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Lima (models)
Lima S.p.A. (Lima Models) is an Italian brand and former manufacturing company of model railways. The company was headquartered in Vicenza for almost 50 years, from the early 1950s until the company ceased trading in 2004. Lima was a popular, affordable brand of 00 gauge and N gauge model railway material in the UK, more detailed H0 and N gauge models in France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and the United States as well as South Africa, Scandinavia and Australia. Lima also produced a small range of 0 gauge models. Lima partnered with various distributors and manufacturers, selling under brands such as A.H.M., Model Power, and Minitrain. Market pressures from superior Far Eastern products in the mid-1990s led to Lima merging with Rivarossi, Arnold, and Jouef. Ultimately, these consolidations failed and operations ceased in 2004.
Hornby Railways offered €8 million to acquire Lima's assets (including tooling, inventory, and the various brand names) in March of the same year, the Italian bankruptcy court of Brescia, last headquarters of Lima, approving the offer later that year[citation needed]. In December 2004, Hornby Railways formally announced the acquisition along with the Rivarossi (H0 North American and Italian prototypes), Arnold (N scale European prototypes), Jouef (H0 scale French prototypes), and Pocher (die-cast metal automobile kits) ranges[citation needed]. As of mid-2006, a range of these products has been made available under the Hornby International brand, refitted with NEM couplings and sprung buffers and sockets for Digital Command Control (DCC) decoders.
Lima (Lavorazione Italiana Metalli e Affini) was founded in 1946 as a parts supplier for the Italian state railway. In 1948, Lima switched its aluminium casting capability to producing toy boats, trains and cars.
In 1953 it started manufacturing a low budget model range. The models were gradually improved and by 1962 Lima was producing French, Belgian, Dutch and German models. Less than 10 years later, Lima was one of the largest model manufacturers in the world serving the modeling markets of the United States, Australia, Britain and South Africa. In 1977 the British model range switched from HO to 00 gauge.
Starting in 1982, Lima gradually moved into the higher quality market in mainland Europe with the introduction of better mechanisms such as Central Can Motors, flywheels and all bogie power as well as catering for niche markets.
Lima focused heavily on the British range in the late 1980s which had expanded hugely due to the Sectorisation strategy of the then state operator British Rail. This was possible because of their capability to do small production runs (c.500)[citation needed], in contrast to its main UK rival, Hornby Railways, who required a minimum run of 4,000[citation needed]. Consequently, Riko International, Lima's UK distributor, were able to provide models within weeks of rollout of the actual prototype[citation needed].
By the mid-1990s, Lima had a swollen UK product range of over 300 models, some of questionable quality, while still producing new variations at a rate of five or more new schemes a month[citation needed]. A clearance campaign ran in 1993 with a mass sale of the entire range of existing stock. While this stimulated sales[citation needed], demand subsequently shifted to the now considerable second-hand market[citation needed]. There was also an attempt to compete with Hornby and Bachmann by introducing new paint schemes on existing 1980s steam models[citation needed]. The distributor, Riko International went into receivership in 1999 and their replacement, The Hobby Company, commenced by commissioning further repaints[citation needed] and a new model, the Class 66. In early 2000, Lima finally delivered an updated Class 67 to match the improved standards in the market. However, the much-improved motor did not compensate the many other faults[citation needed] and failed to make an impact. This turned out to be the last completely new model from Lima and the company subsequently folded, being bought out by Hornby.
The demise of Lima in 2004 left a significant supply gap for some of the key classes of the British diesel and electric locomotives range. However, since acquiring Lima, Hornby have re-released many of these models under their own brand name. Hornby now provide updated models of the Class 08, 31, 50, 60, Class 67 and Class 92 also, re-releasing many of the much sought after Lima originals such as the Class 73 and 156[citation needed].
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Lima (models)
Lima S.p.A. (Lima Models) is an Italian brand and former manufacturing company of model railways. The company was headquartered in Vicenza for almost 50 years, from the early 1950s until the company ceased trading in 2004. Lima was a popular, affordable brand of 00 gauge and N gauge model railway material in the UK, more detailed H0 and N gauge models in France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and the United States as well as South Africa, Scandinavia and Australia. Lima also produced a small range of 0 gauge models. Lima partnered with various distributors and manufacturers, selling under brands such as A.H.M., Model Power, and Minitrain. Market pressures from superior Far Eastern products in the mid-1990s led to Lima merging with Rivarossi, Arnold, and Jouef. Ultimately, these consolidations failed and operations ceased in 2004.
Hornby Railways offered €8 million to acquire Lima's assets (including tooling, inventory, and the various brand names) in March of the same year, the Italian bankruptcy court of Brescia, last headquarters of Lima, approving the offer later that year[citation needed]. In December 2004, Hornby Railways formally announced the acquisition along with the Rivarossi (H0 North American and Italian prototypes), Arnold (N scale European prototypes), Jouef (H0 scale French prototypes), and Pocher (die-cast metal automobile kits) ranges[citation needed]. As of mid-2006, a range of these products has been made available under the Hornby International brand, refitted with NEM couplings and sprung buffers and sockets for Digital Command Control (DCC) decoders.
Lima (Lavorazione Italiana Metalli e Affini) was founded in 1946 as a parts supplier for the Italian state railway. In 1948, Lima switched its aluminium casting capability to producing toy boats, trains and cars.
In 1953 it started manufacturing a low budget model range. The models were gradually improved and by 1962 Lima was producing French, Belgian, Dutch and German models. Less than 10 years later, Lima was one of the largest model manufacturers in the world serving the modeling markets of the United States, Australia, Britain and South Africa. In 1977 the British model range switched from HO to 00 gauge.
Starting in 1982, Lima gradually moved into the higher quality market in mainland Europe with the introduction of better mechanisms such as Central Can Motors, flywheels and all bogie power as well as catering for niche markets.
Lima focused heavily on the British range in the late 1980s which had expanded hugely due to the Sectorisation strategy of the then state operator British Rail. This was possible because of their capability to do small production runs (c.500)[citation needed], in contrast to its main UK rival, Hornby Railways, who required a minimum run of 4,000[citation needed]. Consequently, Riko International, Lima's UK distributor, were able to provide models within weeks of rollout of the actual prototype[citation needed].
By the mid-1990s, Lima had a swollen UK product range of over 300 models, some of questionable quality, while still producing new variations at a rate of five or more new schemes a month[citation needed]. A clearance campaign ran in 1993 with a mass sale of the entire range of existing stock. While this stimulated sales[citation needed], demand subsequently shifted to the now considerable second-hand market[citation needed]. There was also an attempt to compete with Hornby and Bachmann by introducing new paint schemes on existing 1980s steam models[citation needed]. The distributor, Riko International went into receivership in 1999 and their replacement, The Hobby Company, commenced by commissioning further repaints[citation needed] and a new model, the Class 66. In early 2000, Lima finally delivered an updated Class 67 to match the improved standards in the market. However, the much-improved motor did not compensate the many other faults[citation needed] and failed to make an impact. This turned out to be the last completely new model from Lima and the company subsequently folded, being bought out by Hornby.
The demise of Lima in 2004 left a significant supply gap for some of the key classes of the British diesel and electric locomotives range. However, since acquiring Lima, Hornby have re-released many of these models under their own brand name. Hornby now provide updated models of the Class 08, 31, 50, 60, Class 67 and Class 92 also, re-releasing many of the much sought after Lima originals such as the Class 73 and 156[citation needed].