American Model Builders (laserkit.com) Is Shutting Down

[Chris333]

Berkshire Valley has acquired the AMB line -- Cad drawings, instructions, masters

http://berkshirevalleymodels.com/

[C855B]

Berkshire Valley has acquired the AMB line -- Cad drawings, instructions, masters

http://berkshirevalleymodels.com/

Fingers crossed. Their shtick so far has been HO-and-larger period building and details, and especially narrow gauge. N will be a shock to their systems.

The pessimist in me says that they're going to concentrate on their familiar markets, reissue AMBs HO products, and relegate N designs to the 12th-of-Never file. Photo of the owner on the "about us" page tells me - as a 70-year-old - that he's going to be looking for somebody to pass his business to within 10 years.

I'd like to be proven wrong.

[Chris333]

It sounds like has already bought and sold a few businesses.

[C855B]

Yeah, I got that. I'd be really curious if those acquired product lines were continued intact or select products cherry-picked, with the remaineder spun-off or discontinued. Biggest example of that I can point to is Walthers acquiring Life-Like and then spinning the N scale off to Atlas. IMO a good result there, though it was a nail-biter for a while.

[peteski]

Hopefully they will continue to use the same raw materials AMB used.  The micro-plywood AMB used was one of the things (other than excellent fit) that made the quality of AMB kits better than many others.  Most others use thicker and flimsy basswood sheets (not plywood).