britains being sold (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter vandilay
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King & Country
Captain
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Hi Guys,
The word is that Britains have been sold (yet again) to another US company called “FIRST GEAR”.
Richard Walker, formerly BRITAINS, CONTE, FORWARD MARCH and CORGI has joined the new outfit.
He was in Hong Kong last week although I didn’t see him my brother Gordon and Frontline met him.
That’s all I know.
Andy C.
P.S. Another piece of info was that a couple of months ago Britains were in negotiations to buy Trophy & Wales. Interesting eh?
The word is that Britains have been sold (yet again) to another US company called “FIRST GEAR”.
Richard Walker, formerly BRITAINS, CONTE, FORWARD MARCH and CORGI has joined the new outfit.
He was in Hong Kong last week although I didn’t see him my brother Gordon and Frontline met him.
That’s all I know.
Andy C.
P.S. Another piece of info was that a couple of months ago Britains were in negotiations to buy Trophy & Wales. Interesting eh?
- Joined
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Of course we should mention that as Britains dealers we have heard nothing as yet from the top. We'll keep you posted!
Shannon
Shannon
Peter Reuss
2nd Lieutenant
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- Apr 22, 2005
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Here's an article from the Toy Soldier & Model Figure web site. We expect official confirmation of the sale of Britains sometime this week (in time for the Chicago Show). I suspect that you'll see Richard Walker at the show on behalf of the new Britains owners.
Here's the article:
WBritains Latest News
Richard Walker to be tapped to run the toy soldier company again, according to Editor Stuart A. Hessney's sources
Britains is being sold to First Gear and Richard Walker is expected be back in the saddle again holding the reins, according to reliable sources.
Official confirmation of the final sale was not available by presstime from either First Gear or RC2 Corp., the previous owner of the venerable toy soldier brand.
However, sources tell TS&MF that First Gear, a U.S. manufacturer of die-cast collectibles, is close to finalizing its acquisition of Britains.
In addition, Walker and sculptor Ken Osen, who teamed up to launch Britains' production of matt-painted figures in the late 1990s, are both reportedly coming back into the fold. Neither Walker nor Osen would comment at this time.
The sale price has not been disclosed. However, RC2 was said to be asking somewhere in the range of $4 million to $5 million for Britains last year.
Britains is just one of many toy and collectible brands owned by RC2, a conglomerate based in Oak Brook, Ill., that reported net sales of nearly $469 million in 2004.
Some nice metal toy soldier items have been produced during RC2's watch. From this writer's perspective, however, Britains as a whole floundered due to a lack of corporate investment in marketing and staffing support, haphazard product development, and problems with timely distribution of new releases to the dealer network.
It could not be discovered whether any of the current RC2 employees who have devoted time to Britains might possibly be moving to First Gear with the toy soldiers.
BRITAINS HISTORY
The First Gear acquisition would begin a new chapter in the history of Britains, which first emerged in 19th-century England.
Britains Ltd. was founded sometime after 1845, the year William Britain Sr. moved from Birmingham to Hornsey Rise, North London, according to "Regiment of All Nations" by Joe Wallis. The patriarch created ingenious mechanical toys, but their complexity and high cost limited sales.
To boost business, William Britain Jr. came up with the idea of hollow-casting lead toy soldiers, a process whose origins have been attributed to Germany.
A hollow-cast figure was cheaper to make and ship to customers because it needed less lead and was lighter than a solid soldier. The first Britains model -- a mounted Life Guard -- was produced in 1893 and the process was patented.
Hollow-casting revolutionized the family business and the toy soldier industry at a time when German-made flat, semi-round and solid toy soldiers dominated the market in Great Britain. Britains' attractive and more affordable 3-D toy soldiers helped the firm supplant foreign competition.
In addition, Britains enhanced the collectible allure of its glossy troops by continuously offering new lines in its standardized 54-mm scale.
Domestic and overseas sales mushroomed. The British company became recognized as the global leader in metal soldiers. Plastics were added to its sales arsenal in the 1950s.
LEAD PRODUCTION ENDS
Concerns over lead content and child safety led Britains to cease metal toy soldier production in 1966.
Metal toy soldier production resumed in the 1980s. Reissues from old molds, brand new figures and limited edition sets cast in lead-free pewter have appeared during the modern era.
Britains Petite Ltd., then based in Nottingham, celebrated its centenary as a toy soldier maker and launched the William Britain Collectors Club in 1993. Dennis Britain was the last family member actively involved in the company.
The Ertl Co. of Dyersville, Iowa, a U.S. manufacturer best known for its toy tractors, acquired the British company in 1998. Meanwhile, toy soldier production work was shifting from the United Kingdom to China.
By 2000, Ertl in turn was absorbed by Racing Champions Ltd., now known as RC2 Corp.
The toy soldier brand is officially called William Britain in tribute to its origins. But it is commonly referred to as Britains in these pages and the hobby in general.
NEW OWNERSHIP
First Gear, the company identified as the prospective new owner of Britains, is based in Peosta, Iowa.
The U.S. company produces highly-detailed trucks as well as farming and construction models.
First Gear specializes in producing customized die-cast replicas ranging from horse-drawn wagons to trucks for business promotions and organizational fund-raisers.
It also creates special tooling for novelty items such as fire alarm boxes, vintage fuel cans and banks.
In addition, First Gear can create collateral materials such as packaging designs, counter displays and sales fliers to help its customers make sales.
To helm its new toy soldier enterprise, First Gear has hired Walker, a lifelong collector who brings extensive knowledge of the hobby and the collectibles business to the table.
HOBBY EXPERTISE
Walker's personal toy soldier making roots can be traced to 1980, when Prescott's Military Miniatures was established by the Walker family.
The enterprise was named after Col. William Prescott, an ancestor who fought in the American Revolutionary War. As the Patriots awaited the British assault during the Battle of Bunker Hill, it was Prescott who uttered the unforgettable command:
"Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!"
The Walkers used rubber molds from Germany and Ireland to cast toy soldiers at Detroit area craft shows. The public liked watching toy soldiers being made at these events and many people enjoyed buying fresh castings. As the business grew, the Walkers began selling painted figures.
That evolved into Richard's establishment five years ago of his own Forward March! range featuring Agincourt knights and American Civil War troops. The family brand is expected to continue under the direction of Richard's wife, Jennifer.
While devoting spare time to the family business, Richard Walker honed his marketing and product development expertise in full-time stints with hobby-related companies such as Britains during the Ertl era and most recently Corgi Classics.
None of the parties directly involved in the transaction would comment. However, I was able to discover that Walker started working for First Gear on Aug. 15, and he is planning to move his family from Illinois to Iowa. I interpret that as a strong signal that the principals were close to finalizing their deal at the time of this writing.
NEW FIGURES IN WORKS
Britains' prominence in the hobby was built on the backs of its traditional-style toy soldiers in glossy paint. The company's ceremonial figures continue to be important cogs in the souvenir market.
However, Walker spearheaded a revolution at Britains during the Ertl ownership era by introducing matt-painted ACW soldiers sculpted by Osen. Those detailed and action-packed figures first appeared in the 1999 catalog.
Now it should be interesting to see what unfolds in the future under the potential new ownership.
According to my sources, several new figures are now being created by Osen for the 2006 catalog. They are expected to be unveiled in conjunction with plans to introduce the newest embodiment of Britains at the 25th Annual OTSN Inc. Chicago Toy Soldier Show on Sept. 25.
If the sale happens as anticipated, First Gear and Walker will have an opportunity to breathe new life into Britains. Hopefully, the new ownership will be able to realize its full potential as the most famous and most widely distributed brand in the hobby while drawing on a 112-year history of toy soldier making that is only surpassed by France's CBG Mignot, which dates its founding to 1785 in Paris.
Here's the article:
WBritains Latest News
Richard Walker to be tapped to run the toy soldier company again, according to Editor Stuart A. Hessney's sources
Britains is being sold to First Gear and Richard Walker is expected be back in the saddle again holding the reins, according to reliable sources.
Official confirmation of the final sale was not available by presstime from either First Gear or RC2 Corp., the previous owner of the venerable toy soldier brand.
However, sources tell TS&MF that First Gear, a U.S. manufacturer of die-cast collectibles, is close to finalizing its acquisition of Britains.
In addition, Walker and sculptor Ken Osen, who teamed up to launch Britains' production of matt-painted figures in the late 1990s, are both reportedly coming back into the fold. Neither Walker nor Osen would comment at this time.
The sale price has not been disclosed. However, RC2 was said to be asking somewhere in the range of $4 million to $5 million for Britains last year.
Britains is just one of many toy and collectible brands owned by RC2, a conglomerate based in Oak Brook, Ill., that reported net sales of nearly $469 million in 2004.
Some nice metal toy soldier items have been produced during RC2's watch. From this writer's perspective, however, Britains as a whole floundered due to a lack of corporate investment in marketing and staffing support, haphazard product development, and problems with timely distribution of new releases to the dealer network.
It could not be discovered whether any of the current RC2 employees who have devoted time to Britains might possibly be moving to First Gear with the toy soldiers.
BRITAINS HISTORY
The First Gear acquisition would begin a new chapter in the history of Britains, which first emerged in 19th-century England.
Britains Ltd. was founded sometime after 1845, the year William Britain Sr. moved from Birmingham to Hornsey Rise, North London, according to "Regiment of All Nations" by Joe Wallis. The patriarch created ingenious mechanical toys, but their complexity and high cost limited sales.
To boost business, William Britain Jr. came up with the idea of hollow-casting lead toy soldiers, a process whose origins have been attributed to Germany.
A hollow-cast figure was cheaper to make and ship to customers because it needed less lead and was lighter than a solid soldier. The first Britains model -- a mounted Life Guard -- was produced in 1893 and the process was patented.
Hollow-casting revolutionized the family business and the toy soldier industry at a time when German-made flat, semi-round and solid toy soldiers dominated the market in Great Britain. Britains' attractive and more affordable 3-D toy soldiers helped the firm supplant foreign competition.
In addition, Britains enhanced the collectible allure of its glossy troops by continuously offering new lines in its standardized 54-mm scale.
Domestic and overseas sales mushroomed. The British company became recognized as the global leader in metal soldiers. Plastics were added to its sales arsenal in the 1950s.
LEAD PRODUCTION ENDS
Concerns over lead content and child safety led Britains to cease metal toy soldier production in 1966.
Metal toy soldier production resumed in the 1980s. Reissues from old molds, brand new figures and limited edition sets cast in lead-free pewter have appeared during the modern era.
Britains Petite Ltd., then based in Nottingham, celebrated its centenary as a toy soldier maker and launched the William Britain Collectors Club in 1993. Dennis Britain was the last family member actively involved in the company.
The Ertl Co. of Dyersville, Iowa, a U.S. manufacturer best known for its toy tractors, acquired the British company in 1998. Meanwhile, toy soldier production work was shifting from the United Kingdom to China.
By 2000, Ertl in turn was absorbed by Racing Champions Ltd., now known as RC2 Corp.
The toy soldier brand is officially called William Britain in tribute to its origins. But it is commonly referred to as Britains in these pages and the hobby in general.
NEW OWNERSHIP
First Gear, the company identified as the prospective new owner of Britains, is based in Peosta, Iowa.
The U.S. company produces highly-detailed trucks as well as farming and construction models.
First Gear specializes in producing customized die-cast replicas ranging from horse-drawn wagons to trucks for business promotions and organizational fund-raisers.
It also creates special tooling for novelty items such as fire alarm boxes, vintage fuel cans and banks.
In addition, First Gear can create collateral materials such as packaging designs, counter displays and sales fliers to help its customers make sales.
To helm its new toy soldier enterprise, First Gear has hired Walker, a lifelong collector who brings extensive knowledge of the hobby and the collectibles business to the table.
HOBBY EXPERTISE
Walker's personal toy soldier making roots can be traced to 1980, when Prescott's Military Miniatures was established by the Walker family.
The enterprise was named after Col. William Prescott, an ancestor who fought in the American Revolutionary War. As the Patriots awaited the British assault during the Battle of Bunker Hill, it was Prescott who uttered the unforgettable command:
"Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!"
The Walkers used rubber molds from Germany and Ireland to cast toy soldiers at Detroit area craft shows. The public liked watching toy soldiers being made at these events and many people enjoyed buying fresh castings. As the business grew, the Walkers began selling painted figures.
That evolved into Richard's establishment five years ago of his own Forward March! range featuring Agincourt knights and American Civil War troops. The family brand is expected to continue under the direction of Richard's wife, Jennifer.
While devoting spare time to the family business, Richard Walker honed his marketing and product development expertise in full-time stints with hobby-related companies such as Britains during the Ertl era and most recently Corgi Classics.
None of the parties directly involved in the transaction would comment. However, I was able to discover that Walker started working for First Gear on Aug. 15, and he is planning to move his family from Illinois to Iowa. I interpret that as a strong signal that the principals were close to finalizing their deal at the time of this writing.
NEW FIGURES IN WORKS
Britains' prominence in the hobby was built on the backs of its traditional-style toy soldiers in glossy paint. The company's ceremonial figures continue to be important cogs in the souvenir market.
However, Walker spearheaded a revolution at Britains during the Ertl ownership era by introducing matt-painted ACW soldiers sculpted by Osen. Those detailed and action-packed figures first appeared in the 1999 catalog.
Now it should be interesting to see what unfolds in the future under the potential new ownership.
According to my sources, several new figures are now being created by Osen for the 2006 catalog. They are expected to be unveiled in conjunction with plans to introduce the newest embodiment of Britains at the 25th Annual OTSN Inc. Chicago Toy Soldier Show on Sept. 25.
If the sale happens as anticipated, First Gear and Walker will have an opportunity to breathe new life into Britains. Hopefully, the new ownership will be able to realize its full potential as the most famous and most widely distributed brand in the hobby while drawing on a 112-year history of toy soldier making that is only surpassed by France's CBG Mignot, which dates its founding to 1785 in Paris.
Gideon
Command Sergeant Major
- Joined
- May 22, 2005
- Messages
- 2,134
Richard Walker is a really good guy. He was responsible for the initial matte finish Civil War releases sculpted by Ken Osen.
He's smart and really understands the niche. If he is granted some freedom from First Gear then I think there is really a chance for Britians to return.
I'm really happy to hear this.
He's smart and really understands the niche. If he is granted some freedom from First Gear then I think there is really a chance for Britians to return.
I'm really happy to hear this.
wellington
First Sergeant
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Does this mean my Nelson series I'm trying to collect doesn't meet the standard of most....LOL...and I'm soo excited about it... 
Cheers
Wellington
Cheers
Wellington
Steven Chong
First Sergeant
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- Aug 25, 2005
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- 1,365
Come on, why the sad face. Collecting toy soldiers or military miniatures is very subjective -- what you like, I might not like. After a lot of thought, you decided to get some of Britains' Nelson series. You got it because you collect Napoleonic era stuff and you also like the naval theme. Who cares what other people thing as long as you like it. We can wish every manufacturer sculpted and painted their pieces to K&C's standard, but I doubt it is going to happen. Each manufacturer has a style of its own. Just because they do not make their figures in the same scale or the same style as K&C doesn't make their figures inferior. Collect what you like.
jazzeum
Four Star General
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- Apr 23, 2005
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Wellington,
Steven is right. Collecting anything is very subjective. You do it because you like it. Who cares what others think as long as it gives you enjoyment. If everything looked like K & C it might make Andy happy but it would probably be a very boring world.
Steven is right. Collecting anything is very subjective. You do it because you like it. Who cares what others think as long as it gives you enjoyment. If everything looked like K & C it might make Andy happy but it would probably be a very boring world.
wellington
First Sergeant
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- 1,350
I am not really sad I was just trying to be funny, I will be buying the Nelson series because I do like it but thanks for the positive comments anyhow.
Cheers
Wellington.
oops how did that last one get in there...
Cheers
Wellington.
oops how did that last one get in there...