highway Posted December 3, 2011 Posted December 3, 2011 I guess, but you know I'm always looking on the bright side. Last time I was at the LHS there were models from the floor to the ceiling, which is a lot more than the last time I walked into a Wal Mart and found the entire section of models (paints and other ######) GONE for good! Sorry, but I'm really having a hard time understanding how comments like this contribute anything to the subject at hand other than padding your already wildly inflated post count. Agreed Ken, one's local hobby shop or Walmart has nothing to contribute to the conversation at all! I have come to expect to find hobby related items in a hobby shop, and if it's taken 3 or 4 years to figure out that Walmart doesn't carry models in the store anymore, maybe one might consider selling car insurance! Ok, back to the subject, and dealing with the licensing side, if I'm understanding everything correctly this means that Round 2 can now obtain their own licenses for products instead of just leasing from what Tomy had? As an example, with one of the very few new kits from Round 2, the license for the 09 Dodge Challenger was only rented through Tomy, but now if they (Round 2) wanted to get a license to make a new Fiat 500, that license would be theirs exclusively as well as the licenses bought from Tomy, correct?
Jantrix Posted December 3, 2011 Posted December 3, 2011 This is fantastic news. Finally these kits are going to be brought to us by a company that is actually INTERESTED in producing model kits. The same cannot be said of ERTL/RC2.
Rob Hall Posted December 3, 2011 Posted December 3, 2011 (edited) Well when did mattel buy matchbox? Back in the mid 90s IIRC. Edited December 3, 2011 by Rob Hall
Casey Posted December 3, 2011 Posted December 3, 2011 (edited) Nope. They were renting. Now they've bought the house and kicked the landlord to the curb. I hate to be the pessimist here, but that also probably means Round2 is now responsible for the maintenance and storage of all the tooling. Not exactly a small thing to take care of and protect/maintain. Maybe they have a deal in place with whichever company (or companies?) in China is using the molds to produce parts/kits, but the responsibilities and costs almost always increase when one buys instead of leases. I have seen mostly great thing from Round2 in the last two years, but the lack of any newly designed kits makes me a bit cautious for the future. Maybe they can survive on straight, modified, and corrected/repaired re-issues, but I think eventually they'll need to take the risk of introducing an all-new kit to their auto lineup. Edited December 3, 2011 by Casey
Rob Hall Posted December 3, 2011 Posted December 3, 2011 I have seen mostly great thing from Round2 in the last two years, but the lack of any newly designed kits makes me a bit cautious for the future. Actually, they have released a few newly designed kits in recent years--the '09-10 Challengers, the Batmobile, the '09-10 Corvettes, and the upcoming '10+ Camaro....
Chuck Most Posted December 3, 2011 Posted December 3, 2011 Actually, they have released a few newly designed kits in recent years--the '09-10 Challengers, the Batmobile, the '09-10 Corvettes, and the upcoming '10+ Camaro.... That's true, but that was under the ownership of RC2, which had quite a few different brands (ie- revenue streams) under its belt. I'm pretty sure Round 2 will bring out new product on its own, just saying, I'm not holding my breath for it to come anytime in the NEAR future. Of course, I would love to be proven wrong on that.
Joe Handley Posted December 3, 2011 Posted December 3, 2011 (edited) I'm thrilled to see this for the same reasons everybody else is, did they manage to get AFX slot cars too? Back in the mid 90s IIRC. Might be closer to the '98-'00 when that happened, they also got Tyco in that purchase too. Edited December 3, 2011 by Joe Handley
Chuck Most Posted December 3, 2011 Posted December 3, 2011 I THINK AFX slot cars was already owned by Round 2. Not sure on that, they did own Xtraction, but I'm only about 50% sure of them owning Round 2 before they bought out AMT/MPC/PL.
Joe Handley Posted December 3, 2011 Posted December 3, 2011 R2 had been reproducing the older AFX stuff under the Autoworld name for years now and using current AFX tracks and controllers with their sets, I was just sorta curious on the AFX front since Tomy owned that too.
Chuck Most Posted December 3, 2011 Posted December 3, 2011 Ah- I was under the impression AFX was part of Round 2. See what happens when I think?
Swifster Posted December 3, 2011 Posted December 3, 2011 Just another thing to check out the next time I hit the Studebaker Museum in South Bend...
Scale-Master Posted December 3, 2011 Posted December 3, 2011 AFX is not part of Round2. It is owned by Racemasters. Tomy produces the AFX products. Scale-Master does the artwork for the cars.
robertw Posted December 3, 2011 Posted December 3, 2011 Get your programs here.......can't tell who's in charge without your program! All kidding aside, thanks for the history lesson Ken. I think the key thing about this purchase is that what remains of the many molds that created the kits of our past are now safely in the hands of someone who cares about the hobby. Our responsibility as modellers will be to keep buying what Round 2 puts out to ensure that Round 2 remains a viable company that will have a reason to maintain these molds into the future.
LDO Posted December 3, 2011 Posted December 3, 2011 Get your programs here.......can't tell who's in charge without your program! All kidding aside, thanks for the history lesson Ken. I think the key thing about this purchase is that what remains of the many molds that created the kits of our past are now safely in the hands of someone who cares about the hobby. Our responsibility as modellers will be to keep buying what Round 2 puts out to ensure that Round 2 remains a viable company that will have a reason to maintain these molds into the future. Get your programs here.......can't tell who's in charge without your program! All kidding aside, thanks for the history lesson Ken. I think the key thing about this purchase is that what remains of the many molds that created the kits of our past are now safely in the hands of someone who cares about the hobby. Our responsibility as modellers will be to keep buying what Round 2 puts out to ensure that Round 2 remains a viable company that will have a reason to maintain these molds into the future. No. We are not obligated to buy a case of Jolly Rodgers or any other silly model just because they issue a bunch of them. There's a reason why Parts Packs have never made a big comeback. It's because limited edition Parts Packs have also been flops.
Chuck Most Posted December 3, 2011 Posted December 3, 2011 Why not? That Jolly Roger kit can be the base to a halfway decent early '20's Olds hot rod. Granted, you'd need to bring your own body, but that is half the fun.
Joe Handley Posted December 3, 2011 Posted December 3, 2011 Well, we might have less of a chance of getting a stinker kit rereleased now that somebody who gives a rats rump about our market is in charge of things!
Guest Posted December 3, 2011 Posted December 3, 2011 No. We are not obligated to buy a case of Jolly Rodgers or any other silly model just because they issue a bunch of them. There's a reason why Parts Packs have never made a big comeback. It's because limited edition Parts Packs have also been flops. I think it will be a good thing that Round2 now owns the molds. But,I'm won't buy just anything they release to support them either. I have no interest in show rods or anything else of that nature. I would like to support every kit company,but unless I'm interested in the subject, I'm not gonna fork over my money just just for the sake of supporting them. I still haven't bought a Moebius kit. I kinda want the Navistar,but so far, Hobby Lobby hasn't carried it yet so that I can use my 40% off coupon. That's the only way I can afford that kit.
LDO Posted December 3, 2011 Posted December 3, 2011 I think it will be a good thing that Round2 now owns the molds. But,I'm won't buy just anything they release to support them either. I have no interest in show rods or anything else of that nature. I would like to support every kit company,but unless I'm interested in the subject, I'm not gonna fork over my money just just for the sake of supporting them. I still haven't bought a Moebius kit. I kinda want the Navistar,but so far, Hobby Lobby hasn't carried it yet so that I can use my 40% off coupon. That's the only way I can afford that kit. Yeah I think Moebius is doing great things for the hobby, but I have no interest in a Lone Star big rig or a Hudson Hornet. The upcoming Chrysler 300, on the other hand...I'll get several of those.
Junkman Posted December 3, 2011 Posted December 3, 2011 I hate to be the pessimist here, but that also probably means Round2 is now responsible for the maintenance and storage of all the tooling. Not exactly a small thing to take care of and protect/maintain. Maybe they have a deal in place with whichever company (or companies?) in China is using the molds to produce parts/kits, but the responsibilities and costs almost always increase when one buys instead of leases. I have seen mostly great thing from Round2 in the last two years, but the lack of any newly designed kits makes me a bit cautious for the future. Maybe they can survive on straight, modified, and corrected/repaired re-issues, but I think eventually they'll need to take the risk of introducing an all-new kit to their auto lineup. I think they can make a decent living for a long time by just continuing to reissue what they have got. I don't even want to imagine the tool fundus they must have. Yeah I think Moebius is doing great things for the hobby, but I have no interest in a Lone Star big rig or a Hudson Hornet. The upcoming Chrysler 300, on the other hand...I'll get several of those. X2. And I hope the resin casters will jump on the 300. New Yorker Wagon anyone? Imperial Newport anyone?
Chuck Most Posted December 4, 2011 Posted December 4, 2011 I'm pretty sure Round 2 owns the molds for the new kits, like the Challengers, Corvettes and Batmobiles ... alhough I could be wrong ... At this point its probably moot anyhow... Round 2 clearly owns them now! But I have to echo what Joe said... having the AMT, MPC, and PL brands back in control of people who actually care about the hobby? Fantastic. I was hoping this is how it would turn out back in '08 when the lease agreement began. Looking like the next few years will be VERY GOOD for car modelers, spate of all-new tooling or not.
Aaronw Posted December 4, 2011 Posted December 4, 2011 That is good news, but wouldn't Round 7 have been a more appropriate company name? As far as re-issues go, they still have a lot of desirable old kits to bring back that haven't been seen in awhile. I also think some of you are only looking at you own little niche, checking on on their blog from time to time it looks like they have been more focussed on their sci-fi line which is apparently where historically many of their big sellers have been.
Art Anderson Posted December 4, 2011 Posted December 4, 2011 Not that hard, really ... and I used to be a business reporter! By my count, this move means the AMT and MPC brand names are both now in the hands of their seventh owner. Their lineages go a little something like this ... 1. The original Aluminum Model Toy Co. founded by West Gallogly and based in Troy, Mich., which became ... 2. AMT/Lesney at some point in the late 1970s after it was sold it to British manufacturer of Matchbox cars. That became ... 3. AMT/ERTL in the '80s after the company was sold `to the Iowa-based company that had previously been known primarily as a manufacturer of diecast farm toys. Then you had ... 4. AMT/Racing Champions after ERTL sold the brand to the company best known for its diecast NASCAR miniatures. Next was ... 5. AMT/RC2 after Racing Champions morphed into RC2. And then there was ... 6. AMT/TOMY after TOMY acquired RC2. And that leads us to ... 7. AMT/Round 2, which, hopefully, will be the LAST AMT iteration! For MPC, it goes like this ... 1. The orginal MPC, formed by former AMT executive George Toteff. That company is sold to ... 2. Fundimensions, a subsidiary of General Mills, which sells it to ... 3. ERTL, which sells it to ... 4. Racing Champions, which, or course, morphs into ,,, 5. RC2, which sells it to ... 6. TOMY, which sells it to ... 7. Round 2. I'm sure there's some anxiously waiting to correct me if I have any of this wrong! Lesney Corporation bought AMT just ahead of the bankruptcy lawyers in the summer of 1979, only to lose out in March 1982 when they themselves had to file for bankruptcy and were essentially liquidated. Also, don't forget that the Ertl Company, as a subsidiary of Kidde Corporation, created their own line of plastic model kits 1973-76, International Transtars, S-series Internationals, and the Scout II kits, along with a series of John Deere, International Harvester and Massey-Ferguson farm tractors and implements. In addition, in 1976 or thereabouts, Ertl bought the Mack R, D and DM series truck and trailer tooling from MPC, and went on to market those themselves. Art
Dave Ambrose Posted December 5, 2011 Posted December 5, 2011 Sadly, I don't see the former happening. It would cause a massive increase in production costs, which, in turn, would lead to a big increase in product prices, which would greatly reduce Round 2's ability to compete with manufacturers that utilize offshore production. Not necessarily. It takes six weeks for kits to get here from China. Costs in China are rising. The costs from the "float time" and transportation can significantly offset the price advantage of overseas manufacturing, especially if you're having quality problems with your suppliers. It's something you have to continually revisit. I wouldn't be too surprised to see manufacturing return to North America. Probably Mexico, but that will still help.
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