................

Oh, did anyone take note of the fact that Kingsbridge investment (who bought the companies) went belly-up?


Actually the company who bought those companies is called Kingsbridge Capital, a subsidiary of the Hardt Group. Soooo if Kingsbridge Investment (whoever they may be) has financial trouble, who cares. As long as Hardt Group and the subsidiaries are A OK, who would worry? Ahhh yes, the man in Waco TX, who has a problem getting the facts straight. :wink: :slight_smile: Let’s see what happens “next week”. :lol: :lol:

BTW The manager who migrates to ROCO was almost exclusively responsible for the TRIX product line, when"what’s his name" acquired Fleischmann to add to his ROCO holdings he must have had a look around Nürnberg to see whoelse was ready for a move. :slight_smile: From what I read there’s quite an exodus from the place.

PS How under control are things at Märklin? Axel Dietz seems to be really in control, if that’s a good thing … well that’s another story. Afterall apparently there are people on both sides of the “Big Pond” who believe “if it runs on the same track gauge it must be perfectly suitable and compatible”. ;)Seems to be one of the afflictions with some managers.

Oh BTW the big fat anniversary for Märklin is in 2009! As I mentioned in another LSC thread those anniversary dates are tricky stuff, remember what happened in 2006 to “The Boys” and their best laid plans. :wink: :slight_smile:

#82

Is it just me or does this remind you of the Hillary/Obama debate?
Ralph

#83

All I know is that my opinion that it would be 2 years till we saw any US profile stuff, may have been optomistic…Oh well, even if they did, at Marklins “new” European pricing, I couldn’t afford it anyway. On Gscalemad its amazing how upset readers are at the prices being asked. What did I say about “Beautique” brands?
:frowning:

#84

Good point Ralph, from what I read those debates are a bit short on substantive facts, is that true?

A note on the title of the thread “Status of LGB product availability?”, perhaps that should have been “Status of LGB product availability in North America?” that would have cut to the chase. :wink: :slight_smile:

#85

I think you are right on Ralph!

HJ, I have been looking through some other posts were you have given a pretty good translation of some German articles. Would you mind doing the same for those that JJ posted? I went to look at them and the remembered that I cant read German. hahaha Anyway, If you could give a synopsis of what they say, maybe I would understand the situation a little better.

-Bruce

#86
Victor Smith said:
All I know is that my opinion that it would be 2 years till we saw any US profile stuff, may have been optomistic....Oh well, even if they did, at Marklins "new" European pricing, I couldn't afford it anyway. On Gscalemad its amazing how upset readers are at the prices being asked. What did I say about "Beautique" brands? :(
Vic,

You know the old saw: “You can make money by selling lots of stuff at a low price OR you can make money by selling fewer items at a higher price.”

The Brits had a rotten deal all the way along, I’ve compared their LGB prices with the European and NA prices … and I just shake my head!

#87
Bruce Hutter said:
I think you are right on Ralph!

HJ, I have been looking through some other posts were you have given a pretty good translation of some German articles. Would you mind doing the same for those that JJ posted? I went to look at them and the remembered that I cant read German. hahaha Anyway, If you could give a synopsis of what they say, maybe I would understand the situation a little better.

-Bruce


I will Bruce, just as soon as I get done with my garden railway projects that are URGENT (strictly in my mind, of course :wink: )

PS I have two new engines coming from KISS and am hell bent that they will have a good run (not on my test circle!) after I converted them to DCC.

PPS The very short version (super condensed!) the new CEO at Märklin Axel Dietz, was hired from one of the largest dairy companies in Germany (Müller Milch, no relation or connection!). Background in model railways? from what I’ve read minimal to nil! His management style is being termed “rabiat” which could be translated as ruthless.
There is still plenty of red ink, but product turnover increased year over year (perhaps because of the higher prices?), Märklin was on the verge of bankruptcy when Kingsbridge finally convinced the last holdouts of the family that it was time to sell. No instant turnarounds!
Märklin’s backers extended further money injections in the very recent past. Rumours had it (in the papers!) that any expenditures above 500 Euro needed approval from the top.
They spent tons of money on consultants, biggest portion to ALIX, one of Dietz’s first moves, get the ALIX people out of there. OTOH now they hired KPMG. The spent lots more on golden parachutes!

#88
Hans-Joerg Mueller said:
Good point Ralph, from what I read those debates are a bit short on substantive facts, is that true?

A note on the title of the thread “Status of LGB product availability?”, perhaps that should have been “Status of LGB product availability in North America?” that would have cut to the chase. :wink: :slight_smile:


So true.
And the fact is, no point in stressing about things we can’t change. Only time will tell which route this story will follow.
Ralph

#89
Hans-Joerg Mueller said:
Victor Smith said:
All I know is that my opinion that it would be 2 years till we saw any US profile stuff, may have been optomistic....Oh well, even if they did, at Marklins "new" European pricing, I couldn't afford it anyway. On Gscalemad its amazing how upset readers are at the prices being asked. What did I say about "Beautique" brands? :(
Vic,

You know the old saw: “You can make money by selling lots of stuff at a low price OR you can make money by selling fewer items at a higher price.”

The Brits had a rotten deal all the way along, I’ve compared their LGB prices with the European and NA prices … and I just shake my head!


Your correct, I should have wrote “if the prices being asked in Britain are any indicator, I wont be able to afford them anyway”

I forgot that with the VAT, members there were lamenting that they could order and ship from the continent for less than buying locally, thats ludicrous!

#90
Ralph Berg said:
Hans-Joerg Mueller said:
Good point Ralph, from what I read those debates are a bit short on substantive facts, is that true?

A note on the title of the thread “Status of LGB product availability?”, perhaps that should have been “Status of LGB product availability in North America?” that would have cut to the chase. :wink: :slight_smile:


So true.
And the fact is, no point in stressing about things we can’t change. Only time will tell which route this story will follow.
Ralph

Ralph,

Precisely, OTOH Marvin, in his many incarnations, should do a bit more reading. There is plenty on the Internet where, with whom, how much and under what conditions Kingsbridge Capital invests around the globe. The diversity is absolutely amazing and some of the mechanisms are “innovative”.

BTW it will be interesting to see when we get a News release from the SD crowd on Nancy Ridge. From what the grapevine reports there are a few changes and apparently an impending address change. Is it possible that the “Ventilator” activity is meant as a decoy? seen that more than once before!

#91

Well when Marklin/LGB does finally start to distributer in NA again they might not have the maket they once had some of the older collectors might not care anymore (Or they might have passed on.) and might not want to spend top dollar to get a product from Hungary as they did from Germany. Lastly customers do tend to move on and once they become the customer of someone else it’s hard to get them back. It looks like the other manufacturers are stepping up to supply track, engines, rolling stock, spare parts, and other items whether it is Euro or NA prototype.
LAO

#92

Very good point Larry. :smiley: :stuck_out_tongue:

Funny part is: I’ve been suggesting that for years and the RedBoxBrigade would always get very upset when I mentioned that there were alternatives. Lets face it, some of those alternatives have been around for quite some time. Only the pink-hued glasses and the dark red blinkers prevent some people seeing what was and is out there. Welcome to the newly discovered reality!

#93

Well my last engine purchase was an Accucraft K4. Next will probably be Aristo Pnnsy or Amtrak E8’s then or maybe before that an USA GG-1.
LAO

#94

the RedBoxBrigade would always get very upset when I mentioned that there were alternatives.

Among other things :smiley:

#95

Two years before Marklin American railroad locos and cars appear in the U.S. is the estimate I read above.
So are not the current sales of LGB products from Trainworld, who appears to have the largest heavily advertised collective LGB inventory, not an accurate indicator of consumer acceptance of LGB once Marklin starts distributing in two years? That’s TWO years from now.

Is two years speculation or reality? Anyone know more of one or the other?

If LGB sales are a current indicator of LGB acceptance, I think Marklin will likely be in trouble producing and selling USA-type locos and rolling stock in two years. By then, what would Marklin be albe to offer consumers in any variety that could be produced without Marklin going broke? Isn’t current speculation about Marklin finding the “LGB molds?” If Marlin simply uses these LGB molds and produces the usual LGB USA line, whatever Trainworld can’t sell by then would be in competition with whatever Marklin then offers up.

Secondly, in two years I think LGB and LGB’s chocolate-box sample of scales will be past the interest curve.

Who knows, maybe 1:32 will be Marklin’s standard for “G” and they will come out with all-new USA locos and rolling stock. Who will back that money bet?

OK, bits and pieces of information do come into this posting.

Anyone want to offer anything definitive on the above?

Not since Harley Davidson lost all to the Honda Brothers is anything else in the discretionary spending world so interesting. What a story watching LGB and Bachmann totally screw-up their previously historic control of the this public’s image of this hobby.

HJ and JS, how about some more of your data and insights?

Wendell

#96

I didn’t forget – per my above posting:

Harley Davidson DID recover from the 1980s, got their image back, and again determines the image of motorcycling.

I want to forget, after securing the facts, LGB and Bachmann’s ineptness at managing their own customer’s decision points.

Wendell

#97

Yes Kenny, i.e. the time you threw a hissy fit when I translated the word “einfach” in a photo caption as “rudimentary” (precisely as the word was intended). Well that GARTENBAHNprofi review of the LGB Genesis sure differed from other reviews, all the blemishes and warts got due mention and there were no sputtering counter arguments from the RBB … other than “rudimentary” couldn’t possibly be correct. :smiley: This from the “expert” who has a bit of a struggle with his native tongue, let alone coping with a foreign language and its nuances. :wink: :slight_smile: :smiley:

#98
Wendell Hanks said:
I didn't forget -- per my above posting:

Harley Davidson DID recover from the 1980s, got their image back, and again determines the image of motorcycling.

I want to forget, after securing the facts, LGB and Bachmann’s ineptness at managing their own customer’s decision points.

Wendell


Wendell,

You know the routine; there is lots of stuff off the record. As far as I’m concerned that’s where it stays until such time when it hits the public domain.
One of the LGBoA crew recommended to a forum participant on the LGB Family Forum to chose his words carefully. Very good advise; especially if one is familiar with the litigious tendencies of some people. :wink: :slight_smile:

As to the target date for LGB®Märklin to deliver goods to NA … hmmmmm … my guess would be, as soon as they made suitable arrangements regarding the distribution and have sufficient and suitable inventory available to serve the market. We already know that the licenced products like Disney, Coke etc. are off the list.

#99

HJ-
You are correct re: liability. Ah, yes, memories of a mutual friend’s dictum from a name brand’s attorney.
When Marklin is fully functional and LGB of America is stabilized or has changed the name or?, all would be worth a chronologly of the key events. My guess is you have history ready for writing.

What a story.

Wendell