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Offline shunter  
#1 Posted : 25 October 2009 22:43:49(UTC)
shunter

Netherlands   
Joined: 12/02/2005(UTC)
Posts: 97
News on the dutch marklin site.
Delay of certain items due to better quality control and less or no more outsourcing to China ,

http://www.marklin.nl/ni...rpere-kwaliteitscontrole
and link on same page , interview with mr Pluta(german)
http://www.marklin.nl/ni...erspektiven_sept2009.pdf
(1 mb pdf download)

Are they back on track and listened to a lot of comments made on the rr fora, including this one ?


When the world is running down, you make the best of what's still around.
Offline orubias  
#2 Posted : 25 October 2009 23:00:46(UTC)
orubias

Spain   
Joined: 30/11/2004(UTC)
Posts: 690
Location: Justo ahí
Let´s hope so.

Band on the run
Offline Bigdaddynz  
#3 Posted : 25 October 2009 23:04:37(UTC)
Bigdaddynz

New Zealand   
Joined: 17/09/2006(UTC)
Posts: 18,661
Location: New Zealand
Thanks for the news Shunter. Do you have a translation of the pdf file? Unfortunately, Adobe Acrobat does not do a very good job of OCR'ing the text, so I can't get a decent Google translation of the article.
Offline shunter  
#4 Posted : 26 October 2009 00:41:26(UTC)
shunter

Netherlands   
Joined: 12/02/2005(UTC)
Posts: 97
Unfortuanate not, i'm not so good with these translations software myself.,[:p]
Hope some other member can help us out here ?
When the world is running down, you make the best of what's still around.
Offline Ranjit  
#5 Posted : 26 October 2009 03:20:43(UTC)
Ranjit


Joined: 18/06/2003(UTC)
Posts: 3,008
Location: Chennai, Tamil Nadu, INDIA
Hi Fokko,

Thank you for sharing this important news about Marklin and Herr Pluta's interview with us.

Looks like the company is on the "right" road heading in the "right" direction.

Cheers,
Ranjit

Edited by user 26 October 2009 06:46:25(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Modelling in HO Scale - Era III & IV. K+M Track, Analogue + Digital
_____________________________________________________________________________

#Get Vaccinated
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need" - Marcus Tullius Cicero
"Nothing is as powerful as an idea whose time has come" - Victor Marie Hugo
"If you can dream it, you can do it" - Walt Disney
Offline TimR  
#6 Posted : 26 October 2009 06:29:12(UTC)
TimR

Indonesia   
Joined: 16/08/2007(UTC)
Posts: 1,752
Location: Jakarta
Can't get a translation of the pdf too...

But from the quotes posted on marklin.nl;
I really can't make out much of what is really going on.

To me it doesn't seem like they're going to stop the shift to China,
although they recognized that they had "some" quality problem from the product lines currently produced there.

Now collecting C-Sine models.
Offline nevw  
#7 Posted : 26 October 2009 08:07:03(UTC)
nevw

Australia   
Joined: 27/08/2005(UTC)
Posts: 11,071
Location: Murrumba Downs QLD
PLease , Pretty Please, would someone who is bi-lingual do a translation of the PDF to english.

I have a programe that can convert a PDF to Word. In this case the PDF is an Image file inside the PDF and I cannot convert.

Thanks,
nev
NOt wearing the Pink Pinny, which is hard to see and now I have a white Pinny which also is hard to see against MY pure white Skin Still have 2 new shiny tin Hips that is badly in Need of Repair matching rusting tin shoulders
and a hose pipe on the aorta
Junior member of the Banana Club, a reformist and an old Goat with a Bad memory, loafing around
Offline Bigdaddynz  
#8 Posted : 26 October 2009 09:11:04(UTC)
Bigdaddynz

New Zealand   
Joined: 17/09/2006(UTC)
Posts: 18,661
Location: New Zealand
Quote:
[size=1" face="Verdana" id="quote]quote:Originally posted by nevw
<br />In this case the PDF is an Image file inside the PDF and I cannot convert.



Which is why I tried to OCR the document. That converts the image to text, but in this case it did not work so well. I have a German colleague at work, I'll ask him to do a quick translation.
Offline Ranjit  
#9 Posted : 26 October 2009 09:28:23(UTC)
Ranjit


Joined: 18/06/2003(UTC)
Posts: 3,008
Location: Chennai, Tamil Nadu, INDIA
Thank you, David.

Cheers,
Ranjit
Modelling in HO Scale - Era III & IV. K+M Track, Analogue + Digital
_____________________________________________________________________________

#Get Vaccinated
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need" - Marcus Tullius Cicero
"Nothing is as powerful as an idea whose time has come" - Victor Marie Hugo
"If you can dream it, you can do it" - Walt Disney
Offline mjrallare  
#10 Posted : 26 October 2009 15:29:55(UTC)
mjrallare


Joined: 14/11/2007(UTC)
Posts: 560
Great news!!!

And a very interesting interview with Mr Pluta.

/Torbjörn
Offline Ranjit  
#11 Posted : 27 October 2009 14:43:34(UTC)
Ranjit


Joined: 18/06/2003(UTC)
Posts: 3,008
Location: Chennai, Tamil Nadu, INDIA
Hi David,

Is your German friend still translating Mr. Pluta's interview?

Sorry for the rush.

Cheers,
Ranjit
Modelling in HO Scale - Era III & IV. K+M Track, Analogue + Digital
_____________________________________________________________________________

#Get Vaccinated
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need" - Marcus Tullius Cicero
"Nothing is as powerful as an idea whose time has come" - Victor Marie Hugo
"If you can dream it, you can do it" - Walt Disney
Offline jeehring  
#12 Posted : 27 October 2009 16:22:56(UTC)
jeehring


Joined: 25/09/2003(UTC)
Posts: 2,786
Location: ,
Thank you very much Shunter for sharing !
Looking at last items from Marklin, we already felt there is improvement of quality comparing with 2004/2005-2007 period which was a kind of transition period , after what Marklin had to rethink their philosophy coming back to their "fundamentals"... Those "fundamuntals" always were based upon criteria of quality, reliability & innovation, leading & inspiring the rest of MRR world .( their partnership with ESU leads them astray , far from their original "philosophy"...)
Offline davemr  
#13 Posted : 27 October 2009 17:02:22(UTC)
davemr


Joined: 09/02/2009(UTC)
Posts: 983
Location: ,
Agreed that ESU was not good for Marklin and caused lots of problems with the MS in particular. Not sure though that quality has yet improved but the fact that Marklin now realises that there is a problem is indeed progress.
Fewer models that work well with no faults would be good.
davemr
Offline TimR  
#14 Posted : 27 October 2009 22:46:13(UTC)
TimR

Indonesia   
Joined: 16/08/2007(UTC)
Posts: 1,752
Location: Jakarta
I'm not so sure about blaming ESU for much of went wrong with Marklin during the "dark quality" period of mid-2000s..

At that point Marklin felt that their MM protocol is at the limit of their expandibility and was rapidly being "outdone" by features of DCC protocols.

Development of MFX in cooperation with ESU is IMO at the very core of Marklin philosophy of "innovation" and "market leadership". They have to prove that they can develop a system that can outdo DCC protocol - independently as remember, unlike other MRR manufacturers, Marklin is also one of the largest supplier of digital equipment - and thus has a market to protect.

I think the biggest factor is the need to try and rush things with development of MFX as a result.

Now introducing an entirely new system protocol is not easy or straightforward. Bugs has to be ironed out. Extensive testing has to be done. One has to wonder whether Marklin/ESU partnership really allow for proper time frame to let the system mature before customer launch.

Some early batches of MFX decoder, as has been reported, had a tendency of going AWOL from registry, among other things.

Not only dealing with new type of decoders; From building with just a handful sound models previously in MM, with MFX - there are suddenly a pleothera of models with full sound decoders - so more quality slips there.

Probably the most embarassing for Marklin is that at the time of MFX launch, it was incompatible with what they tauted as their best motor (Sinus). In the rush to fix things, it turns into another fiasco when first models of Sinus + MFX appeared in 2006.

I think this is fundamentally the root of all the digital problems Marklin suffered previously - and I can imagine how frustrating it must had been for ESU and Marklin - blaming each other's for the problems.

These days, I'd like to think that MFX as a whole is already a mature technology - though some niggling quality problems in some part persist..
Now collecting C-Sine models.
Offline NS1200  
#15 Posted : 01 November 2009 19:43:56(UTC)
NS1200

Netherlands   
Joined: 10/08/2009(UTC)
Posts: 3,443
Hi guys,my basic translation of the essence is as follows:
Q1: Is there something to celebrate?
A: Big chance to reorganise into leaner organisation,management reduced,mistake of outsourcing labour to China corrected (!),you only have such a chance in a time of insolvancy(!).
Q2: How is business going at Marklin?
A: X-mas sales are in preparation,business is much better than anticipated,in August we did not require a seasonal bank credit,we have finance till the end of the year,last year turnover was Euro 120 million,at Euro 25 mi8llion loss,that was our starting point.
Q3: Despite the negative toppling over (of a ship)over the last months?
A: There was also positive news,we now know what Marklin fans are really made of,they come from all layers of society.and they are not only people wearing loc drivers caps,going down into their traincellar with a whistle in their mouth.Pluta is trying to say that non-train interests were also having a warm heart for Marklin.
Q4: Who are these Marklin fans?
A: For example Horst Seehofer (president-minister of Bavaria),he got a special locomotive for his 60th birthday.
We also had something in mind for Wiedeking,then boss of Porsche......
Q5: Was Wiedeking (Porsche) not interested to take a share in Marklin?
A: That was a rumour,a wish by investment advisors,there is a difference between one who loves the product and one who is just in daily routine of business/investing.
Q6:During the Marklin days,40,000 people will visit Goppingen from all over the world,can Marklin afford to organise that?
A:That is a must,Marklin must do that!
It is a fixed sales tool,taking into account the importance for the town of Goppingen,it would be INSANE (Wahnsinn)to stop organising that.
It is the ultimate sales event!
Q7: During those days,would it not be a good idea to announce the sale of the company?
A: The sale has been published sufficiently,worldwide 134 interested parties recorded,36 serious candidates selected confidentially,you can not better that.
Q8:Seven serious parties by now?
A: Yes,seven parties accepted,we are now in the serious stage of bidding.
We have to see what comes out of that.
Q9:Are you not time-pressed than?
A: No,we are not!That was our main target,to ensure not to become time-pressed.
Question was:what are we going to do when no candidate comes,or when only one candicate comes which could not offer what we want.We can only stop that when we are a stable company.
Q10:Who is behind the seven interested parties,do they come from the same business?
A: Despite rumours that parties from China and Russia were interested,we are dealing mainly with west european companies.
We gave them following demands:
- They have to bring sufficient money
- They must be able to run a business of this size
- THey must have a long-term interest.
Q11: What happens with production in Goppingen,are buyers interested in Goppingen at all?
A: Yes,as fas as we now know.
I am not a friend of massive removal shifts.
I am a friend to commit to production in Germany,but we need to clearly tell the market what product we offer and in which quality.
We have to show that Marklin cannot be compared with cheap parts from elsewhere,China for example.
Q12:There were hundreds of job losses,a smaller productrange,different way of doing busines,are these changes now over and done with?
A: I hope that very much!
But:Marklin is not only Goppingen,Hungary factory has same size,in both places you can do the same,you should not forget.
It is surely worthwile to purchase some parts elsewhere.
I am not in favour of expanding outsourcing of parts,one has to decrease that,i think.
Q13: Why attempts to walk away from pure modelrailway,like Spye and circus Mondalino?
A: I was worried to see the large stocks in the warehouse,that is not the proper direction,i believe we should make clear Marklin is high-tech,one should make that clear to young people (anspruchsvoll= appealing to).
Q14: Would it be useful to create a theme park in Goppingen,so that children could easily access their productrange?
A: That would be good,Miniaturwunderland in Hamburg is in an unattractive building but attracts millions of visitors,Marklin should be able to do that also,in Goppingen,would fit better.
Q15:Was Marklin saved by the bell because of the jubilee celebration (punktlich=on time).
A: What do you mean by saved?
Q16: That the company can now be run profitable.
A: That is my intention,we can prove that Marklin can be run profitable.
You cannot go from 20 pct loss to 10 pct profit within a half year,a few more steps have to be taken.
At the moment,we are not running at a loss.
Q17: Will Marklin celebrate another jubilee in 25 years time?
A: We must hand over Marklin in other hands in such a way that the current insovancy remains the only one in the history of the company.
Q18:Who has brought Marklin down,was it the Marklin family who sailed a wrong course,or was there a company-raider at work?
A: No,it was not a company-raider.There were various reasons.Everything was left as is,people were sitting back,people were not fighting for marketshares,people thought Marklin is such a nice brand,that will sell itself.
There was no person who said:i will commit to a proper product at a profit,i think a company needs such a person.
Q19: There were other reasons,you yourselves critised the people from Kingsbridge,they were paid what was agreed on beforehand,that is it.
Should i have asked the investors (Kingsbridge)?
Reporter: surely not the investors.
Pluta: They have managed the company....
I doubted whether investors like these can run a company.
Q20: They got enourmous salaries....
A: They have put in their hours.
That is for 8 to 9 million Euro per annum.
Marklin was not able to absorb such costs.
Reporter: In particular when the loss was 20 million per annum.
Pluta: The loss was a bit higher than what was charged for advisory tasks...
Q21: Why was the emergency brake not pulled by someone?
Who would that be? There was no mister Marklin.
Pluta basically says here that the raiders could not be controlled!
Q22:Any indications of criminal intent?
A: I have read all reports,everything i found very expensive.
Q23: People were dealing with money on a big scale (grozzugig=big train)
A: Clear,when the top guys are getting the money,next in line is lower management,than the word keep-silent-money comes into the picture,you scratch my back,and i scratch yours.
This was not criminal,just out of proportion....

Personal profile of Pluta (Zur Person):
Age 58,lawyer,was ordered to take care of the Marklin insovancy case.
Together with 19 other insolvancy lawyers and 200 sales/law staff in ten towns,he is the number five of the German insovancy companies.

End of my free translation.

My general comments:

A) Nothing new in this interview,Pluta speaks in general terms,he does not tell us about the 2010 new releases.

B) I will not translate something like this again,sorry folks,just too time consumeing.

Marklin: The dream will survive!

Edited by user 03 November 2009 20:36:04(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Have more than you show,speak less than you know (Shakespeare).
Offline Gkar  
#16 Posted : 01 November 2009 21:45:30(UTC)
Gkar


Joined: 05/01/2008(UTC)
Posts: 102
Location: Fairfax, VA
the last engine I bought, the Ludmilla, was shockingly poor in detail and otherwise. Also, the 29481 cars were equally poor in detail and construction feature, the engine in that set was, however, very nice detail and runs very nicely, a sweet engine!
"You know, the very powerful and the very stupid have one thing in common. They don't alter their views to fit the facts, they alter the facts to fit their views. Which can be uncomfortable if you happen to be one of the facts that needs altering."
Offline Ranjit  
#17 Posted : 02 November 2009 03:45:34(UTC)
Ranjit


Joined: 18/06/2003(UTC)
Posts: 3,008
Location: Chennai, Tamil Nadu, INDIA
Thank you for taking the trouble to translate Mr. Pluta's interview, Paul.

I can imagine it must have been quite a pain to do it.

Cheers,
Ranjit
Modelling in HO Scale - Era III & IV. K+M Track, Analogue + Digital
_____________________________________________________________________________

#Get Vaccinated
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need" - Marcus Tullius Cicero
"Nothing is as powerful as an idea whose time has come" - Victor Marie Hugo
"If you can dream it, you can do it" - Walt Disney
Offline Jeremy Palmer  
#18 Posted : 02 November 2009 04:25:25(UTC)
Jeremy Palmer

Barbados   
Joined: 15/04/2005(UTC)
Posts: 2,464
Location: St. Michael, Barbados
Thanks for the translation Paul, no apology needed re. future trans-
latios. One per translator seems enough!!

Thanks again,

Jeremy.
Jeremy.

1). If at first you don't succeed, bungee jumping mightn't be for you.
2). The early bird may get the worm, but it's the second rat that gets the cheese.
Offline TimR  
#19 Posted : 02 November 2009 04:53:41(UTC)
TimR

Indonesia   
Joined: 16/08/2007(UTC)
Posts: 1,752
Location: Jakarta
Thanks for the translation, Paul!
Really appreciate such a hard work..

Interestingly the interview concentrate more about the financial sustainability of the company rather than really discussing about improvement of quality and outsourcing to China..

It seems to be Mr Pluta's personal view - in accordance to public general expectations that Marklin should remained in Europe; but it is rather ambiguous on what step they're heading. "..a few more steps to be taken" to reach profitability.
So nothing's really ruled out!

Now collecting C-Sine models.
Offline nevw  
#20 Posted : 02 November 2009 05:25:21(UTC)
nevw

Australia   
Joined: 27/08/2005(UTC)
Posts: 11,071
Location: Murrumba Downs QLD
THanks Paul,
massive task.
Nev
NOt wearing the Pink Pinny, which is hard to see and now I have a white Pinny which also is hard to see against MY pure white Skin Still have 2 new shiny tin Hips that is badly in Need of Repair matching rusting tin shoulders
and a hose pipe on the aorta
Junior member of the Banana Club, a reformist and an old Goat with a Bad memory, loafing around
Offline river6109  
#21 Posted : 02 November 2009 14:38:57(UTC)
river6109

Australia   
Joined: 22/01/2009(UTC)
Posts: 14,636
Location: On 1965 Märklin Boulevard just around from Roco Square
Q23: People were dealing with money on a big scale (grozzugig=big train)
grosszügig = over generously.
With other words, Kingsbridge ordered Advisers into the company, they knew how much it will cost them and more or less the advisors ran the company and their pay was over generous.

regards.,
John
https://www.youtube.com/river6109
https://www.youtube.com/6109river
5 years in Destruction mode
50 years in Repairing mode
Offline jeehring  
#22 Posted : 02 November 2009 17:33:35(UTC)
jeehring


Joined: 25/09/2003(UTC)
Posts: 2,786
Location: ,
I wonder what is this "toppling over (of a ship)" last month....as a negative news ? what ship ? where ?accident ?
Is it to be taken at first degree ?
I really don't understand...
Offline Goofy  
#23 Posted : 02 November 2009 19:13:47(UTC)
Goofy


Joined: 12/08/2006(UTC)
Posts: 8,993
And who did said,that Marklin has very good quality...??? [xx(]

[}:)]
H0
DCC = Digital Command Control
Offline NS1200  
#24 Posted : 02 November 2009 21:43:22(UTC)
NS1200

Netherlands   
Joined: 10/08/2009(UTC)
Posts: 3,443
Quote:
[size=1" face="Verdana" id="quote]quote:Originally posted by jeehring
<br />I wonder what is this "toppling over (of a ship)" last month....as a negative news ? what ship ? where ?accident ?
Is it to be taken at first degree ?
I really don't understand...


The German wording used was an expression to indicate that company Marklin was about to go upside down,like a ship (schiff in German) going upside down in the water.
It was not about an actual Marklin ship to go upside down.
There are many shipping expressions in,at least,the Dutch language,not strange for a country close to the sea,same for Germany.
Have more than you show,speak less than you know (Shakespeare).
Offline NS1200  
#25 Posted : 02 November 2009 22:06:04(UTC)
NS1200

Netherlands   
Joined: 10/08/2009(UTC)
Posts: 3,443
Quote:
[size=1" face="Verdana" id="quote]quote:Originally posted by Goofy
<br />And who did said,that Marklin has very good quality...??? [xx(]

[}:)]


Goofy,

With friends like you,Marklin does not need any enemies!
Are you sure you are on the right forum?
This is still a forum about Marklin,if you do not like Marklin,why not search for another more suitable forum?
Sorry mate,i do not understand.
Suppose you have a favorite soccer-club,perhaps in your hometown,and suppose you go there every week to see a match,would you support your beloved club or would you go there to say only negative things about them?
Have more than you show,speak less than you know (Shakespeare).
Offline RayF  
#26 Posted : 02 November 2009 22:11:57(UTC)
RayF

Gibraltar   
Joined: 14/03/2005(UTC)
Posts: 15,838
Location: Gibraltar, Europe
Well said, Paul.

I often find myself wondering why Goofy follows this forum.
Ray
Mostly Marklin.Selection of different eras and European railways
Small C track layout, control by MS2, 100+ trains but run 4-5 at a time.
Offline davemr  
#27 Posted : 02 November 2009 22:38:51(UTC)
davemr


Joined: 09/02/2009(UTC)
Posts: 983
Location: ,
Goofy. Marklin does have good quality .. mainly very good quality. There are times when their quality control is not great and some models may not be as good as others and 99% of us will mention it here.
However we are all here because they make the best models we can get ( along with a few from other manufacturers)
If you dont like them why are you here .. as said above. Surely you must like Marklin and their models.
davemr
Offline Ranjit  
#28 Posted : 03 November 2009 04:26:34(UTC)
Ranjit


Joined: 18/06/2003(UTC)
Posts: 3,008
Location: Chennai, Tamil Nadu, INDIA
I agree with all that Paul, Ray and Dave have said so far.

Cheers,
Ranjit

Modelling in HO Scale - Era III & IV. K+M Track, Analogue + Digital
_____________________________________________________________________________

#Get Vaccinated
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need" - Marcus Tullius Cicero
"Nothing is as powerful as an idea whose time has come" - Victor Marie Hugo
"If you can dream it, you can do it" - Walt Disney
Offline NS1200  
#29 Posted : 03 November 2009 21:21:37(UTC)
NS1200

Netherlands   
Joined: 10/08/2009(UTC)
Posts: 3,443
Quote:
[size=1" face="Verdana" id="quote]quote:Originally posted by TimR
<br />Thanks for the translation, Paul!
Really appreciate such a hard work..

Interestingly the interview concentrate more about the financial sustainability of the company rather than really discussing about improvement of quality and outsourcing to China..

It seems to be Mr Pluta's personal view - in accordance to public general expectations that Marklin should remained in Europe; but it is rather ambiguous on what step they're heading. "..a few more steps to be taken" to reach profitability.
So nothing's really ruled out!




Thanks,Tim.
German is a bit like Dutch,once you understand the meaning of certain key words,it is pretty easy to fill in the rest,give and take the occasional typical German expression.
No doubt i have made some mistakes in translating,i am not a German.
The meaning of the article is however clear to understand.
You will observe that the reporter asked frank and critical questions,this is North-European style:what you see is what you get,a straight punch in the face,this is also common in Holland,we are rather infamous for doing that.
You will also observe that Pluta is playing tennis,he is trained to attack nasty questions with neutral or meaningless answers.
At this stage of the game,he does not want to disclose the deeper secrets of the disaster which happened to a GERMAN company!
It even seems he wants to protect Kingsbridge,in any event he judges very mildy about their involvement.
One should keep one thing in mind about German people,and i envy them for that:they are very proud of their industrial achievements,if you touch Marklin (or Opel for that matter!)you touch the German man in the street straight in the heart.
They will not easily let go of their proud heritage (compare with the shameless sale of our KLM to Air France,high-treason!).
It is clear that Pluta wants to keep Marklin in Germany,the Made in Germany slogan is still a very strong selling point.
Also positive is the apparent wish to divert Marklin into a high-tech high-end brandname,that should all give us hope for the future.
Marklin will not become a cheap toy brand like Jouef or Lima,instead it will be sophisticated and worth to collect further,and that is good!
I guess this will mean the end of Mondolino,and perhaps also the end of the Aldi supermarket sales of X-mas trainsets.
It is true that more and more young people leave school highly (technically)educated,they are the civil engineers of the future.
Approaching them as a target seems to make all the sense in the world.
A high scale brandname will also return more profit than a discount brandname (compare BMW with Aldi,for example).
The profit per each loco or trainset will increase.
We probably will see a smaller assortment,with less side-steps as compared to the current productrange.
All-in-all,i have renewed hope for the future of our beloved M!
Have more than you show,speak less than you know (Shakespeare).
Offline kimballthurlow  
#30 Posted : 03 November 2009 21:26:50(UTC)
kimballthurlow

Australia   
Joined: 18/03/2007(UTC)
Posts: 6,653
Location: Brisbane, Australia
From the translation by Paul, Mr Pluta speaking (thanks Paul):
Quote:
[size=1" face="Verdana" id="quote]quote:....Everything was left as is, people were sitting back, people were not fighting for market share, people thought Marklin is such a nice brand, that will sell itself.
There was no person who said: "I will commit to a proper product at a profit". I think a company needs such a person.


Mr Pluta, of the culture within Märklin, is saying there was "no fire in the belly" (an English phrase to denote both a passion and a commitment).

Yes, if he, or the new owners can maintain that culture anew, Märklin will be around for a long time.

I think it was Dion from NZ said in another post, on visiting the Göppingen factory recently, he noticed a real commitment from the workers there.

It is in nobody's interests to sell Märklin until the perfect buyer is found. And even if that buyer is not found, we might assume that Märklin can continue producing for a very long time.

regards
Kimball
HO Scale - Märklin (ep II-III and VI, C Track, digital) - 2 rail HO (Queensland Australia, UK, USA) - 3 rail OO (English Hornby Dublo) - old clockwork O gauge - Live Steam 90mm (3.1/2 inch) gauge.
Offline NS1200  
#31 Posted : 05 November 2009 21:25:31(UTC)
NS1200

Netherlands   
Joined: 10/08/2009(UTC)
Posts: 3,443
Hi guys,
Despite my earlier statement i would not translate again,of course i am always willing to translate small pieces of text or single words from German to English,or from Dutch to English.
Just let me know if you get stuck in a German brochure,catalogue,or manual.
Have more than you show,speak less than you know (Shakespeare).
Offline Bigdaddynz  
#32 Posted : 05 November 2009 21:52:38(UTC)
Bigdaddynz

New Zealand   
Joined: 17/09/2006(UTC)
Posts: 18,661
Location: New Zealand
Quote:
[size=1" face="Verdana" id="quote]quote:Originally posted by kimballthurlow
<br />I think it was Dion from NZ said in another post, on visiting the G�ppingen factory recently, he noticed a real commitment from the workers there.



That was me quoting Dion! wink But yes, you're right Kimball, he said he noticed they were a bit beaten up (demoralised, because of the insolvency issues) but still retained a passion for Marklin and what Marklin stands for.
Offline TimR  
#33 Posted : 05 November 2009 22:17:25(UTC)
TimR

Indonesia   
Joined: 16/08/2007(UTC)
Posts: 1,752
Location: Jakarta
Quote:
[size=1" face="Verdana" id="quote]quote:Originally posted by kimballthurlow
<br />From the translation by Paul, Mr Pluta speaking (thanks Paul):
Quote:
[size=1" face="Verdana" id="quote]quote:....Everything was left as is, people were sitting back, people were not fighting for market share, people thought Marklin is such a nice brand, that will sell itself.
There was no person who said: "I will commit to a proper product at a profit". I think a company needs such a person.


Mr Pluta, of the culture within Märklin, is saying there was "no fire in the belly" (an English phrase to denote both a passion and a commitment).


I think if this culture is especially deep-rooted, it's actually quite bad - explains some of the confusing strategy that they had been doing the past few years - two steps forward, three steps back.

If I recall such attitude was partly to blame for the decline of GM, Ford, and Chrysler. In the 1950s and 1960s, with the three of them holding as much as 90% of world car markets, who could have imagine that miniscule venture like Toyota, Nissan, VW, and others could present any threat?

For Marklin, I think they're almost at that critical point of no return.
I hope Mr Pluta will be able to put people with the right attitude in the company and probably more importantly, inspire the right culture. The latter is usually extraordinarily hard to do.

Paul,
thanks again for the assistance..
Now collecting C-Sine models.
Offline hxmiesa  
#34 Posted : 06 November 2009 10:49:06(UTC)
hxmiesa

Spain   
Joined: 15/12/2005(UTC)
Posts: 3,519
Location: Spain
Firstly; NS1200; tahnks for the translation.

I dont agree that they should remove cheap starter-sets from Aldi. I myself started with a cheap starter-set.
I hope that one day we will know what really happened during the Kingsbridge stint. -That some day Herr. Pluta can speak freely. (although I doubt that will happen)
Best regards
Henrik Hoexbroe ("The Dane In Spain")
http://hoexbroe.tripod.com
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