Verlinden closing

Now that will be a lose. But i thought Francois Verlinden had passed on the company years ago as it used to be based in Belgium and is now in the US.

Obviously ;

 The American arm is now gone . Phooey !  T.B.

Major bummer. I've only recently started using aftermarket bits, and used a verlinden figure kit. It was amazing quality. I DO know fracois verlinden is a legend and true pioneer in the industry. This is a loss to us for sure.... 

Rudy

Man that totally blows!! I'm still using some of my Verlinden items I got years ago and it is some pretty good stuff.

Did anyone hear that loud "Ka-ching!"?  Ebay's prices for Verlinden just tripled!  

Bill Morrison

As soon as I read the post I figured that. When Ross Gibson (who made the most awsome resin automotive engines around) died a couple of years back, the prices for his products hit the roof. !!!!!

Bish

Now that will be a lose. But i thought Francois Verlinden had passed on the company years ago as it used to be based in Belgium and is now in the US.

 

the Baron

 

Bish

Now that will be a lose. But i thought Francois Verlinden had passed on the company years ago as it used to be based in Belgium and is now in the US.

 

 

 

 

It is, or was.  It was located in Missouri.  But he still ran the company.

 

I read in that Facebook thread a post to clarify that the existing molds were destroyed, or more specifically, recycled, since they're rubber.  But the masters exist.  That suggests a possibility that some other manufacturer can make an offer to buy them and revive the catalog.

 

Thanks for clearing that up.

To be honest, i am not sure why anyone would anat to take on those molds. While i do like their stuff and we certainly have a lot to thank them for, they have now been very surpassed. And much of their stuff does have issues. 35th figures that are to big, AM sets that don't fit properly and plaster buildings with poor moldings.

Bish

 

 

the Baron

 

Bish

Now that will be a lose. But i thought Francois Verlinden had passed on the company years ago as it used to be based in Belgium and is now in the US.

 

 

 

 

It is, or was.  It was located in Missouri.  But he still ran the company.

 

I read in that Facebook thread a post to clarify that the existing molds were destroyed, or more specifically, recycled, since they're rubber.  But the masters exist.  That suggests a possibility that some other manufacturer can make an offer to buy them and revive the catalog.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for clearing that up.

To be honest, i am not sure why anyone would anat to take on those molds. While i do like their stuff and we certainly have a lot to thank them for, they have now been very surpassed. And much of their stuff does have issues. 35th figures that are to big, AM sets that don't fit properly and plaster buildings with poor moldings.

 

I happen to know Bob Letterman of VLS (Verlinden, Letterman & Stok) from the early 90's and others (Verlinden, Lewis Pruneau, etc...) associated with the company.  I also attended their first Convention in 1991.  Verlinden and VLS went their separate ways years ago and I believe the two are separate companies. Many consider the initial Verlinden affter-market products as the beginning of the Golden Age of Modeling.  I certainly do. However, as early as the mid-90s other after-market companies soon became more specialized, innovative and more flexible than Verlinden and soon the company was out-classed in many areas.  Most of their PE and resin upgrades were notoriously difficult to work with, and their resin figs soon fell by the wayside as companies like Alpine came along...although sad, my modeling efforts will not suffer as I haven't bought a Verlinden product in years. But I do recognize their groundbreaking efforts that forever changed the way we all approach and build models...