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After 60 years, Airfix finally comes unstuck
Last updated at 10:07am on 31.08.06
Handle with care: the models were famously diffficult to assemble
Airfix - the firm whose scale models have fascinated and frustrated boys for more than 50 years - has gone into administration.
Its warships, tanks and planes have proved popular through the decades despite being difficult to assemble properly.
Sales are down by two thirds, however, and last night the company's workforce was made redundant. Staff blame the decision on Heller, a French company.
The firm, which made the plastic models and paints packaged as Airfix products, fell into receivership earlier this year.
It has refused to hand over the tools and mouldings needed for the production line to continue.
Jeremy Brook, of the Airfix Collectors Club, said: 'It could take up to two years to get the mouldings back which means that anyone who tried to buy the company wouldn't have any of the current lines available to make.'
Chris Rumball, a sales representative from the Humber-based firm, said: 'This is a sad day. I made these models as a boy.
'It's a brand I have grown up with and I can't believe that other people won't have the chance.
'Most people have heard of the models or have an instant mental image even if they haven't made one themselves.'
At its peak in the mid to late 1960s, Air-fix sold 350,000 Spitfires, 80,000 Hurricanes and 60,000 Lancasters a year. Last year sales were running at a third of that level. Mr Rumball added: 'The French wouldn't release any of the tools to us and now it has just brought us down with them.'
Colin Summerbell, sales manager at Airfix, confirmed the firm had ceased trading last night. 'I have just lost my job and I am not in a position to comment any further,' he said.
Bill Bond, founder of the Battle of Britain Historical Society, said: 'It is a great shame. I remember building these models as a teenager.
'Spitfires were my favourite, like all children. For tens of thousands of boys this will have been integral to their childhood.
'I suppose it is a sign of the times. Spitfires are no longer fresh in the memory are they? Children now have PlayStations and computer games.
'They were terribly fiddly but then there weren't all the distractions. It wasn't easy but that was part of the challenge.'
Airfix was founded in 1939 by Nicholas Kove, a Hungarian-born businessman, and initially made inflatable toys.
Its first model kit was a Ferguson tractor sold through Woolworths in 1949. The Spitfire came out in 1955. A mistake with dates led to the Sec-
ond World War fighter's 50th anniversary celebration being held in 2003.
During the 1960s and 1970s the Airfix range expanded to include vintage and modern cars, motorcycles, figures, trains, military vehicles, warships, ocean liners, engines, rockets and spaceships.
In the mid 1970s larger scale models of the Spitfire, Hurricane and Harrier jump-jet were introduced. Airfix went into receivership in January 1981 as modelling became less
popular. The company was bought by MPC with the kit moulds sent to Heller, which is based in Trun, northern France.
In 1986 the company was taken over by Humbrol.
In recent years, Airfix models have been accused of bowing to a 'dumbed down' generation. Critics said the models were much easier to make and could be snapped together in minutes.
The dwindling appeal of the kits has been blamed on the popularity of computer games, the Internet and television.
Two thirds of children have their own television set and spend up to four hours a day watching it. Eight out of ten youngsters have at least one games console.
Administrator Grant Thornton confirmed that 31 jobs were lost last night from Humbrol. The company also owns the Plasticine brand.
An Airfix spokesman refused to comment last night.
Reader views (9)
Like so many, I too grew up building Airfix models in the sixties and still do today when I have the time. In my early years as an apprentice tool and mouldmaker I actually worked on some of the Airfix moulds contracted out to the company I worked for at the time. I really have a passion for building kits and modelling and feel that many young people today miss out on so much. You see, you not only build these models but learn of the stories behind the real thing so it becomes an historical educational tool also. The skills that went into the moulds were of the highest order imaginable and kept with tradition of by-gone British craftsmanship recognised the world over. It is a sad sad day to know of yet another one of Britains finest iconic companies to be forced into closure. Even the minic ship and other 1200 scale model diecast producers are facing economic hardship, so I`m told. What is hard to believe though is that I know of many individuals, like myself, that still build and collect models of some descript so whats gone wrong? For some time now I have been after tracking down the Airfix 600 scale kit of that superb French liner the SS.France. Yes the odd one will come up but you will have to really fight for it! and I mean fight with your wallet. Like Triang`s mini ship series I just cannot believe we are not to see Airfix models ever again. I must say on behalf of all us modellers out there a huge thank you to Airfix for so much pleasure you gave. May you never die!
- John R.Doughty, Bexley, England
This is indeed sad news for all modellers and I think I bought my TSR-2 just in time. However, has anyone looked closely at the photo that accompanies this article? I don’t believe any of the kits show were ever made by Airfix. Some of them I do recognise, but what is that ghastly model on the left of the photo, the four engine twin tail thing. I have to say I do not recognise that one.
- Alan Marshall, Margate. UK.
I just heard about this last night and I couldn't believe it. I know Airfix from my days as a schoolboy and my first kit was an Airfix Halifax bomber. I have Airfix to thank for my lifelong love of history, heroes and a hobby that has grown up with me.
I think some swift action has to be taken to recover the moulds from Heller, who should not be allowed to hang on to them just because they have them in their possession and if they are doing so because Humbrol owes them money then for heaven's sake pay them off, but please don't let a historic name like Airfix die.
- Terence Teo, Singapore
It is a very sad day for all modellers. I started building kits 35 years ago with an Airfix kit and it is dreadful to see that poor management added to some gross incompetence from some Heller so-called 'product managers' caused these companies to suppress employements. Why are other kit companies (e.g. Revell of Germany, Hasegawa of Japan or Eduard from Czech Republic) profitable and not Heller or Airfix?
- Christophe Rothmund, Vernon, France
Matt has hit the nail right on the head. Although plastic model kits is not as popular as is was in the 1960s and 1970s, it is still very profitable, as witness the many new kits released each year by manufacturers all over the world. In fact, modellers have never had it so good, with kits of just about every conceivable subject being produced.
Also, to put a myth soundly to rest, there are also many girl modellers and young modellers, which Airfix made kits to suit. The reason for Humbrol/Airfix going into Administration was beyond Humbrol's control. Had the Heller administrators not stopped production, Humbrol would not have been forced into administration.
In hindsite, the idea of Humbrol separating from Heller last year (which it previously owned), with Heller still controlling production of Airfix kits, was an extremely bad decision.
The Airfix name survived after its first bankruptcy in 1981. The kit side of the business was also profitible then, but losses in other toy subsidieries bought the company down. Hopefully, the Airfix, Humbrol and even Heller names will survive. Only time will tell.
- Steven Pietrobon, Adelaide, Australia
I work in a company who have traded with Humbrol/Airfix for over 25 years and have seen managements come and go. The latest management were experienced, and forward looking, having been in the model & hobby trade for long time. Time would have paid dividends for the investors, six months to see them succeed is football club thinking.
- Barry Bronco, Midlands, UK
I think it is appalling that Heller are determined to drag such a fantastic company down with them for no reason other than they want to.
Heller are destroying what is left of hundreds of thousands of childhoods, effectively killing off the hobby of Plastic model-making.
The fact that some children spend time on the Computer or Games Consoles has nothing to do with the fall of the Airfix Company.
I have a Computer and 4 Games Consoles and yet I still have managed to make close to 100 models (ALL Airfix!). Those pompous old Fools at Heller should be ashamed of themselves.
- Matt, 13, England
Sad news but many airfix fans from the support forums have seen this coming.
I think if we agree, we knew that this was coming and so the news isn't a surprise to us and sadly the company only has itself to blame.
We have seen of the last 18 months...
Too many lame ducks (robogear footballers)
Closure of their forum, from which many ideas came, ie the TSR-2 (and canberra, and Nimrod) were all suggested there first!
Strangulation of the TSR2 model and keeping it to one scale, yet it could have been available to both 1/72 modellers and 1/48 as well (why? Mad business idea, it was always going to sell, all over the world, so why limit production!) It's so popular the model sells aready for twice it's retail!
Too many gift sets that cheapened the price of the models to the retailers and paint at far cheaper prices to the big retailers, meant models stopped selling in the smaller shops. My LMS (local model shop) stopped carring plastic kits, as he could not sell them!
Flooding the market of dead stock to ebay sellers, hence killing the prices. 1/24 harriers, £15.00 okay it not worth £45 quid, but it worth more than £15.00.
Add to those, the kits never got better, the decals never got better and quailty remained the same, with moulds of 20+ years hammering out old worn dodgy bits and it no wonder this has happened, hence sadly I'm not suprised.
hope it comes back, but I doubt it.
- Dave Pavey, bletchley bucks
First the British car industry went into foreign hands and now this. What a sad day.
- Lasse Koivisto, Helsinki, Finland
