Hornby posts £4.5 million loss for first half of 2015

[Garfield]

An overhaul of the company's operations and logistical issues with its suppliers are cited as the primary cause...

 

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/dec/08/hornby-losses-widen-supplier-problems-china-it-upgrade

[Noel]

An overhaul of the company's operations and logistical issues with its suppliers are cited as the primary cause...

 

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/dec/08/hornby-losses-widen-supplier-problems-china-it-upgrade

 

Was surprised how small the business is (i.e. only 22m revenue HY). Hope they have enough stock to meet the demand of the Christmas market or they may lose more market share to Bachmann.

Edited December 9, 2015 by Noel

[Mayner]

Hornby appears to be stronger association with model railways and someone wanting to buy a train set than Bachmann. Our local model shop dropped Bachmann in favour Hornby several years ago the model railway side of the business focusses mainly on parents adding on parents adding on to the train set bought at Christmas than adult modellers who tend to buy mail order from overseas.

 

Hornby weak financial position makes the business a potential target for a takeover by Kader, who would probably drop the Bachmann Branchlines brand in favour of Hornby

[Horsetan]

....Hornby weak financial position makes the business a potential target for a takeover by Kader, who would probably drop the Bachmann Branchlines brand in favour of Hornby

 

Who really knows what Kader are thinking? I thought they had troubles of their own.

[DiveController]

An overhaul of the company's operations and logistical issues with its suppliers are cited as the primary cause...

 

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/dec/08/hornby-losses-widen-supplier-problems-china-it-upgrade

 

The group has had trouble with its Chinese suppliers for many years after moving production from the UK in the late 90s. After extricating itself from a long-running contract, it had further problems this year

 

The potential cost savings from moving it business to Chinese suppliers seem to have been more problematic in the end. wonder if it was a quality issue like MM or just getting to deliver product on time given the recent economic boom and inflation in China

[Mayner]

Who really knows what Kader are thinking? I thought they had troubles of their own.

 

 

Healthy increase in turnover and return to profits compared with 2014.

 

http://www.kader.com.hk/investor_relations/pdf/interim2015_e.pdf

 

1st rule of business use your political influence to squeeze out a competitor http://www.kader.com/our_company/senior_management.html

[jhb171achill]

I think Hornby has a future. I would guess that its woes in the recent past had more to do with fine tuning how they ran the company, than lack of potential market.

[Weshty]

Agreed. They have consolidated their market very nicely. The take over of Airfix was inspired.

 

Most importantly, the brand is very strong, akin to Tayto and Club Orange, almost beyond advertising.

[Noel]

Healthy increase in turnover and return to profits compared with 2014.

 

http://www.kader.com.hk/investor_relations/pdf/interim2015_e.pdf

 

1st rule of business use your political influence to squeeze out a competitor http://www.kader.com/our_company/senior_management.html

 

You know what they say: "Revenue is Vanity, Profit is Sanity"

[Noel]

Agreed. They have consolidated their market very nicely. The take over of Airfix was inspired.

 

Most importantly, the brand is very strong, akin to Tayto and Club Orange, almost beyond advertising.

 

Agree - Whoever owns it, the "Hornby" brand most likely probably never die.

 

I hope they turn the business around. From Hornby-Dublo, Triang, Triang-Hornby to Hornby its an iconic brand that has introduced generations in this part of the world to model trains.