UH-Oh. Floquil and PollyS are going away

[Dave V]

Interesting...  I didn't know that.  Just based on what I saw in mainstream forums I was perfectly ready to believe that people don't paint and decal nearly as much as they used to.

Sucks.

[bbussey]

Since the full story isn't being released by Testors, there's know way of knowing how the manufacturing of the paint lines is affecting them.  But it would seem that if it was profitable that they would continue manufacturing it, as they have for the past 40 years.

[CodyO]

Does very much suck

The one thing I hate about painting is cleaning, I very much liked how easy it was to clean up just a jar with some water and Windex and a few swipe`s on an old T shirt was all it needed now I`ll need to make sure I got enough thinner and I clean the airbrush a bit better

I guess I should go order some paint now I don`t have an LHS so it`s now or I`ll be back to the enamels sooner 

[wcfn100]

Since the full story isn't being released by Testors, there's know way of knowing how the manufacturing of the paint lines is affecting them.

Or if that's even the reason they're getting rid of it.  Down-sizing to the smaller facility may have been the entire motivator behind this and they just may not have the space to continue these lines.  Even if they are profitable, they my not be enough to cover the overhead of two buildings.

Jason

[bbussey]

Also of note is that the MSRP of Polly-Scale has climbed exponentially over the past few years and the paint formula has been experimented with during that time as well to the point where it hasn't covered as well as previous revisions.  So when you look between all the lines, it sure seems as if it is a manufacturing cost issue.

[Ntrainz1]

For the Floquil, manufacturing small quantities of solvent based paints might be a business model deadend, maybe environmental pollution control costs made if unprofitable.

Bob.

[MichaelWinicki]

For the Floquil, manufacturing small quantities of solvent based paints might be a business model deadend, maybe environmental pollution control costs made if unprofitable.

Bob.

Maybe Bob, but they are still producing the regular Testor's line of paints which is solvent based.  Once you've got the environmental problems solved for one solvent based product line I wouldn't think the costs for another product line would be exponentially higher... I mean once you've figured it out, you've figured it out kind of thing.

[Dave V]

Also of note is that the MSRP of Polly-Scale has climbed exponentially over the past few years and the paint formula has been experimented with during that time as well to the point where it hasn't covered as well as previous revisions.

These have been my two major complaints as well.  The only thing I hate more than spending $5 on a 1 ounce jar of paint is doing so and finding it doesn't freaking match the last jar.

Makes me wonder how accurate PollyScale really was given how much drift occurred in the colors over the last decade.

[ljudice]

Translation:

    Sales are headed for the crapper, and we'd lose our shirts if we keep making these products. So, we're cutting back to the cheapest-to-produce lines.


50% Probability of this ------- and 50% probability some consultant convinced them that these paints accounted for less than 20% of sales, so just dump them to "focus on core business"   

[CoalPorter]

There are a few paints from testors that I really like.
The metalizer paints , dark rust (looks like really deap old rust)
and crimson red (for old brick buildings) have no equal from other brands.
I also like chorme silver and  generic colors
like gloss and flat black. And don't forget Dullcoat !

[ljudice]

There are a few paints from testors that I really like.
The metalizer paints , dark rust (looks like really deap old rust)
and crimson red (for old brick buildings) have no equal from other brands.
I also like chorme silver and  generic colors
like gloss and flat black. And don't forget Dullcoat !

The Lacquer  spray paints in automotive colors are also good....

[randgust]

Well, for the record, RPM is hosing the Testors Division pretty much the same way they are us.

http://www.rrstar.com/blogs/alexgary/x776191577/Testor-Corp-consolidating-operations-cutting-jobs

They are every bit as confused and perplexed as we are - check the paper.   If you dig back on press releases, they were adding jobs in September 2012.   So I'm more and more suspicious that this is all bad corporate decisionmaking, nothing less.   Has little to do with market, quality, hard to say what the reason is but it's sure not our fault or theirs.

Wow, does that company ever need taken private again.   Classic case of a holding company run amok.   RPM is making plenty of money. 

[DKS]

This is the plant they are closing: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Blackhawk+Park+Ave.+Rockford+il&hl=en&ll=42.246239,-89.092373&spn=0.005549,0.009398&sll=42.307422,-88.898362&sspn=1.003414,2.406006&t=h&hnear=Blackhawk+Park+Ave,+Rockford,+Winnebago,+Illinois&z=18

[Scottl]

RPM seems to be doing well in the market...  Testors is probably just a speck on the corporate agenda, probably the enviro legacy is the issue at the 1929 plant.

http://www.stockhouse.com/companies/overview/rpm/rpm-international-inc.

This will all end with a bunch of traders pushing paper around and nothing being made 

[GaryHinshaw]

This is the plant they are closing...

and the one they're keeping open is only a quarter the size of the one they're closing: http://goo.gl/maps/Z6OZ1

Reading their letter to dealers again, I see they're planning a new focus:

...we are more strongly poised to take your business to the next level through product and merchandising innovations, and increased customer intimacy...

Best Regards,
Kristin J. Schiro
Director of Sales & Marketing

One sector of the economy that is still thriving.