Märklin is zojuist overgenomen

[tufken]

Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,

anbei übersenden wir Ihnen die offizielle Pressemitteilung von Sieber & Sohn Gmbh & Co. KG.

Wir werden Sie natürlich über weitere Neuigkeiten auf dem Laufenden halten.

Dear Madam/Sir,

Please find attached the official press release published by Sieber & Sohn GmbH & Co. KG.

We will keep you informed about more details.





Press release – 21 March 2013
Märklin's future is secure

A long-awaited decision has now been taken: Michael Sieber, with the firm he established with his son, Sieber & Sohn GmbH & Co. KG, is taking over model
railway manufacturer Märklin. The signatures required to make the takeover complete have already been notarised. The headquarters will remain intact in
their current location, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The move secures a mainstay for the economy of the City of Göppingen and the surrounding
districts and retains all jobs at the same time.

The success story continues. Through Sieber & Sohn GmbH & Co. KG, Michael Sieber, a pioneer of the German toy industry, will become the new majority
shareholder at Märklin. This secures the future of the company with a long tradition in Germany's Swabia region. All of the current positions in both
locations – Göppingen, Germany and Györ, Hungary – will remain intact, and all outstanding liabilities to banks and other creditors will be settled.


Under the takeover agreement, Florian Sieber will join the current dual leadership of the company as the third Managing Director of equal rank,
working alongside Wolfrad Bächle and Stefan Löbich. Sieber is well-aware of the responsibilities that his new role involves. 'The Märklin name is
synonymous with a whole category of toys, and has stood for top German quality since 1859', he explains. 'That is why it is my great pleasure to help
shape the future of this traditional brand with a history dating back more than 150 years.'


The new ownership will also secure the business location of Göppingen andthe surrounding districts over the long term: the key provisions of the existing
Company agreement with the workforce have successfully been extended beyond 2014. For salaried employees in Göppingen, this means a
safeguarding of positions until 2019 – a provision signed by 98 percent of the employees.


A large share in the arrangements is played by liquidator Michael Pluta, who has been assisting with developments at Märklin since March 2009. 'During
the past four years, we have managed to place the Company back on a stable footing. Having Sieber & Sohn GmbH & Co. KG join as new owners
ultimately confirms the success of the decisions we have made to date.' Pluta endorses the new ownership structure. 'The agreement guarantees complete
service of outstanding claims and continuation of business operations – a very positive development indeed.'


Sieber echoes the assessment: 'Mr Pluta and his team have chosen the right course for the future. All things considered, I see great potential for growth
for Märklin and the subsidiary companies Trix and LGB.' Above all, the multibrand strategy will be pursued and expanded. Sieber also sees children and
teens returning as the focus for the future business strategy. The basis for this already exists in the 'Märklin my world' and 'LGB Toy Train' lines. 'Anyone
who, like me, was enthusiastic about Märklin even as a child will remain loyal to the brand as an adult.'


The Märklin headquarters in Baden-Württemberg will remain the centre for the development and production of high-quality, special articles in future as
well. Györ, Hungary, will remain the centrepiece of the Company's core production. Additional production lines will be returned to Europe from
China over the medium term.


The takeover is currently awaiting approval by the German Federal Cartel Office [Bundeskartellamt]. It is expected, however, that the plans will be
found consistent with applicable legal norms.

For further information and enquiries:
heller & partner communication GmbH
Martin Prankl
Possartstraße 14
81679 Munich, Germany
Tel. +49 (0)89.4 57 10.336
Fax +49 (0)89.4 57 10.305
e-mail: mp@heller-partner.de

[PietB]

Wat je ook van het merk mag denken en vinden, het zou jammer zijn als het verdwenen was.
Als Märklin rijder ben ik in iedergeval blij dat het niet ophoudt te bestaan.
En dat het in Duitse handen blijft, dan kun je in iedergeval nog iets van gründlichkeit in de producten terugvinden.

grt Piet.

[Jurgen]

Märklin staat ook al vermeld op de site van de Simba Dickie groep. Het misstaat niet tussen namen als Tamiya, Schuco en Majorette.

Men kan alleen maar blij zijn dat het terug goed gaat met Märklin, ook al ben je er geen fan. Want zeg nu zelf, als een merk als Märklin zou verdwijnen, dan zou het echt wel somber gesteld zijn met onze hobby.

[Metpetergaathetbeter]

Want zeg nu zelf, als een merk als Märklin zou verdwijnen, dan zou het echt wel somber gesteld zijn met onze hobby.

voor sommigen wel, Jurgen ! Nee alle gekheid op een stokje heb ook nogal wat materiaal van Marklin, maar wel meer wagons !

Groeten Peter

[SuSke]

Net zo bij mij. Met de wagons is niets mis, gewoon andere wielen eronder en bollen.

[OlivierV]

Ook niet echt voorstander van het merk, evenmin tegenstander. Hun locs zouden hier voor geen meter vooruit geraken, de wagens mits kleine aanpassing dan weer wel.

[Frank_N]

Wat betekend dit voor Minitrix?
Marklin had dat toch al eerder overgenomen?

[PietB]

Trix en dus ook minitrix zitten gewoon net als LGB in de deal.

grt Piet.