Walthers Strikes Back!!

[brakie]

Well gang here it is from model railroader.com
Wm. K. Walthers, Inc., of Milwaukee, Wis., has purchased the assets of Life-Like Products Toy and Hobby Division. Life-Like will keep its headquarters in Baltimore, Md., and Walthers plans to increase the availability of Life-Like products. Additional details to follow.


What manufacturer will be next to be bought out?

 

[MasonJar]

I wonder if this has anything to do with why I did not get a reply to an email exchange I was having with their service department. A few emails back and forth and then... nothing...?!

Note - service from both LL and their Canadian distributor (Hobbycraft) has been excellent in my experience.

I guess we will have to wait and see what happens.

Andrew

 

[sumpter250]

This is good news! Horizon hobby won't be the only model railroad distributor!
I suspect that Walthers was still hurting from not purchasing Rivarossi when they had the chance. Rivarossi actually wanted Walthers to buy them out.
I won't be too surprised to see the Proto 1000 line merged into, or becoming, the "trainline" product. P2K, and Heritage should continue to grow, and retain the high quality that Life Like has established. The development team from LifeLike will be involved in development for Walthers, so both lines should get better.
Pete

 

[brakie]

Pete says:I won't be too surprised to see the Proto 1000 line merged into, or becoming, the "trainline" product. P2K, and Heritage should continue to grow, and retain the high quality that Life Like has established. The development team from LifeLike will be involved in development for Walthers, so both lines should get better.
=========================================================
Excellent point made! Yeah,why not have the P1K line become Walthers new Trainline? I can see good coming out of this..Look how Athearn is turning out new or revised products on a monthly bases since Horizon bought them out..I don't think there will be any need for crying "foul" or "its doomsday" like there was when Horizon bought Athearn..

 

[spitfire]

I hope this is a good thing. I really like LL's P2K line and I hope it stays as good as it has been. Especially since they were beginning to put sound in their engines. I'm a little worried how this will impact the availability of Canadian roadnames..... guess we'll have to wait and see.

Val

 

[eightyeightfan1]

In my opinion...Athearn started putting out better detailed products when they purchased Rail Power Products, months before the Horizon buy-out. Only with Horizon's purchase of Roundhouse did Athearn inheirit that product line.
As far as LL being bought by Walthers?.....Maybe the "toy like" stuff LL puts out will be dropped.
Thats just my opinion...I could be wrong.

 

[sumpter250]

Maybe the "toy like" stuff LL puts out will be dropped.

I hadn't thought of that possibility. I guess only time will tell.

Val,
Walthers really dropped the ball by turning down the chance to purchase Rivarossi. I really don't think they will do anything to upset all the happy P2K customers. One thing I know is that W.K. Walthers has been dedicated to the model railroading hobby for many years, and Phil Walthers intends on maintaining that dedication.

In my opinion...Athearn started putting out better detailed products when they purchased Rail Power Products, months before the Horizon buy-out. Only with Horizon's purchase of Roundhouse did Athearn inheirit that product line.

No arguement there, Horizon has not interfered with Athearn yet. Roundhouse?, the founder of MDC wanted out. He'd been at it for long enough. With Athearn in house, Roundhouse was a natural "next step". Roundhouse could have gone to someone with little, or no experience in scale model manufacturing. I think they have a brighter future with Athearn taking care of the product line.
Pete

 

[Alan B]

Well gang here it is from model railroader.com
Wm. K. Walthers, Inc., of Milwaukee, Wis., has purchased the assets of Life-Like Products Toy and Hobby Division. Life-Like will keep its headquarters in Baltimore, Md., and Walthers plans to increase the availability of Life-Like products. Additional details to follow.

No surprise with LL being bought. It's been on the market for a good while.

What manufacturer will be next to be bought out?

Bachmann is on the block. Lee English is shopping. He has bought Stewart and has concluded an agreement with Horizon to act as a distributor. He still has money backing for another acquisition or two. I'm sure Roco's bankers will be on the phone Monday. Atlas has spent some serious money looking, but not buying, yet. Con-cor is for sale, the owner is retiring.

 

[brakie]

Alan,I would not be surprise if Atlas bought Accu-rail and upgraded those cars for the Trainman Line..That would make sense to me..Then there is Branch Line and their line of low end line of steam era cars..Yup getting interesting to say the least.

 

[Pitchwife]

Are we going to end up with a Wal(thers)mart Hobby shop?

 

[babydot94513]

Lets hope not. We already have some great manufacturers in Atlas, Kato, Athearn but to add Wal(thers)mart would be a few steps backwards<g>.

JD

Are we going to end up with a Wal(thers)mart Hobby shop?

 

[fifer]

Well Great ! soon we won't be able to buy anything from anybody. Hope you all have an LHS!!
It has taken me 6 months to get my 24 boxes of N Scale track bumpers in grey and yellow.
Even when I had a brick and mortar store their fill rate was horrible and demanding.

Mike

 

[Alan B]

Alan,I would not be surprise if Atlas bought Accu-rail and upgraded those cars for the Trainman Line..That would make sense to me..Then there is Branch Line and their line of low end line of steam era cars..Yup getting interesting to say the least.

Larry, I haven't heard that Accu-rail is for sale, but all businesses are for sale if the price is right. I do know that Lee English has strong finances and a bank that is willing to lend him money. The same is true for Atlas. WKW has been outbid on the Athearn and MDC deals and frankly, WKW was poorly advised on both acquisitions. Phil has a new banker, it remains to be seen if there is a willingness to make another acquisition.