Is Mehano bankrupt

[da_kraut]

Hello,

read on two german forums that Mehano is bankrupt. The doors will close on Dec31, 2008. Has anybody else read similar reports? I find it is a shame that another producer of model railroad products is going broke. Yes the quality was not the best, but it still provided a cheap entry level package with fairly decent equipment for the money.

Frank

[blownout_cylinder]

There was at least two other forums mentioned that same thing, The problem I’m having is that one site claimed it as a ‘reorganization’ not ‘bankrupt’. Am assuming that depending on where the co. is filing such it probably hasn’t occured yet?

[richg1998]

I “Googled” it. [:)]

http://www.google.com/search?q=Mehano+model+trains+bankrupt&btnG=Search&hl=en&sa=2

Rich

[New_Haven_I-5]

Mehano’s North American models are very similar to IHC’s.

[Darth_Santa_Fe]

Mehano’s North American models are very similar to IHC’s.

IHC’s models are Mehano’s. Mehano is the manufacturer, and IHC is the importer. Of course, if Mehano goes out, it may bring IHC with it, unless IHC can find another manufacturer that needs an importer.

[blownout_cylinder]

Apperently IHC has a few manufacturers it deals with. It does carry a fair amount of product so depending on how the people there deal with it they might still be around–

[msowsun]

http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/emcc/erm/static/factsheet_11863.htm

Mehano, a Izola-based toy manufacturer, has announced that it is to close and dismiss all its 160 workers. 20 employees are likely to be re-employed for maintanance activities. Mehano has struggled financially for the last ten years.

Mehano is toys producing firm with 330 employees. One of the units within Mehano is Mehanotehnika, which was established by Mehano with the intention to acquire the status of a company employing disabled people (“invalidsko podjetje”) and benefits thereof. Due to some changes in the legislation this intention has not been realized. Consequently the owner decided to stop all the operations within the unit. As a result, some 56 people will loose their jobs. They have already received notices on the intended discontinuation of employment contracts. Mehano claims that it will pay off the creditors and suppliers entirely, and the employees will receive all the salaries and indemnity money.

[trainfan1221]

If I recall, this is one of those companies that made a lot of model trains in the past that various companies would put their name on. The IHC models resemble old Atlas products, at least their SD35, and I know I have seen one time AHM models with their name. It is confusing, but a lot of them came from companies like Mehano. With manufacturers like Kato and the modern version of Atlas, there is less need for products like this I am assuming, though there is always a market for cheaper if lower quality models. But maybe not enough in the modern times. This company apparently has been around a long time, it is always a shame when people lose their jobs due to something like this.

[don7]

Well that will definitely be the end of the (almost) yearly President’s Choice model train sets.

Too bad, just as they were upgrading their steamers. I have one of their 2-10-2’s and was quite impressed with the engine as to level of detail, speed control, etc.

I noticed the Mehano web site mentions Loksound. Did not know that there were sound equipped engines available.

[Harley-Davidson]

Is a shame that MEHANO will close. Some time they had two lines, a hobby line, and a superior one. This one has superb models, specially new european diesel locos, with great detail and Loksound. I hope somebody will continue their job.

[DigitalGriffin]

You know IHC may not be prototypically accurate, or have the greatest details, or even correct grab iron coloring, but at least they were

1. Cheap to purchase

2. They ran really freaking well. They tracked well, and had a low power requirement.

3. Were easy to take apart for maintenance. Ask me to do that on a Bachmann H-5 and I’ll run screaming. Don’t even ask me to crack the gear tower to lube the gears!

It’s a shame Mahano is not going to make it.

[don7]

Oh so true, although the engines lacked detail in their main line these engines did run well. As stated earlier Menano was the maker of the President’s Choice train sets which were mainly marketed for Canadians.

[trainfan1221]

I never had too many problems with these models, whichever incarnation they were at the time, when I ran them either. Still have several, kinda want to drag them out now and check them over.