Simba-Dickie is to takeover Marklin?

German Text http://www.spielzeuginte...hen-in-richtung-marklin/


Google translate

Fürth/Göppingen. The Bobby-car-manufacturer Simba Dickie wants to take over the marklin model Railroaders. As the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" (Wednesdays Edition) reported the Fürth-based Simba Dickie group negotiated exclusively with the former Märklin insolvency administrator Michael Pluta. A memorandum of understanding on the purchase had already been signed, the sheet quoted a company spokeswoman. Simba-Dickie owner Michael Sieber told the newspaper he was expecting with a conclusion of the takeover talks in February or March 2013. Nothing is known about a possible purchase price. Manager of the family-owned company inspect the Märklin balance sheets these days. The objective is to attract back the brand for children, as well as for collectors of model trains, so Sambo. Märklin went into bankruptcy in 2009, but then managed the renovation of its own power. The company is one the creditor banks Goldman Sachs, BW-Bank Kreissparkasse Göppingen since then mainly. Well 900 people work at the headquarters in Göppingen and in Györ. 2011, sales amounted to €109 million. The Simba Dickie group is Germany's largest toy manufacturer. To the family-owned company (3,700 workers, 640 million euros sales 2011) is one of a dozen famous toy brands such as BIG (Bobby-car), SCHUCO (model vehicles), and foreign brands like Smoby.

It would be nice if Märklin were to put out some sort of publicity statement regarding the proposed take-over. Alan

The way i look at it it is quite simple, adapt or die with your existing (and diminishing) customer base. This is basic business philosophy and every long term company have had to face this hurdle. The models and items which sells and generates income will be the items which are produced.

Marius

Schuco miniature model cars and trucks have for years been made in China. As far as Maerklin, I have not reason not to believe that the company would also outsource the manufacturing of model train models to a greater degree than the current administration. If the new company would make a pledge to keep the production in it's current locations, this would go a long way towards reassuring me.

Regards

Mike C

Simba-Dickie is buying in Trix/LGB, Not only Marklin.

German text http://www.swr.de/nachri...584084/g3t0wn/index.html

The "Süddeutsche Zeitung" (Wednesdays Edition) had reported that it upon sale to the brand not only Märklin, but go to the subsidiaries of Trix and LGB.

This is interesting. I do not know anything about the company leading the acquisition, but I think it should probably be a good thing they already have experience in the toy market and are family owned.

-Brandon

From Sima Dickies wen page......

"One thing is clear for Florian Sieber: “The production sector will become more and more important in the company in the coming years as well.” The Simba Dickie Group could therefore continue to grow in the future while simultaneously making itself independent of the Far East, which has been leading the toy production sector so far. Other aspects indicating the expansion of production in Europe include higher flexibility due to shorter transport routes and better monitoring of the entire supply chain in order to guarantee the best quality and ensure capacities in the future as well. Communication is also simpler within the Group due to the geographic proximity. It is therefore another step towards the future of the Group."

This is certainly good news, since this was also the strategies that Marklin followed in order to recover from insolvency. So, it seems that their strategy is at least aligned, a fact that could possibly lead to leave the same management in Marklin !

Akis

Going back to the toy-business sounds very good to me!
Märklin is already doing it the hard way by themselves; This year, for the first time in a decade, did I see Märklin sold in the toy shops in the high streets of Copenhagen!
With Simba-Dickie this tendency could be strengthened further!
I am not comfortable with the groups being "family-owned"; Wasnt that kind of organisation the root-cause for the administrative problems of the "old" Märklin¿?
Production in China is what I would see minimized as much as posible. -For SO many reasons...
Can we see the fact that somebody is seriously considering buying as a sign of generally good times to come (I mean; for the whole world and the economic crisis) ¿?

Hi IloveMarklin37538.

Just wondering what this Japanese video and song (Mochizuki Kokuriko-zaka Kara Sayonara no Natsu) has to do with this topic ??

Marco