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Ongoing production in China ?

Mark-659637

By Mark-659637
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Mark-659637 Newbie

Mark-659637

Posted
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Is it time that Hornby and other leading manufacturers switched production from China , back to the UK / Europe ?

I would argue this would be much better on a number of grounds; a much shorter and more flexible supply chain, less potential disruption and not least the terrible record of China in human rights.

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Going Spare Grand Master

Going Spare

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I believe some Airfix items are now manufactured in India and Hornby have looked at eastern Europe for the railways side of the business, but as this has come to nothing so far (and may be even more complicated now that we are no longer part of the EU), I suspect the cost of production in China - and the quality, despite some hic-cups - is still more favourable than the transport charges. As well as cost considerations, it has to be remembered that the poor quality of product made in some UK factories was a driving factor in moving the work to the Far East. Ethics are laudable, but would you be prepared to pay a significantly higher price for your models as a result?

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Yelrow Grand Master

Yelrow

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This has been raised before. Simply down to cost of production, i am afraid. People moan about the price of locos now. Many would be forced out the hobby, should production move back. I hate to think, what it would do to loco prices.

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The Doc Experienced

The Doc

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Dapol are producing an SECR box van for Rails of Sheffield that is "researched, designed and produced solely in the UK" - RRP £27.99. That seems, to me, an awful lot of money for a single box van. But then I have tended to buy secondhand rolling stock for years as there's not too much that can go wrong with the average wagon. I got a mix of 6 Mainline cattle and ventilated vans for that price off ebay a couple of months back. If you want UK production, you will have to be prepared to pay a larger proportion of your income, or own a smaller, simpler layout.


I wouldn't be forced out of the hobby, but I would have to be much more selective if everything was produced in the UK.

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Mac-_- Enthusiast

Mac-_-

Posted
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I know nothing of economics, two of my close friends did it university, joy to go to the local with when it was open. That said i always felt refreshed after, nothing beats a good sleep.

The thing is, is this hobby dearer than what it was year's ago. I think about it when i see threads like this one, and try to remember back. It's easy to look at the past with rose coloured glasses.

I do know that i and those i knew in this hobby year's ago only really had one train set to play with. And it took a life time to build a biggish layout, if you where lucky. People now can go straight into a biggish layout with all the bells a whistles within a month or two. How many loco's wagons, coaches and such did your average person have back then. I see some youtuber's with shelves of loco's and rolling stock.

Sorry for derailing the thread OP, as for moving back to the UK, it would be great. Would it be good for us, i don't know.

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ColinB Grand Master

ColinB

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I have read many reports in technical magazines that indicate that the cost of labour in China is increasing, I think that is why a lot of firms are looking at India. India though has lots of issues their whole system seems to involve a lot of bribery. Hornby definitely has an issue with that they don't own their production process which means sometimes they get a good batch of locos (recent Merchant Navy release) and others which have many detail faults (Thompson A2). I think one of the other issues with Hornby is that I get the opinion that a lot of their processes are very labour intensive. Trouble is a lot of industries never look further than the past, so they never understand how with new technologies things can be done just as cheaply in the UK. At work we got a load of PCBs made in China which were very cheap, it was not until I went to an electronics exhibition that I was told that a UK firm could make them better and cheaper, basically because they had invested in machinery that could achieve that. The thing most manufactures don't seem to have got to grips with is that 10% failure rate is considered acceptable by the Chinese and there is no such thing as copyright.

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Tony57 Mentor

Tony57

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Hi

It would be great it Hornby was produced in the UK the standard of production would be just as good as in China.

I hate to say this but Dapol wagons are cheaper made in UK than Hornby made in China.

Would the selection of new models be as large not so sure it depends on the number of manufacturing units?

Would China allow Hornby to move all the tooling out of China? or will they keep them and use them to make cheap copies, Lego copies come out as fast as the new genuine kits which are now made in China.

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ColinB Grand Master

ColinB

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I know it is a thing of mine but the one thing Hornby could do is make some spare parts locally rather than not doing them at all. The spare part market is where you can charge a little bit more for a part as the Customer needs that part to fix their $150+ loco. Obviously for some parts it is non economic to make them separately, but for things like buffers I am sure there is and Hornby sprung buffers are really good quality. The thing is with China is that they are cheap for production of high volume items, I am not so sure with the quantities Hornby produce whether they save that much, once you take in the reject rate, shipping and communication links, but obviously Hornby Management are closer to the product so it must be. I did read that since Christmas shipping from China has increased substantially.

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Jimbo1707820979 Veteran

Jimbo1707820979

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Posted

A country maybe worth considering is Vietnam. A friend has imported some model speedboats and the quality is superb and the prices reasonable. Another friend has imported a back bumper in stainless steel for a Mercedes 350 SL at £500 f.o.b. The cost of supplying an original was quoted at £2000 including new chrome. He is delighted with the bumper from Vietnam. I wonder if Hornby have considered Vietnam ?

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H Bee Rookie

H Bee

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Its shocking that Hornby still produce there, I spent 2 decades there and got out when things went really bad in the run up to the Olympics.


Horrific regime that practices genocide and openly touts eugenics, na not buying Chinese made Hornby, sorry. Quality is too low and a huge chunk of ALL our money goes to the CCP. There's no other way to do business there. Get out hornby!

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H Bee Rookie

H Bee

Posted
Posted
A country maybe worth considering is Vietnam. A friend has imported some model speedboats and the quality is superb and the prices reasonable. Another friend has imported a back bumper in stainless steel for a Mercedes 350 SL at £500 f.o.b. The cost of supplying an original was quoted at £2000 including new chrome. He is delighted with the bumper from Vietnam. I wonder if Hornby have considered Vietnam ?

 

 

Vietnam is an ally, yes that would be better.

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LukeTrainsPlanes Apprentice

LukeTrainsPlanes

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Posted

Is this a post about model railway or a bloomin political one? There in my opinion is a time and place to be political and rant and a model rail forum isnt the place.

All I'll say is.

Make it in UK for say £15 each with high overheads etc flog it for £150

produce in china etc for £1 sell it for £70

no brainer..

Just look at why 99% face coverings are produced in asia 100 for £1

or made in uk ones 100 for £5

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Mac-_- Enthusiast

Mac-_-

Posted
Posted

Its shocking that Hornby still produce there, I spent 2 decades there and got out when things went really bad in the run up to the Olympics.

Horrific regime that practices genocide and openly touts eugenics, na not buying Chinese made Hornby, sorry. Quality is too low and a huge chunk of ALL our money goes to the CCP. There's no other way to do business there. Get out hornby!

 

 

No it's not shocking, a company only cares about one thing profits. The only way a company would shift manufacturing, would be if someone else would produce and whip their works cheaper and harder. They ain't going too produce something for nothing, so it means cheap and cheap, or cheap and expensive.

 

 

 

 

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Stephen Dabby Newbie

Stephen Dabby

Posted
Posted

I assume I am one of the people with a “hidden agenda”?


It is not hidden at all - there is something even more important than toy trains (which I love) & my post was a genuine question. And I am not hiding the shadows; I am a serious O Gauge collector & anyone who is a member of the HRCA can log into the HRCA website where my name is open to all.


Do you really think that all that matters is the price you pay for an item & that anything goes in their manufacture?


Someone has advised that it was no longer made at the factory I mentioned.


So, where are they made? And what are the practices at the place where they are made? This is a genuine not a leading question to which I know the answer.


If they are decent open employers then I will be delighted & can carry on buying their products with a clear conscience.



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