As a modeler, do you feel the sale of Athearn to Horizon Hobby will have any effect on you? Please vote then share your comments below.
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When I come to sell all those unbuilt kits, that do not fit my more focus plan, they will brimg more.
I hope they hold the line on any immediate price increases. I’m taking a wait and see stance.[:-^]
I just hope that the trend toward really fine models from Athern will continue.
Yes !!
Hopefully, the financial infusion will help Athearn continue its invaluable contribution to the hobby.
Which can only be good for me !!
When ever a business is sold or bought it is done so with the idea of making more profits in mind. Where will the additional money come from … either cheapen the product (I hope not) or raise the prices (I hope not) no matter what it will change the way they do business with the modeller
It will be interesting to see how the new owners deal with the company. they have significant opportunities, but they need to be careful that they don’t interrupt their marketing channels,as I understand that the new owner is itself a distributor.
My guess is that the industry will continue to consolidate. I have expected to see horizontal integration (i.e. manufacturers acquiring other manufacturers) but was somewhat surprised by the vertical integration that occurred with this transaction.
I hear a price increase coming!
I smell “marketing experts” who know nothing about model railroading!
I see the old classic kits disappearing into the hands (and vaults) of the “collectoids!”
Look at what happened to Mantua!
I hope that that Athearn production stays in Compton and won’t move to China or India. Greater corporate profits are realized by using offshore manufacturers.
I think the quality will remain high, whatever happens.
Aren’t the Ready-to-Roll and Genesis lines already made in China?
I’m leary but hopeful that the new owners won’t derail Athearn’s recent good run. My local dealer had an “issue” once with Horizon, but not worse than any other “issue” you get in the hobby retail business.
I hope the sale dosent effect the cost of thier products. I have been saving for a new engine!
FOR MANY YEARS ATHERN HAS MADE GOOD QUALITY MODELS AND HAS IMPROVED THE QUALITY CONCIDERABLY. IT HAS BEEN UNFORTUNATE THAT THE PRICE HAS GONE SO HIGH. I WAS SORRY TO SEE THE MAJORITY OF LOCOS (ALL MANUFACTURES) MOVE TO PRICES OVER $50. I ONLY SEE THE PRICES MOVING HIGHER, A DETRIMENT TO OUR HOBBY. I JUST HOPE THE PRICE AND AVAILIBILTY REMAIN STABLE, AND THE NEW OWNER REMAIN FINANCIALLY HEALTHY.
GREG…THE NICKLE PLATE LIVES ON!
I do not feel good about the sale. Irv held prices down for many, many years, allowing thousands of people to enter the hobby with product that looked fairly good and tracked well. I realize that the comparison of an Athearn box car with an InterMountain would show up many faults. I also know that an Athearn car at $5.00 would allow for newcomers to get into the field, whereas buying $20.00 cars makes it a little harder for those who have to watch their money. Time will tell, I hope my fears are groundless.
I am unsure about this sale. I understand the They will cut off all distributors. I see the competative pricing I get from online sellers disappearing. I see a jump in the prices.
Jeff
When a company makes a purchase such as this, they will not do anything to dimini***he value of the purchase. I would expect the quality to be maintained or improved, and the prices to remain at current or lower levels. Mantua would be a good example of this.
I expect that a distributor of hobby materials will understand his market, so the purchase should mean continued performance and improvement.
To buy an asset like Athearn to do otherwise does not make sense.
If the new buyers allow the business to deteriorate and they lose money then they have themselves to blame.
Modellers will look to other suppliers who will come and fill the bill if that happens.
As an N-scaler I was very happy to see Athearn enter the N-scale market. I was looking forward to many new releases coming our way. Now I am not sure if this trend will continue or will they back off to look after the HO market. One can only hope that things continue on a course that was set up by the folks at Athearn.
I do not think I have ever heard of this company “Horizon Hobby” so I do not have any idea of what to expect from them. Guess we will have to wait and see.
STAN
I Hope the sale does not stop the great Engines I really enjoy running and the enjoyment of putting well detaied cars together.
One consilation is that the Train shows have been my real market place for the last year or so and I have gotten great deals on Athern products there.
Horizon Hobby is really big Into the R/C Car Market,when I ran 1/10 scale off and On road for 15 years they were quite previlant on the market,but alas most of there stuff was to cheap to be used competativly and I by passed it most fo the time,hope they do not do this with Athern.
Long ago when I modelled HO, my locomotives were made by Athearn. Now I’m modelling in N and I don’t (yet) own a single Athearn product. I don’t expect that to change, but I’d be happy if it did.
I just hope Athearn continues to expand all of their product lines, Blue Box kits, Ready to roll and Genesis. They have alway been good products but a lot of the lines have evolved in excellent products. I too hope Horizon holds prices to a reasonable level.