(COMMERCIAL) Skytrex owners very deep in trouble

[Captain Blood]

I'm afraid I never really worked out what Skytrex did... 1/200 tanks, 25mm scenic bits, tiny sailing ships, model railway stuff? Always seemed like a bit of a mish mash. I saw them at every big show I went to, with a great big stand, but rarely saw that stand busy. More often, it was devoid of customers. I think i once bought a set of oil barrels from them. In 30 odd years of seeing their ads in every wargaming magazine and thier stand at every wargaming show... I  never really understood what they did or who it was aimed at. I can't quite see how it got this far, but I suspect the underlying reason for the failure of the business is that they made and sold a very eclectic, disparate range of niche products, including in some very minority interest scales, which not enough people wanted to buy...  

[Engel]

Well I have bought their 15mm ww2 infantry miniatures to use to Flames of war and I have bought some of their 1/1200 Napoleonic ships. Sad for this to happen.

[maxxon]

Erm, who gets offered an investment opportunity at 10-15% interest and doesn't smell a rat?

At the very least anyone willing to pay that interest is a risk investment.

Sometimes risky investments pay off, sometimes they don't. But I don't think anyone lending money at those terms has any right to be outraged it turned out not to be as safe as triple-A bonds...

...not that even triple-A bonds are that secure anymore.

[Brummie]

The stuff was downright expensive as well, and the quality wasn't as good as other stuff on the market that was cheaper...  

[Geudens]

I can't quite see how it got this far, but I suspect the underlying reason for the failure of the business is that they made and sold a very eclectic, disparate range of niche products, including in some very minority interest scales, which not enough people wanted to buy...  

Depends on what timeframe you're looking at: in the late '70s/early 80's they were - together with H&R - leaders in 1/300 WW2 & modern and 1/3000 WW1/WW2 naval + a Napoleonic naval range.  Shortly after that, they started a 1/200 WW2 land range (weird scale at the time...) of which the fist masters were good to very good, but that quality declined afterwards.  Ever since they've been searching for the chicken with the golden eggs.  I still feel that a constant upgrade of their original ranges would have brought them more and lasting success.  I still love the old WW1 Skytrex naval rules though...

[von Lucky]

I call my GP "doctor" but largely because calling him Alan doesn't seem that comfortable and as his last name is Bond, it makes me smile every time I recall that he is another Alan Bond.

Hah - I was thinking of this man in the first comments you made on bankruptcy in Australia. For those not in the know:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Bond_%28businessman%29

I feel for Skytrex, I have some of their 1/144 WWI aircraft which are nice enough. But I agree - some of those investors were greedy beyond belief. Just because he's a dentist and Rotary member? Give me a break.

[carlos marighela]

I had quite a few Skytrex models, mostly their 1/300 stuff but some 1/600 WW2 coastal vessels and some of their rather good 20mm post war kit. Their 105mm pack howitzer was a real cracker. Sad. I think the owner sold off a few of the lines to other folk didn't he. No doubt some of it is still available.

[maxxon]

I think the owner sold off a few of the lines to other folk didn't he. No doubt some of it is still available.

This might turn out well for us in the end. They will sell off anything and everything of any value, which will include whatever molds, masters and production rights still remain.

Hopefully they'll get picked up by someone who can run the business and develop the lines.

[Cubs]

Whilst nobody likes to see a company go out of business, it's always nice to see that the moulds usually live on and get refurbished for a new lease of life.

Long live toys!

[6milPhil]

Annoncement from Skytrex:

Skytrex Models
 
Newsletter


Skytrex (2013) Limited is pleased to announce that it has managed to purchase the remaining assets of "Skytrex Ltd" from the administrators.

The model railway side of the business has been secured largely intact but several of the wargames and naval collectors ranges have been sold on to other  manufacturers.  These will be listed on our website when it is up and running once more - we have some re-structuring work to do! 

Our model railway websites are now functional, we have established a PayPal function on the site and we intend to add SagePay payment facility as soon as possible.

All messages received during the administration period have been made available to us and we will follow up on these where appropriate.

Subscribers lists were also passed on to us and we look forward to resuming contact with you all.

All the company contact details are the same as they were before.

We will send out another newsletter as soon as the wargames site is ready to roll.  Thank you for your patience - just a few more days!!

[maxxon]

Hmmm... is this new company same or different people?

Not that I have much interest in the railroad stuff, I just seem to recall some dodgy bankruptcies in the past...

[Dolmot]

Hmmm... is this new company same or different people

Different, at least in official documents...

http://companycheck.co.uk/company/01072692/SKYTREX-LIMITED (John & Vera Hammond)
http://companycheck.co.uk/company/08684705/SKYTREX-2013-LIMITED (David Bailey, Patricia Brooks)

Still registered to Loughborough. Who knows.

[Cubs]

A bit of a worry as all the contact information remains the same. Oh well.

[Old Goat]

Phoenix company...

All too often standard practice.

[Mr.Marx]

 

Bloody hell.