I’m not sure if I’m allowed to post this link as it involves the “M” and “L” words.
So my apologies in advance if its against the rules.
However, I stumbled across this news (new to me anyway) and thought you all might like to take a look.
You need to scroll down to get to the more interesting quotes.
http://www.toycollectormagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=216&Itemid=130
Best Regards
Les
There is no limitation on such references here.
The limitations come from the old Ventilators, generally, and they are somewhat out of steam.
They seem to spend their days limiting any talk about anything but what they decide you can talk about.
Les thank you. I found it to be very helpful and I think that is what this site is all about. People trying to be helpful no matter what you run.
I was particularly interested in the Castellano quote about having reached a verbal agreement for 2008 distribution of LGB products by LGBOA. Its strange to see news like this in the press before the company in question makes the announcement on its own website.
Even the family didn’t have any references to this article.
Thanks for the comments.
Rgds
Les
Les,
the 2008 verbal agreement has been in public news for some time (several months). Questions were raised then, as to if the deal (agreement) was extending beyond 2008 as Marklin has its own distribution company in the States and the interim verbal agreement was seen as merely an expedience until Marklin was able to get production up and running and revamp its own distribution company (2009 onwards). If you believe one spokesman, as quoted, the distribution company purchased a lot of ex-Lehmann stock last year(?) However, was that last year (2006) before the Marklin takeover, or last year (2007) after the Marklin takeover. If the goods were ‘purchased’ in the end of the 2006 year, then one would be very interested if a monetary exchange occurred.
Les,
I would say that Marklin jumped @ the verbal agreement for 2008… I figure they are up to there a** in alligators when there objective was to drain the swamp… Having just been bought & then trying to blend in LGB with there line is probably causing some real heartburn…
Bob Burton said:
Les,I would say that Marklin jumped @ the verbal agreement for 2008… I figure they are up to there a** in alligators when there objective was to drain the swamp… Having just been bought & then trying to blend in LGB with there line is probably causing some real heartburn…
From what I hear/read actually far from heartburn. They seem to know what they want and how they would like to deal with their distributors (terms and conditions). When there is nothing to publicly announce they announce: NOTHING!
There is a big advantage to that: one doesn’t look like a windbag with egg on the face. 
But as I recall a bit more egg on some faces doesn’t make much difference. 
BTW on that verbal agreement: do you really believe that Märklin would have signed written agreements with their distributors for the balance of 2007 and then would proceed with verbal agreements for 2008? Ever heard the expression “The Ts crossed and the Is dotted”? More so when dealing with an entity that firmly believed that they had the remnants of EPL Patentwerk oHG in the bag!?!
Tim Brien said:Tim,
Les, the 2008 verbal agreement has been in public news for some time (several months). Questions were raised then, as to if the deal (agreement) was extending beyond 2008 as Marklin has its own distribution company in the States and the interim verbal agreement was seen as merely an expedience until Marklin was able to get production up and running and revamp its own distribution company (2009 onwards). If you believe one spokesman, as quoted, the distribution company purchased a lot of ex-Lehmann stock last year(?) However, was that last year (2006) before the Marklin takeover, or last year (2007) after the Marklin takeover. If the goods were 'purchased' in the end of the 2006 year, then one would be very interested if a monetary exchange occurred.
That was 2006, terms and conditions unknown. You’d have to ask Steffen Goede and then weigh the reply very carefully!!!
As for deliveries in 2007 from LGB®/Märklin, best check with the large Online dealers in NA for actual availability. That will tell the story!
The article was published online on pages 70-78 inclusive in the November 2007 edition of the magazine toycollector.
I just nosed around the website a little.
So the views stated are likely to have been actually said in October 2007.
It’s obvious nothing has been signed for 2008 or LGBOA would have officially announced it already.
I also think the fact LGBOA went to Germany rather than Marklin went to America shows where the power lies.
I never saw anything about a verbal 2008 deal posted before only a signed 2007 deal - that’s why I posted the link.
Rgds
Les
Hi Les,
Thanks for posting that article.
As for the “verbal agreement”, who knows? Sometimes two parties first arrive at a memorandum of understanding and in other cases it could be a “verbal memorandum” (an oxymoron if there ever was one!) of misunderstanding.
IMO the proof will be what shows up at the dealers in NA and what will be shown at the 2008 NTF.
As some of us well remember there were no new US items in the line up at the 2007 NTF. And if what has been published by LGB®Märklin i.e. the New Items of 2007 become the New Items 2008, comes true … hmmmm what exactly will be in the US line?
BTW for those who missed the announcements, one interesting wrinkle is the PIKO VT98 railbus in G1.5* for 2008; announced just a tad ahead of the Märklin VT98 for 45mm track gauge in scale 1:32.
Add to that the product line up at LGBoA and one could be forgiven for going … hmmmmmmm?!?
*G1.5 = that ill defined “scale” which is supposed to represent Standard gauge on 45mm track.
LES DITTRICH said:
I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post this link as it involves the "M" and "L" words. So my apologies in advance if its against the rules. However, I stumbled across this news (new to me anyway) and thought you all might like to take a look. You need to scroll down to get to the more interesting quotes.http://www.toycollectormagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=216&Itemid=130
Best Regards
Les
I saw the mentioning of the “M” and the “L” words and I thought we were talking about the other large scale forum MyLargescale, again.
After reading some of the response and it wasn’t making any sense at all. I finally realised you guy are talking about German toys. That’s okay, I guess it makes sense to you. I don’t have much interest in this stuff, so I’ll just pass the discussion on by. Enjoy!