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C&L Finescale


Andy Y
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Can I suggest that manufacturing and selling your own products is a different business model to retailing Peco  (or any other model railway) products. Without the C&L/Exactoscale items, it would just be another retailer competing with all the others.

 

Until the deal is (hopefully) concluded, there is little point in speculation what the final outcome will be. If it reverts to the original format before Pete took over, then we will be no worse off. Lets just wait and see, wish Pete and his team well and let the potential owner know that their is a lot of goodwill towards the brands and enthusiasm for the products. A business worth keeping going.

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Can I suggest that manufacturing and selling your own products is a different business model to retailing Peco  (or any other model railway) products. Without the C&L/Exactoscale items, it would just be another retailer competing with all the others.

 

Until the deal is (hopefully) concluded, there is little point in speculation what the final outcome will be. If it reverts to the original format before Pete took over, then we will be no worse off. Lets just wait and see, wish Pete and his team well and let the potential owner know that their is a lot of goodwill towards the brands and enthusiasm for the products. A business worth keeping going.

 

Good point, and worth considering that the prospective purchaser should be undertaking a due diligence exercise just now. Any 'negative publicity' may deter person or persons concerned from concluding the deal.

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My guess is that the new owner will look hard at the sales of individual product lines versus the cost of stocking them.  Any slow-selling items (particularly those that are expensive to produce) could well be for the chop. Might be worth bearing in mind if you're planning to bang in an order prior to transfer of ownership........

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My guess is that the new owner will look hard at the sales of individual product lines versus the cost of stocking them.  Any slow-selling items (particularly those that are expensive to produce) could well be for the chop. ............

There go the driving wheels, then.

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From the press release

 

The business format will change and will be downsizing in so much as there will no longer be a shop, and as a result it will not be possible to continue selling Peco products.

 

To me this means that they are pulling back from a larger retail operation, I'd also wonder that they are taking into account the new BH track from Peco and how it might affect (if it hasn't already) sales of C&L's own BH track.

 

 

I think the point is that if you don't have an actual shop, Peco (and Bachmann) won't let you have an account with them.

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Just pure speculation but the possible answer is that the new owner / persons involved may well just concentrate on the core product and market the product via the normal or specialist retailers who already have an established customer base. If this is the case it would shed some light onto the fact that the Carrs / Peco  products are not being considered in the purchase. With regard to the Carrs range I'm reckon the rights to sell them will be quickly be snapped up by an established retailer who attends shows around the country as this is a new part of the equation in many ways

If this is the case and a single person with good knowledge and expertise  looking to market the C&L  range as a core product I think the range could well be greatly enhanced and I say this not wishing to belittle Pete's sterling efforts over the years  

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... With regard to the Carrs range I'm reckon the rights to sell them will be quickly be snapped up by an established retailer who attends shows around the country ...

 

They would fit in well with Eileen's Emporium's range...

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I think I'll wait for some proper news. I don't think all this speculation is doing anyone any favours.

That's the most sensible comment we have had to date.  For the record, did I ever say that I was one of the employees involved?  Thought not!  Just speaking on their behalf.

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As someone who has inside knowledge as to what is going on at C&L I would like to say that all the speculation is wide of the mark when it comes to who the new prospective owner might be.  Read the website announcement properly and don't just take in the 'spin'.  It's by no means a done deal yet.  None of the existing staff will be engaged and have all been given notice of redundancy.  Rather a kick in the teeth having the rug pulled from beneath them despite all the hard work they have done keeping the business ticking over during Pete''s absence.  Other than that I am not at liberty to say until the new owner finalises negotiations and declares his/her/their hand.

 

 

It most certainly is a kick in the teeth when it puts a roof over your head and food on your table, being told a month earlier that things were going so well that the business would carry on as it is now for at least another year. We are talking about people's livelihoods here.

 

I was always taught that a business' most valuable asset was its staff.  Maybe times have changed!

 

 

That's absolutely what I am saying!   It might only be toy trains to you.  I wish I could elaborate more on the whole truth of the situation but I'm going to draw a line under my input before I get really annoyed.

 

 

That's the most sensible comment we have had to date.  For the record, did I ever say that I was one of the employees involved?  Thought not!  Just speaking on their behalf.

You may now say you are not actually one of the employees,  but the inference given in your posts is that you were either an employee or a partner of one.

 

While some of us as existing C&L customers muse over what might happen to the range of products, you were the one that brought up the speculation of poor treatment of employees.  I doubt you've done them any favours.

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You may now say you are not actually one of the employees,  but the inference given in your posts is that you were either an employee or a partner of one.

 

While some of us as existing C&L customers muse over what might happen to the range of products, you were the one that brought up the speculation of poor treatment of employees.  I doubt you've done them any favours.

It's probably another variation on smoke and mirrors. Politicians are making increasing use of that.

 

Still, if you've been affected by any of the issues in this thread......

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You may now say you are not actually one of the employees,  but the inference given in your posts is that you were either an employee or a partner of one.

 

While some of us as existing C&L customers muse over what might happen to the range of products, you were the one that brought up the speculation of poor treatment of employees.  I doubt you've done them any favours.

Some curious logic here which is totally wide of the mark.  There has been a lot of speculation on here.  Unfortunately speculation tends to become perceived as fact if repeated often enough.  I hope that one day all will become clearer but not at this stage and certainly not while a satisfactory outcome is being pursued by all concerned.

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Some curious logic here which is totally wide of the mark.  There has been a lot of speculation on here.  Unfortunately speculation tends to become perceived as fact if repeated often enough.  I hope that one day all will become clearer but not at this stage and certainly not while a satisfactory outcome is being pursued by all concerned.

 

Whilst not wishing to inflame the situation any further, but, you do seem be stood holding a smoking gun?

 

Mike.

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Some curious logic here which is totally wide of the mark.  There has been a lot of speculation on here.  Unfortunately speculation tends to become perceived as fact if repeated often enough.  I hope that one day all will become clearer but not at this stage and certainly not while a satisfactory outcome is being pursued by all concerned.

 

 

Quite so Rob. Perhaps those without intimate knowledge of the situation should draw back from posting all this speculation and criticism. Only the staff concerned are the ones who know what's going on, not us. I understand that the loyal staff are working their socks off as a result of all the panic buying.

 

Hopefully the sale is successful and when all the fuss has died down some light will be cast on the whole affair. 

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This thread has run the course of many on here, a bit of news and then some chat which develops into whether it's better for societies to be the suppliers, what ranges people would like to see continue and a couple making a guess as to who the new owners might be. Nothing unusual.

Some curious logic here which is totally wide of the mark.  There has been a lot of speculation on here.  Unfortunately speculation tends to become perceived as fact if repeated often enough.  I hope that one day all will become clearer but not at this stage and certainly not while a satisfactory outcome is being pursued by all concerned.

You then waded in with accusations of poor treatment of staff and added to the speculation that you now say could be misconstrued. 

 

Your best bet is to take the advice from Re6/6

 

Quite so Rob. Perhaps those without intimate knowledge of the situation should draw back from posting all this speculation and criticism. Only the staff concerned are the ones who know what's going on, not us. I understand that the loyal staff are working their socks off as a result of all the panic buying.

 

Hopefully the sale is successful and when all the fuss has died down some light will be cast on the whole affair. 

 

 

I do have sympathy for the staff at the thought of losing their jobs, but the owner of the business must get the best deal possible or conclude the only deal available. The reality is that no matter how much you think you know, unless you are the person concerned you know the same as the rest of us about their financial situation, which is diddly squat. 

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That's the most sensible comment we have had to date.  For the record, did I ever say that I was one of the employees involved?  Thought not!  Just speaking on their behalf.

 

 

Rob

 

You certainly gave the impression of being an employee, especially as you seemed to have first hand knowledge of what was being told to staff

 

It most certainly is a kick in the teeth when it puts a roof over your head and food on your table, being told a month earlier that things were going so well that the business would carry on as it is now for at least another year. We are talking about people's livelihoods here.

 

This statement reads as being from an employee not just hearsay, which could be open to misrepresentation. There have been a lot of members writing to support the staff, its a great pity you could not be honest with us and declare you are repeating what has been told to you, in fact you have been quite aggressive with your comments about the owner, which seems to inflame the matter unnecessarily. 

 

By all means comment on the situation, but declare your interest in the subject honestly to save any misunderstandings. I personally feel your posts have detracted from what is a very sad and disturbing series of events

 

Again like the vast majority, my grateful thanks and best wishes for the future go out to all the staff and the business.

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I hope that one day all will become clearer.....

Indeed,

 

Rob,

 

You have appeared on this site from nowhere and most of us have absolutely no idea who you are, nor what your agenda is. In some posts you have strongly intimated that you have links or particular inside information on the situation with C&L, yet when challenged on that you back pedal with a degree of irritation.

 

If you are in a position of privileged information, which you may well be, I/we understand your reticence in divulging it whilst events are still evolving. Fair enough.

 

So, rather than posting ranty half stories and raising more questions than you answer, I suggest you keep it to yourself until you are in a position to share your full story when no doubt you will get a more sympathetic response.

 

At the moment many of us are trying to decide whether you are some raving loon or somebody with genuine insight.

 

.

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I think downsizing would be a great idea as trying to find items at shows is very often difficult. It does depend, of course, on what the business is downsized to. Perhaps it would be a good idea to first keep those items that are unique to C&L and then rebuild. All depending upon profitability, mustn't forget that.

 

But the present business carries too many product lines, far too many.

 

Regards

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I am beginning to wonder if Donald Trump is involved somewhere in this blog as there is more fake news, rants and skullduggery that a presidential election !

 

Clearly however it is no joke for the staff involved or those (like myself) trying to buy C&L products or forward plan track builds.

 

Let's all hope for a successful outcome.

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I am beginning to wonder if Donald Trump is involved somewhere in this blog as there is more fake news, rants and skullduggery that a presidential election !

 

This is nothing. You should really take a look at the Peco bullhead track thread...

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