Mattel brings Meccano manufacture back to Europe

[Coombe Barton]

Not back to red and green, though

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12052854

[2512silverfox]

I wonder if those who grew up with Meccano realise that there is a complete industry, world wide, involved in making sure that all the original parts are still kept in production in addition to the Nikko factory in Calais. It is therefore theoretically possible to procure a traitional No 10 set - at a price.

[Horsetan]

At the end of the day, as the costs of manufacturing in, and transporting from, China continue to rise, there will come a point where European companies will have to consider whether it is cost-effective to repatriate production lines.

[Guest dilbert]

There was the blue/yellow period 60s-90s and since then they have covered all sorts of colours and have even used metallic paints. A replica red/green set was issued a few years ago.

 

The system has evolved since the first items were designed by Frank Hornby more than one hundred and ten years ago, and there are no compatability issues mixing old and new parts. Recent developments have incuded plastic components and also the availabilty of flexible metal parts that revert to their orignal form after having been bent.

 

Getting to the equivalent of a N° 10 set is expensive if you want to get there straight away, but, as in the past you just build up over time ... the original Meccano approach started with Set N° 1, but adding Set 1a, you would then have the equivalent of a Set N° 2 etc .....dilbert

 

PS I've about 100 kgs of Meccano accumulated over the years

[asmay2002]

Not back to red and green, though

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12052854

 

Didn't James May vist the Meccano factory in France a year or two ago for one of his programmes about toys?

 

ASM