I don’t know how Walthers operates, but I’m wondering why I can’t find some of there Cornerstone structures or rolling stock. How does their production process work? Do they produce a limited supply of a given product, wait til it sells out, then make consumers back-order until the demand is high enough again? Or do they not produce some products til later in the year even though they are advertised in that years’ catalogue at the beginning of the year? Is it just because I’m in n-scale? Somebody please shed some light on this.
I’M NOT SURE how the operate , but I suspect they no longer manufacture anything.
THEY ARE a Catalog Wholesaler and buy from manufacturers from all over the world. They handle PROPRIETARY items as well as other peoples items. Their primary business is selling to LHS’ and extending credit. They also have an in-house retail outlet that places orders, just like any regular LHS.
EVERYTHING maufactured today is by contract or in limited production runs. Someone GUESSES how many will sell, and how soon. That includes N scale.
For more specifics, I’d suggest talking to one of their buyers on the products you are interested in - such as N scale ‘Cornerstone’. Remember, their main 'bread & butter customer is the LHS who they want you to buy from.
they still profuce at lot, I know how they operate. they fill backorders on their stock. Atlas is the same way, let ur lHS know, and he will do his best. And yes, Walthers bread and butter is the catalog. The LHS benefits too, as do you seeing its the best catalog on the market. But, walthers does make their products, the New Models for 2006-2007 will be annouced with the next month. I belive middle of May.
thanks guys
I recorded “Tracks Ahead” back in 1991 where it featured Walthers. It showed employees manufacturing building kits, stamping decals on freight cars, and packaging various items.
Wow! I hope Walthers hasn’t shut down their maufacturing and outsourced ALL of the work! If so, IMHO, it’s a sad, sobering tragedy.
everything is outsourced in the US, why do think you guys a huge trade deficit!!
I am thinking of cancelling my orders on the rest of the HO Pullman Heavyweights. The release dates just keep going back further and further. Maybe they have gone in too deep with all the new releases they have to keep up to with now. But in the mean time may be another company will release the same models (bigger, better and cheaper) and we can give our money to them. This goes for a few other companies also who are usually 12 months or more overdue on their first promised release dates.
I remember reading a few months ago that one of our forum members here visited the Walthers facility in Milwaukee. Hopefully he’ll read this and post what he saw.
I’m not going to stop buying from Walthers, but I’m curious. The manufacturing process at Walthers shown on that early 90s video was impressive. If it really has been shut down then we just have to live with it.
All you have to do is look at the box of any product made by anybody. The country of origin has to be indicated. Don’t think you will find much marked made in Milwaukee. American labor is just priced too high.
i went to walthers in 2000 .took a tour and i didn’t see anything being made there they did have a nicwe layout
jeff
Many kits sold under the Walthers name are actually recycled from other manufacturers. For example, I recently built their two stall roundhouse and it has the name Pola stamped on its base. Many of their newer offerings are Walthers originals but as has been pointed out, they are primarily a distributor, not a manufacturer. Most if not all of these kits are produced overseas.