Anyone Else See This? Testors Shutting Down Pactra, Floquil

[Danno]

I've seen this reported on some other sites, but haven't been able to independently confirm (there's no mention on the Testor website), but this is much of the text of an announcement apparently distributed to dealers:

" . . . changes that are taking place at the Testor Corporation. For over 80 years, we have provided premium paints and
finishing systems to the craft and hobby industry. Today, we announced that we are transforming our business in order to more effectively address the changing needs of our consumers and their interests.

We've made the decision to exit the following businesses within the Testor Brand family - Pactra, Floquil, Polyscale, and ColorArtz. This will enable the Testor Corporation to return to our foundation of success - providing premium, innovative product that inspires creativity. We will continue to accept orders and ship product for a limited time based on available quantities.

Going forward, the following brands will be critical to our success and development - Testor, Model Master, and Aztek. These brands will be infused with marketing support, innovation and operational efficiencies.

In support of this, we have announced a consolidation of operations at our Rockford facilities. Over the next several months we will provide updates critical to your order and delivery needs as well as product availability. We assure you there will be no disruption to service during this transition.

Our commitment to the Testor brand has never been stronger. By implementing these changes, and the ability to leverage all of Rust-Oleum's world class services, we are more strongly poised to take your business to the next level through product and merchandising innovations, and increased customer intimacy."

It was attributed to Testor's Director of Sales & Marketing.

[Harry P.]

Makes no difference to me. There are already so many brands and types of paint available. Losing a few brand names is pretty inconsequential in the overall scheme of things.

"Your opinion may vary."

[Harry P.]

The only thing I wonder about is their desire for "increased customer intimacy."

Are they getting into "other" product lines?

[Joe Handley]

Haven't heard this yet, we just got in a Polly S train paint rack at work a few months ago.

[kalbert]

Yes it's true, the model railroad guys are pretty bummed. PollyScale and Floquil were great paints, premixed in road specific colors. IMO Testors parent company is not seeing the big picture here, looking at all their model paints as competing with each other and taking sales away from the flagship brands of ModelMaster when in fact they serve very different and somewhat finicky customers. They are dumping those brand names, but no word for certain on if they are dumping the product lines too, though they are closing some facilities so dumping the entire line is very likely. Some of the Floquil products, like the paint pens and textured spray paint, are now in the new CreateFX line which seems to be the new label on the low end paint brushes, sand paper, square bottle Testors paints, and crummy never dry enamel spray cans. It would seem they are trying to change their "uncool" model paint image and go after the arts & crafts people, but the arts and crafts people don't want solvent based sticky enamels, they already have a wide variety of paints marketed to them.

Kind of reminds me of the Ford Ranger. Ford thought people who bought Rangers would have bought F150's if Rangers hadn't been available, so they dumped the Ranger expecting to drive those sales to the flagship product. Now Tacoma sales are slightly up, and F150 sales are unchanged.

[John Goschke]

Seems to me this pretty much was their intention all along by buying up these alternative brands to lessen and eventually eliminate competition within the market. Within months after their purchase of Floquil they had changed the formula for "Old Silver" (which dried fast and hard) to something much more akin to the troublesome Testors silver enamels. PollyS for a long time now has been a shadow of what the range was formerly.

[Brett Barrow]

It is true, I was pretty shocked, they had just introduced a whole bunch of new Polly Scale railroad colors and totally re-did all their paint racks to a new modular design.

I have to wonder if this is a Testors decision, or an RPM (their parent company) decision. Methinks it is an RPM decision, but that's just my opinion.

Testors in general is also pricing itself into irrelevance if you ask me (and nobody did). When paints that have to ship across oceans (like Vallejo from Spain, Humbrol from England, and Tamiya from Japan) can all come in for a lower price by volume than a paint that's actually made in the country it's sold in then something's wrong with that picture.

[martinfan5]

Testors in general is also pricing itself into irrelevance if you ask me (and nobody did). When paints that have to ship across oceans (like Vallejo from Spain, Humbrol from England, and

Tamiya from Japan) can all come in for a lower price by volume than a paint that's actually made in the country it's sold in then something's wrong with that picture.

I have noticed that too, and given the choice for the same price , I am buying Tamiya first , that was one of the reasons I used a lot or MM lacquer line was it was cheaper then Tamiya , and I could get them at Hobby Lobby which is closer to me then my LHS

[crazyjim]

I don't use those paints so it's no big deal to me. Maybe Testors will come out with some new colors in the enamel/Model Master lines.

[Nxr]

Time to stock on floquil primers.

[Brett Barrow]

I don't use those paints so it's no big deal to me. Maybe Testors will come out with some new colors in the enamel/Model Master lines.

They did, about a year ago. Some of the old Boyd colors were renamed and moved into the 1/4 oz square-bottle range, there are a few new 1/2 oz Model Master colors, too. Testors hasn't done a very good job promoting the new stuff (they haven't had a print catalog in about 3 years.) If you go to their website, they're the colors that are represented by photos of actual paint bottles. There's all kinds of new stuff, "detail stains", a couple flip-flop pearls, really cool old-school "glitter" flake and a multi-color glitter. Maybe they've known that a massive re-branding was coming for a while and they've waited to start any kind of print campaign or print new catalogs?

Time to stock on floquil primers.

Testors has new lacquer primers I've been wanting to try, but haven't yet...

[LoneWolf15]

I have no idea what the sales figures would be like on the Floquil paint line . I do know that it is very popular with the model railroaders . Those that didn't use the Floquil , used the Polly S line of paints . I preferred the Floquil and use it even now !

I'm thinking this is a colossal blunder on their part ..... Then again , I only know paint , but nothing about counting beans !

[Erik Smith]

I like the Floquil line - they have a nice selection of "different" colors to choose from, like 4 or 5 blacks. I kind of like the smell too. The bottles are so huge, one will probably last me 5 years! The RR hobby shop I go to still has a large rack completely full of paint as well.

[Longbox55]

I'm thinking this is a colossal blunder on their part

Agreed 100%

[Eric N.]

Shame. Floquil is great paint.

Eric

[Brett Barrow]

Could be that they're just going to a "one-brand" philosophy and just eliminating the brand names. A lot of the colors are showing up on their website under new categories (with the same old Floquil and Polly Scale stock numbers, even), but that could just be where they're putting them while their stock sells down. I'd recommend that if you like Floquil or Polly Scale, stock up, you never know how it'll shake out exactly.

[lordairgtar]

Our commitment to the Testor brand has never been stronger. By implementing these changes, and the ability to leverage all of Rust-Oleum's world class services, we are more strongly poised to take your business to the next level through product and merchandising innovations, and increased customer intimacy."...............This sounds like marketing speak for "We are losing our corporate arse guys, we need to cut back on some of our line"

[LoneWolf15]

Brett ,

I hope so , I've seen them do foolish things before , but ! ...... With over thirty plus years into model railroading , the aforementioned brands were the predominate paints used by myself and countless others . I sure hope they will still offer the paints , regardless of the packaging ! They were an integral part of that particular hobby .

This day and age , when the bean counters start stirring the pot with their grubby hands , little , if any good , comes of it !

[Danno]

Brett ,

I hope so , I've seen them do foolish things before , but ! ...... With over thirty plus years into model railroading , the aforementioned brands were the predominate paints used by myself and countless others . I sure hope they will still offer the paints , regardless of the packaging ! They were an integral part of that particular hobby .

This day and age , when the bean counters start stirring the pot with their grubby hands , little , if any good , comes of it !

Amen.

[Chuck Most]

Get rid of the brand names and formulas people like, and replace them all with Testors, which has a pretty checkered reputation as far as quality goes in many people's minds.

In what parallel universe does that make for a good business decision?

[LoneWolf15]

Heeeey ! I thought I gave them a pretty good shot at redemption , Chuck ! Lol !

Their bottled enamel is still an excellent product as are the metallizers . The spray enamel nozzles need an overhaul , post haste ! I have never used the laquer line , others sing in praise of it , gotta go with the majority here !

As to image ? That too needs an overhaul .... Don't hold your breath , they have one modeler on staff , he paints figures ! It's the Ivory Tower Syndrome , my friend ! Bean Counters Are Us !

[Aaronw]

My biggest concern is the color range. Polly Scale and Floquil Railroad colors have a much broader range of specialty colors than Model Master Acryl. If a simple rebranding and consolidation I use all three so that won't cause me too much pain. If they drop those additional colors it will force people to look elsewhere (probably Vallejo for me) so really not a very good business decision.

[charlie8575]

The model railroaders will not be a happy group, and I can say that with relative certainty. But, a lot of other modelers used Floquil and Polly S for their range of colors that were useful for other applications. If Testors does not make any effort to integrate these colors into their other lines, they're going to be met with a very ugly surprise.

Worst-case, anyone here interested in going in with me on a paint company? I'm being quite serious.

Charlie Larkin

[Nxr]

You know until you mentioned it i never even thought of that, what a wonderful idea sir i would so love to contribute and prosper your idea.

[bandit1]

Get rid of the brand names and formulas people like, and replace them all with Testors, which has a pretty checkered reputation as far as quality goes in many people's minds.

In what parallel universe does that make for a good business decision?

Hey i use testors all the time with no problems other than the "Blue" issue i had way back when...even spray cans...

Worst-case, anyone here interested in going in with me on a paint company? I'm being quite serious.

Charlie Larkin

Make me the "Official" Paint testor and im in!