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Offline DaleSchultz  
#1 Posted : 31 July 2018 04:51:43(UTC)
DaleSchultz

United States   
Joined: 10/02/2006(UTC)
Posts: 3,997
I have noticed lots of alarming posts in US train forums about the Chinese factory closing.

It seems to be affecting Bachman, Atlas, Bowser, Intermountain, Atlas, Fox Valley Models, Tangent.

If it is only one factory, I find it interesting to see how one factory is making stuff for so many brands. I have seen it said that a company called Kader controls them all.

The Japanese manufacturer Shinohara closed in April.

I wonder if any of Märklin production is included....

So breath a sigh of relief that we can still get German and Hungarian made Märklin!

(Try not to mention politics, nobody will be changing their minds about the cause)


Edit: The company is called AFFA and is said to be closing as the leader is ill.
Dale
Intellibox + own software, K-Track
My current layout: https://cabin-layout.mixmox.com
Arrival and Departure signs: https://remotesign.mixmox.com
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Offline steventrain  
#2 Posted : 31 July 2018 11:52:30(UTC)
steventrain

United Kingdom   
Joined: 21/10/2004(UTC)
Posts: 31,601
Location: United Kingdom
This has no relation to, or any impact upon, Kader or Bachmann Europe.
Large Marklinist 3- Rails Layout with CS2/MS2/Boosters/C-track/favorites Electric class E03/BR103, E18/E118, E94, Crocodiles/Steam BR01, BR03, BR05, BR23, BR44, BR50, Big Boy.
Offline steventrain  
#3 Posted : 31 July 2018 17:17:01(UTC)
steventrain

United Kingdom   
Joined: 21/10/2004(UTC)
Posts: 31,601
Location: United Kingdom
Just hear a rumour that Hornby is moving production to Hungary.

But no word from Hornby so far.
Large Marklinist 3- Rails Layout with CS2/MS2/Boosters/C-track/favorites Electric class E03/BR103, E18/E118, E94, Crocodiles/Steam BR01, BR03, BR05, BR23, BR44, BR50, Big Boy.
Offline danmarklinman  
#4 Posted : 31 July 2018 18:00:07(UTC)
danmarklinman

United Kingdom   
Joined: 18/10/2012(UTC)
Posts: 1,377
You would think, it would be bought back to the U.K. before Brexit?
Marklin and Piko era 4 SNCB , Marklin wagons
Wiking model car Fan
Faller fan including car system
Instagram: marklin1978
Wiking fan
Offline rmsailor  
#5 Posted : 31 July 2018 18:36:21(UTC)
rmsailor

Scotland   
Joined: 20/01/2006(UTC)
Posts: 569
Location: Kirkcaldy, Fife
Originally Posted by: steventrain Go to Quoted Post
Just hear a rumour that Hornby is moving production to Hungary.

But no word from Hornby so far.


looking at other sites and this is probably fake news.

Bob M.
Offline mike c  
#6 Posted : 31 July 2018 18:40:53(UTC)
mike c

Canada   
Joined: 28/11/2007(UTC)
Posts: 7,880
Location: Montreal, QC
Originally Posted by: DaleSchultz Go to Quoted Post
I have noticed lots of alarming posts in US train forums about the Chinese factory closing.

It seems to be affecting Bachman, Atlas, Bowser, Intermountain, Atlas, Fox Valley Models, Tangent.

If it is only one factory, I find it interesting to see how one factory is making stuff for so many brands. I have seen it said that a company called Kader controls them all.

The Japanese manufacturer Shinohara closed in April.

I wonder if any of Märklin production is included....

So breath a sigh of relief that we can still get German and Hungarian made Märklin!

(Try not to mention politics, nobody will be changing their minds about the cause)


Edit: The company is called AFFA and is said to be closing as the leader is ill.


It is currently being reported that AFFA was involved in the production of models for ACME and perhaps a few other European manufacturers.

As far as one factory having such a large impact, it has to be kept in mind that these factories are not model train companies, but plastic manufacturers and they receive contracts from other companies to produce plastic products. As such, they are contracted to manufacture the models from the moulds submitted by the hiring companies.

As far as Maerklin is concerned, the company does have parts manufactured in China and still does some third party production in China. In-house manufacturing takes place in Maerklin plants in Hungary and in Goeppingen using parts manufactured at other plants.

Regards

Mike C
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Offline steventrain  
#7 Posted : 31 July 2018 20:48:36(UTC)
steventrain

United Kingdom   
Joined: 21/10/2004(UTC)
Posts: 31,601
Location: United Kingdom
Originally Posted by: rmsailor Go to Quoted Post
Originally Posted by: steventrain Go to Quoted Post
Just hear a rumour that Hornby is moving production to Hungary.

But no word from Hornby so far.


looking at other sites and this is probably fake news.

Bob M.


Yes I seen it in UK forum.
Large Marklinist 3- Rails Layout with CS2/MS2/Boosters/C-track/favorites Electric class E03/BR103, E18/E118, E94, Crocodiles/Steam BR01, BR03, BR05, BR23, BR44, BR50, Big Boy.
Offline dickinsonj  
#8 Posted : 01 August 2018 18:35:24(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
Originally Posted by: mike c Go to Quoted Post

As far as Maerklin is concerned, the company does have parts manufactured in China and still does some third party production in China. In-house manufacturing takes place in Maerklin plants in Hungary and in Goeppingen using parts manufactured at other plants.

Regards

Mike C

I have heard various rumors of who in China makes the Märklin models produced there, but nothing definitive. One that I remember is that it is the same Korean company that produces the Chinese assembled ESU locos. I have several newer Chinese made locos and they are very nicely made and so far have been perfect in operation. I guess time will tell how that goes, but they are much more detailed for the price than the locos made in Germany. Any manufactured product today will include parts made elsewhere in the world - that is just a fact of life whether we approve of it or not.

As long a Märklin can control quality I don't care where they are made myself and I appreciate the apparent value of the Chinese made models.
Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
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Offline 5HorizonsRR  
#9 Posted : 01 August 2018 22:45:34(UTC)
5HorizonsRR

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2004(UTC)
Posts: 2,863
Location: CA, USA
Wow- I'm really sad to hear Shinohara closed! They made excellent quality material...
SBB Era 2-5
Offline Goofy  
#10 Posted : 02 August 2018 10:31:54(UTC)
Goofy


Joined: 12/08/2006(UTC)
Posts: 8,993
Originally Posted by: dickinsonj Go to Quoted Post


As long a Märklin can control quality I don't care where they are made myself and I appreciate the apparent value of the Chinese made models.


But Märklin do often not control quality as we suppose.
Märklin did promised to take care of missing quality control.

H0
DCC = Digital Command Control
Offline dickinsonj  
#11 Posted : 02 August 2018 13:11:43(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
Originally Posted by: Goofy Go to Quoted Post

But Märklin do often not control quality as we suppose.
Märklin did promised to take care of missing quality control.



I have purchased a number of Märklin products over the last few years. Have you?

From my perspective their quality has improved but of course it is not perfect and could be further improved. But I find more to like than not like these days with their products and overall I am satisfied. Cool

Finding a company where no one online finds any fault with what they produce is like finding a unicorn. Maybe you should start collecting them. BigGrin
Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
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Offline mjrallare  
#12 Posted : 02 August 2018 18:43:08(UTC)
mjrallare


Joined: 14/11/2007(UTC)
Posts: 560
Originally Posted by: dickinsonj Go to Quoted Post
Originally Posted by: mike c Go to Quoted Post

As far as Maerklin is concerned, the company does have parts manufactured in China and still does some third party production in China. In-house manufacturing takes place in Maerklin plants in Hungary and in Goeppingen using parts manufactured at other plants.

Regards

Mike C

I have heard various rumors of who in China makes the Märklin models produced there, but nothing definitive. One that I remember is that it is the same Korean company that produces the Chinese assembled ESU locos. I have several newer Chinese made locos and they are very nicely made and so far have been perfect in operation. I guess time will tell how that goes, but they are much more detailed for the price than the locos made in Germany. Any manufactured product today will include parts made elsewhere in the world - that is just a fact of life whether we approve of it or not.

As long a Märklin can control quality I don't care where they are made myself and I appreciate the apparent value of the Chinese made models.


I think most of us accept that a Märklin product includes parts that have been made by another company. But to me a loco that Märklin has subcontracted to another independent company isn't a Märklin product. To me it doesn't matter if it says "Märklin" on the box. I also think that it is hard for Märklin to exercise full quality control on the products of an independent company even if they supply for example moulds and some materials. In businesses where this works you often have your own staff at the plant or the subcontractor is very dependent on the client.

/Torbjörn
Offline TEEWolf  
#13 Posted : 02 August 2018 19:48:46(UTC)
TEEWolf


Joined: 01/06/2016(UTC)
Posts: 2,465
Originally Posted by: 5HorizonsRR Go to Quoted Post
Wow- I'm really sad to hear Shinohara closed! They made excellent quality material...


Did not Toys "R" Us - the big toy reseller - closed his doors after his insolvency?
Offline mrmarklin  
#14 Posted : 03 August 2018 01:22:02(UTC)
mrmarklin

United States   
Joined: 27/10/2004(UTC)
Posts: 890
Location: Burney, CA
Originally Posted by: TEEWolf Go to Quoted Post
Originally Posted by: 5HorizonsRR Go to Quoted Post
Wow- I'm really sad to hear Shinohara closed! They made excellent quality material...


Did not Toys "R" Us - the big toy reseller - closed his doors after his insolvency?


Yes, they are done. The same company that made Marklin get rid of the Primex line of trains.
From the People's Republik of Kalifornia
Offline dickinsonj  
#15 Posted : 03 August 2018 01:38:54(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
Originally Posted by: mjrallare Go to Quoted Post

I think most of us accept that a Märklin product includes parts that have been made by another company. But to me a loco that Märklin has subcontracted to another independent company isn't a Märklin product. To me it doesn't matter if it says "Märklin" on the box. I also think that it is hard for Märklin to exercise full quality control on the products of an independent company even if they supply for example moulds and some materials. In businesses where this works you often have your own staff at the plant or the subcontractor is very dependent on the client.

/Torbjörn.


I essentially agree with everything that you said Torbjörn and in an ideal world all Märklin products would be made in Germany. But if Märklin designs a loco and someone produces it elsewhere I still consider it a Märklin product. It is interesting that we see this so differently. I am guessing that the "truth" lies somewhere between our points of view. Cool

I obviously do not know what relationship Märklin has with their Chinese production facility. Apple certainly seems to be able to make it work but then they have vast resources, far beyond Märklin's dreams. I do know that I have many Chinese made US freight cars which are perfect and have not degraded like some other Chinese made US freight cars have. I have two Chinese made fall special locos which are beautifully assembled and finished and neither have ever shown a single operational problem, despite their origin. In the last three years I have had far and away more problems with my Hungarian made products than with Chinese made ones.

I have not had any problems with my Göppingen made models and as I said before, in an ideal world all of my Märklin products would be made there. I can appreciate how difficult it is to compete on price though if at least some of your components are not made in Asia. The new management is working in a new world and as far as I can see they are doing a very good job. Not perfect of course, but definitely heading in the right direction from my point of view and not going out of business as they clearly were in the past. BigGrin
Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
Offline Goofy  
#16 Posted : 03 August 2018 10:19:16(UTC)
Goofy


Joined: 12/08/2006(UTC)
Posts: 8,993
Originally Posted by: dickinsonj Go to Quoted Post
Originally Posted by: Goofy Go to Quoted Post

But Märklin do often not control quality as we suppose.
Märklin did promised to take care of missing quality control.



I have purchased a number of Märklin products over the last few years. Have you?

From my perspective their quality has improved but of course it is not perfect and could be further improved. But I find more to like than not like these days with their products and overall I am satisfied. Cool

Finding a company where no one online finds any fault with what they produce is like finding a unicorn. Maybe you should start collecting them. BigGrin


Yes i did purchased Märklin,Trix,Fleischmann and Brawa.
Only Fleischmann was in best quality while other there was default(s).
I don´t care of what it happens in China with theirs toy factory.
I just want good quality train models that shall work.

H0
DCC = Digital Command Control
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Offline kiwiAlan  
#17 Posted : 03 August 2018 14:51:10(UTC)
kiwiAlan

United Kingdom   
Joined: 23/07/2014(UTC)
Posts: 8,082
Location: ENGLAND, Didcot
Originally Posted by: mrmarklin Go to Quoted Post
Originally Posted by: TEEWolf Go to Quoted Post
Originally Posted by: 5HorizonsRR Go to Quoted Post
Wow- I'm really sad to hear Shinohara closed! They made excellent quality material...


Did not Toys "R" Us - the big toy reseller - closed his doors after his insolvency?


Yes, they are done. The same company that made Marklin get rid of the Primex line of trains.


Oh, did they, I hadn't heard that. What was the story behind that? Did they have a line branded Primex?
Offline David Dewar  
#18 Posted : 03 August 2018 21:32:40(UTC)
David Dewar

Scotland   
Joined: 01/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 7,332
Location: Scotland
Originally Posted by: Goofy Go to Quoted Post
Originally Posted by: dickinsonj Go to Quoted Post
Originally Posted by: Goofy Go to Quoted Post

But Märklin do often not control quality as we suppose.
Märklin did promised to take care of missing quality control.



I have purchased a number of Märklin products over the last few years. Have you?

From my perspective their quality has improved but of course it is not perfect and could be further improved. But I find more to like than not like these days with their products and overall I am satisfied. Cool

Finding a company where no one online finds any fault with what they produce is like finding a unicorn. Maybe you should start collecting them. BigGrin


Yes i did purchased Märklin,Trix,Fleischmann and Brawa.
Only Fleischmann was in best quality while other there was default(s).
I don´t care of what it happens in China with theirs toy factory.
I just want good quality train models that shall work.



Buy Marklin Goofy and find out what it is like. Quality I have found is good and easily compares with anything else.
Take care I like Marklin and will defend the worlds greatest model rail manufacturer.
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Offline Melbourne marklin  
#19 Posted : 09 February 2019 05:51:23(UTC)
Melbourne marklin

Australia   
Joined: 04/11/2018(UTC)
Posts: 57
Location: Victoria, Melbourne
Marklin will be like most of the big German production factories including Audi, BMW etc in that they have parts made in other countries often in thier own quality controlled factories but it is mostly all designed and assembled in Germany. As long as the quality and service is good what does it matter??
A newbie to this hobby, All Marklin HO, Swiss only, across all eras, largeish 5m x 4m layout in planning, small table top training table in operation.
Offline Bigdaddynz  
#20 Posted : 09 February 2019 06:36:31(UTC)
Bigdaddynz

New Zealand   
Joined: 17/09/2006(UTC)
Posts: 18,661
Location: New Zealand
Originally Posted by: David Dewar Go to Quoted Post
Buy Marklin Goofy and find out what it is like.


He did, Goofy bought a Marklin BR64....

We then had lengthy threads as to how crap it was and that he had to send it back to the factory several times for replacement... The replacements were crap as well...

Thankfully my BR64 operates fine although I have had some other issues with some other models including a Gauge 1 BR194. That hasn't made me dump all my Marklin and go off and buy something else....

Edited by user 09 February 2019 16:24:52(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

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Offline Goofy  
#21 Posted : 10 February 2019 11:07:13(UTC)
Goofy


Joined: 12/08/2006(UTC)
Posts: 8,993
Originally Posted by: Bigdaddynz Go to Quoted Post
Originally Posted by: David Dewar Go to Quoted Post
Buy Marklin Goofy and find out what it is like.


He did, Goofy bought a Marklin BR64....

We then had lengthy threads as to how crap it was and that he had to send it back to the factory several times for replacement... The replacements were crap as well...



Not truth!
I did bought a BR 64 that there was defaults.
I send it back and after three months(Scared ) Märklin did send a new locomotive while the broken was still left at the factory.
The replacement locomotive was some defaults too.
I fixed by self the second BR 64 locomotive.
I believe the model BR 64 was produced in China.

H0
DCC = Digital Command Control
Offline Purellum  
#22 Posted : 10 February 2019 13:03:57(UTC)
Purellum

Denmark   
Joined: 08/11/2005(UTC)
Posts: 3,498
Location: Mullerup, 4200 Slagelse
Cool

Originally Posted by: David Dewar Go to Quoted Post
Buy Marklin Goofy and find out what it is like.Quality I have found is good and easily compares with anything else.


Ohh, Goofy has bought plenty of Märklin and Trix, both locomotives and controllers.

Here's a list of those items he found to be of good quality and didn't sell or sent back:





















BigGrin

Per.

Cool
If you can dream it, you can do it!

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In case this is not legally possible:
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