My Crystal Ball and Barry Tunic
 

Group,

As i gaze into my Crystal Ball, I see new ownership of Estes Industries within the next year. Two parties, joining as one and a great victory for the model rocketry community.

No, the portent images don't allow me to name who the two parties are, but look for signs from the East (East of Las Vegas) and a prophet from the North as two stars move into conjunction and Jupiter aligns with Mars :)

The image is fading fading ... it is gone. Now back to your regularly scheduled program.

Has this information all ready been discussed on this board?

Bob

To whom do I send my resume?

Dale,

I think details will be forth coming around NARAM or later this fall. The parties want to keep things under the sheets for now.

Also, the Classics release for this spring is being delayed until late summer. Estes has a huge backlog of product testing; a result from exploding pajamas and lead painted toys from China. The 'Summer' Classics release may not happen until the new ownership issue is resolved.

That is all that my Crystal Ball is telling me at this time.

Bob

No, but it doesn't take a business swami to note the terms of the purchase seven years ago and the changing focus at Estes over the past couple of years and gather that Tunick may be just a tiny bit underwater, and ready to let someone else play with the Fun Factory.

What a frakkin' surprise (thanks, Starbuck!). :mad:

There's really nothing on that list of Classics that we can't already build with SEMROC parts, either as true clones, or as bashed near-clones. So there's nothing to get overly worked up about for any delay. If Estes decides to scrap the whole package (which wouldn't be a big surprise), that could open up the possibility for SEMROC to 'bring back' their own versions, which we know would be more faithful to the originals than these were. :D

If Bob's prognostications are accurate, things might start looking up for everything 'model rocketry'. I can think of worse things happening than Estes revising its line-up with entirely new kit designs, dumping most (if not all) of the current RTF junk, and trying to regain its original customer base.

Roy,

I don't know much about the terms of the purchase. Care to fill me in?

I hear Quest is going to purchase Estes and rename it to Model Missiles,Inc.

Then some John Parson's rocketry majik will be spoken and G. Harry will arise from his grave and take over running the new MMI.



:eek:

terry dean

Terry,

let the dead rest in peace. I think Bill Stine knows more then enough to run a business to keep Quest or Quest/Estes afloat :)

I have a feeling that Carl/Bill Stine/Gary R. know EXACTLY what is going on and are NOT telling! Just my best guess at this point.

Now where would Bob Kaplow be if Barry sold Estes and retired? It would be as if Lex Luthor retired from villiany ... where would that leave Super Man?

I have the feeling that one of the interested parties is located in Europe or Asia and looking to capture the entire US model rocket market.

Just think, if you were a Chinese or German company (most likely Chinese for rock bottom wages and working your employees to near death), and could afford to buy out Estes (Centuri Corp.) and could make kits for less than a dollar and sell them for $20+ each ... its a slam dunk deal no matter what the condition of the global economy!

Bob

:chuckle:

Carl doesn't! ( At least I don't think I do.) :D