Tractor Jack Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 Dear RC2 / Britains / Ertl , This one is especialy for Mr. bill Walters. Hello Bill, I will be visiting the National Farm Toy Show in Dyersville this year and it would be a pleasure and a honnor for me to meet you and talk about farm models. You know that I´m a fanatic 1/32 scale collector with a huge collection. You also know that I´m begging for implements and machinery for the 4WD tractors. I would be happy to talk with someone who "polished up" the Ertl & Britains brand with high quality, high detail and value for money models in 1/32 scale. At this time I would say that you have RC2 took in the place of Siku. Siku lost a lot of customers the last 2 years because Universal Hobbies came big on the market with high detail / low price models. Than RC2 started to produce better quality in 1/32, so second place for RC2 and Siku is on thirt place. I hope we meet, Jacco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FB Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 At this time I would say that you have RC2 took in the place of Siku. Siku lost a lot of customers the last 2 years because Universal Hobbies came big on the market with high detail / low price models. Than RC2 started to produce better quality in 1/32, so second place for RC2 and Siku is on thirt place. I hope we meet, Jacco mmmm not sure what you mean there but i havent seen Siku drop behind RC2 ??? \.....infact Siku seem to be streets ahead over here of RC2, the Britains brand is dying and RC2 are very very slowly trying to do something about it, hopefully next year they may improve ??? \, but we wait every year and they let us down with some poor quality models and implements you cant use >.....like the JD sprayer, have you tried turning with it on a tractor? :D :, then look at RC2's new JCB and the one Siku have released.....Sikus is soooo much more user friendly, you can even hitch something to it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCF Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 mmmm not sure what you mean there but i havent seen Siku drop behind RC2 ??? \.....infact Siku seem to be streets ahead over here of RC2, the Britains brand is dying and RC2 are very very slowly trying to do something about it, hopefully next year they may improve ??? \, but we wait every year and they let us down with some poor quality models and implements you cant use >.....like the JD sprayer, have you tried turning with it on a tractor? :D :, then look at RC2's new JCB and the one Siku have released.....Sikus is soooo much more user friendly, you can even hitch something to it I can see a bit where he is coming from... Ertl has always been the number one brand over here which is very strange, forgive me avid Ertl collectors but it often seems like people buy the models just to support the company...I have bought many Ertl models that United States collectors rave about, and most of the time I was not impressed with the model in the least amount. Because of the collecting habits in the USA, RC2 will most likely have a strong foothold here for another few years possibly, but yes even here many people have stopped collecting them because they are just plain disappointed with their models. Don't get me wrong, they are one of the most durable replicas that money can buy these days which is what I think gives them the larger advantage over here, but they just aren't what they used to be in just about all of their other departments. \ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Walters Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 I will be working all 3 days of the National Show. I look forward to meeting you. It's amazing to hear the other comments attached. Obviously we must be doing something right as we continue to increase our sales in both the US and Europe. I hope you are not confusing the true "Ertl" company with that of Joe Ertl who owns Scale Models. Either way, our goal is to produce quality toys and collectibles for the ag industry. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FB Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 Hi Bill, not sure if you can answer this , no worries if you cant, but the increase in sales, do you know in what line of models? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Udimore Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 Hi Bill, not sure if you can answer this , no worries if you cant, but the increase in sales, do you know in what line of models? Britains Farm Tractor sales I know have increased in the Uk something like 7% year on year for past 5 years Ben...So I am reliably informed. I am sure Bill can either confirm or deny that One of the reasons for that may be that our weird hobby is growing in interest Who knows. The new style Ford 5000 sold bucket loads Personally I believe there is a place in the market for the big 3 ...RC2, Siku & UH for different reasons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Udimore Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 Not quite sure what gives you that impression - when you look at the quantity that RC2/Britains are shifting (even the less good stuff), by comparison with Siku, I would say Siku are significantly behind Britains. Yes from a selling point of view I would have to agree Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FB Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 Yes from a selling point of view I would have to agree indeed Barry, most are used for convos though and parts as we see, but to the companies, i guess money is money so there arent to fussed where their models go!! :D, i havent bought any new models really as the quality has slipped slightly, i was tempted by the Vaderstad drill but was warned it was a poor model, i was always a Britains first man anyway until the last few years!!!, the recent models arent great, they dont interest me much, the JD has a dodgy turning circle, the hitchs are still poor if they even exist on the models, decals fall off or arent on correctly, models put in wrong boxes.....i just think they could do better \,. The only models i have had ar the landies, the old Britains wouldnt have been like this??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Udimore Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 Yes Ben they could do a lot better and as we know from Andy they say they are trying...as everyone in business trys to improve...even you and your dodgy drawings But I cannot see them dying just yet Lets hope the ftf County restores yours and many others faith in Britains Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texas Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 Britains Farm Tractor sales I know have increased in the Uk something like 7% year on year for past 5 years Ben...So I am reliably informed. I am sure Bill can either confirm or deny that One of the reasons for that may be that our weird hobby is growing in interest Who knows. The new style Ford 5000 sold bucket loads Personally I believe there is a place in the market for the big 3 ...RC2, Siku & UH for different reasons The mean reason that the market increased is because off the internet i think. For 5 years back there where only a few online farmtoy shops. When you look now you can buy everywhere. Texas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 I think the one key thing that should be taken from all these debates we have over Britains / Ertl / RC2 models is that we all have a great deal of fondness for the brands and want them to succeed. We're a very loyal bunch and I hope one day soon we're rewarded..... I wonder, if Siku took a dive like Britains did and was trying to get back on it's feet, would we all be as bothered... Not sure I would be to be honest...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Walters Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 I can't get real specific, but we have grown our farm business in both North America and Europe over the last 4 years. Obviously we have produced more 1/32nd over the last 4-5 years than before that. While 1/32nd isn't big in North America, the number of offerings have helped. Our biggest business is still 1/16th scale. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MPR Models Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Thanks for your answer Bill 1/16 scale is a huge business in Noth America and the 1/32 scale is huge in Europe. A huge Company with two huge market.It´s sound like candy to me :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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