PHOTO ETCH - CEASING TRADING

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SteamAle
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PHOTO ETCH - CEASING TRADING

Postby SteamAle » Sat Aug 27, 2022 9:05 am

I have it on good authority that Photoetch went into Administration yesterday, Friday 26 August 2022.
I do not have any further information about why or what arrangements have been made for disposal etc.
I do know that several kit manufactureres, who have their etch films there, are planning to travel to collect them next week but - they do not know if anybody will be on the premises, or if they will be able to collect them.
This will affect supplies as kit manufacturers will be looking for new etchers, who may not have capacity, or if they do take extra work on there could be delays for everybody.
Worst case is that nobody can get there films, or decide that they will just call it a day. This could have the result that when thier current stocks are used up kits will start to disappear from the market.
I'm not here to spread doom and gloom but just to let you know what the implications could be for us.
If any member was not aware and has their personal films with Photoetch then I'm sorry and hope you can make arrangements to retrieve them.
Philip
Last edited by grovenor-2685 on Sun Aug 28, 2022 10:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Removed erroneous info from heading.

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kelly
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Re: PHOTOETCH - GONE BUST

Postby kelly » Sat Aug 27, 2022 9:51 am

When an administrator is appointed, people with films etc should be able to get in touch with them at least to hopefully get some information.

The costs of etching have apparantly risen sharply in recent years as well, so some etch kit suppliers might scale back or stop supply as a result. But that is of course pure speculation and we'll just have to see who manages to weather the current storm we're all facing as with people's wallets tightened by the cost of living, less luxuries (which model railways definitely are as a hobby) will be purchased by people. Even the big manufacturers won't be immune from this I expect, and with Hornby's precarious financial position over the last several years it will be interesting to see how their financial reports look in the next few quarters.
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nigelcliffe
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Re: PHOTOETCH - GONE BUST

Postby nigelcliffe » Sat Aug 27, 2022 10:18 am

SteamAle wrote:I have it on good authority that Photoetch went into Administration yesterday, Friday 26 August 2022.
I do not have any further information about why or what arrangements have been made for disposal etc.
Philip


Could you be precise on the company name please.

I couldn't find a company called "Photoetch" in the UK. I could find some which have that as part of their name.


- Nigel

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Jol Wilkinson
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Re: PHOTOETCH - GONE BUST

Postby Jol Wilkinson » Sat Aug 27, 2022 10:27 am

It is my understanding that PEC (Photo Etch Consultants of Walsall) have not "gone bust" but have decided to cease trading at the end of the month. Their website does not yet mention this. This news was circulated to their customers by email on Friday morning and one local kit supplier subsequently visited PEC to confirm the situation. The decision to close was apparently based upon a significant rent increase and the claim that they had been losing money, the latter rather surprising as they had full order books and were taking up to three months to fulfil orders.

This is of course a major blow to many kit producers who have used PEC as a supplier over many years. The film tools remain the customers property and I know of several who are taking urgent steps to recover them. There will clearly be a hiatus while this happens and new etch suppliers are found.

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Re: PHOTOETCH - GONE BUST

Postby nigelcliffe » Sat Aug 27, 2022 11:09 am

Thanks Jol, that's a lot clearer and more precise on the matter than Philip's posting.

- Nigel

Jeremy Suter
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Re: PHOTOETCH - GONE BUST

Postby Jeremy Suter » Sat Aug 27, 2022 11:34 am

Jol Wilkinson wrote:It is my understanding that PEC (Photo Etch Consultants of Walsall) have not "gone bust" but have decided to cease trading at the end of the month. Their website does not yet mention this. This news was circulated to their customers by email on Friday morning and one local kit supplier subsequently visited PEC to confirm the situation. The decision to close was apparently based upon a significant rent increase and the claim that they had been losing money, the latter rather surprising as they had full order books and were taking up to three months to fulfil orders.

This is of course a major blow to many kit producers who have used PEC as a supplier over many years. The film tools remain the customers property and I know of several who are taking urgent steps to recover them. There will clearly be a hiatus while this happens and new etch suppliers are found.

That's Correct I got an email from them yesterday morning say as much
With much regret we have to announce cessation of trade as of 2nd September 2022.

There are a number of factors that have lead us to this current state of affairs, many of which are out of the control of the Management of Photo Etch, and have been lead by our advisors.

We are sorry that this may cause our Customers short term difficulties due to the sudden nature of this announcement, but we were not in a position to make any announcements until now.


We would like to thank all of our Customers and Suppliers for their support over the years, and you all continue on your chosen paths.

Regards,

Photo Etch Consultants Ltd


I have an order in with them but suspect it is now cancelled
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SteamAle
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Re: PHOTOETCH - GONE BUST

Postby SteamAle » Sun Aug 28, 2022 9:02 am

Jol
Thanks for clarifying things. I've always known them as 'Photoetch' and talked about them with others, without any probems and forgot that I should have included their official trading name.

I was not party to the e-mail nor was the person who told me and he has tools there! Another trader had called him to ask if he knew anything else, which was how he found out.

The subject heading was deliberate to be 'attention grabing'. 'In administration' does not, in my view, draw the eye. I wanted to alert any members who may have work with them, in case they had not received an e-mail.

Thanks again for clarifying the position.
Philip

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kelly
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Re: PHOTOETCH - GONE BUST

Postby kelly » Sun Aug 28, 2022 9:12 am

Thanks for clarifying the situation. Whilst I'm sure it will cause delays, hopefully all those with etch artwork with them will get them back and be able to source their etching elsewhere, which itself might cause some delays as those other etchers take on additional demand.

I'm sure members will understand if there is a delay getting some of the Stores etches in stock given the circumstances and I'd hope non-members of smaller suppliers would equally be understanding as long as they're upfront about possible delays.
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grovenor-2685
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Re: PHOTO ETCH - CEASING TRADING

Postby grovenor-2685 » Sun Aug 28, 2022 10:11 am

While "Gone bust" may be eyecatching its defamatory when untrue, so I have edited the first post to reflect what Jol has clarified.
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MarcD
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Re: PHOTO ETCH - CEASING TRADING

Postby MarcD » Thu Sep 01, 2022 11:10 pm

Lucky I have not used them for years. I do have some are work with them but its well out of date and it would cost more to travel down to get it than it is worth. Hopefully other etching companies don't follow in the same direction.

Marc
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charleswrigley
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Re: PHOTO ETCH - CEASING TRADING

Postby charleswrigley » Fri Sep 02, 2022 2:04 pm

MarcD wrote:Lucky I have not used them for years. I do have some are work with them but its well out of date and it would cost more to travel down to get it than it is worth. Hopefully other etching companies don't follow in the same direction.

Marc

What a dreadful supercilious post of the “I’m alright Jack” type.

I am very grateful that this topic was raised as I had a considerable investment in phototools lodged with Photo Etch without the slightest inkling of what was about to happen. Fortunately I was able to contact them and organise a recovery by courier so nothing has been lost (apart from a replacement etcher!).

All I can say is that the staff at Photo Etch were friendly and helpful by maintaining to the last brave faces against the prospect of redundancy in these times of heightened financial anxieties.

Charlie

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Paul Willis
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Re: PHOTO ETCH - CEASING TRADING

Postby Paul Willis » Fri Sep 02, 2022 5:38 pm

charleswrigley wrote:
MarcD wrote:Lucky I have not used them for years. I do have some are work with them but its well out of date and it would cost more to travel down to get it than it is worth. Hopefully other etching companies don't follow in the same direction.

Marc

What a dreadful supercilious post of the “I’m alright Jack” type.

I am very grateful that this topic was raised as I had a considerable investment in phototools lodged with Photo Etch without the slightest inkling of what was about to happen. Fortunately I was able to contact them and organise a recovery by courier so nothing has been lost (apart from a replacement etcher!).

All I can say is that the staff at Photo Etch were friendly and helpful by maintaining to the last brave faces against the prospect of redundancy in these times of heightened financial anxieties.

Charlie


I’m sorry Charlie - I didn’t read it at all in that tone, and certainly not in an “I’m alright, beggar the rest” way.

I also have artwork at PEC. Part of the old 5522 range that I paid a reasonably substantial sum for at the time. However, having seen the quality of it and compared it with what is currently 21st century standards of design, I’m also ambivalent about the value of it.

I’ve contacted PEC about whether it can be sent to me, but similarly I’m not convinced it’s worth the time and expense of a trip up their to retrieve it in person. PEC staff have always been helpful in the past, and I’m sure they are doing their best now, and do indeed wish them well in the future.

That doesn’t alter the fact that the very short notice and “word of mouth” announcement - for example, as a customer I didn’t get an email with the news - has understandably sent a lot of people in the hobby scrambling around.

Cheers
Paul
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MarcD
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Re: PHOTO ETCH - CEASING TRADING

Postby MarcD » Mon Sep 05, 2022 3:05 pm

I wasn't meant as an I'm alright jack post. When I started off in 1998/99 PEC were very helpful. My concern was if one company goes will others follow. With out etched parts delivered when I need them I would be out of business and looking for a new job and that was where I was going. In this day and age reducing the cost of running a business might just keep you afloat. As I have not used the artwork in over 10 and I have no use for it the cost of £150 worth of diesel and other expenses could be better spent on developing new products or not being spent as that is 2 weeks food or gas/electricity.

Marc
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SteamAle
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Re: PHOTO ETCH - CEASING TRADING

Postby SteamAle » Tue Sep 06, 2022 9:03 am

My friend visited last Thursday and collected his films, along with several other sets for some of his customers.
The staff were very helpful but a bit shell shocked. They had only been told the previous Friday and will be getting the minimum of one weeks pay for each year of service. Some have been there for well over 20 years.
They said that the company was solvent. Had money in the bank and a full order book.
While my friend was there some of the machinery was being removed from the factory.
The owner is closing the business and selling everything off. In my opinion he must have been planning it for some time to have people come in for machinery, otherwise how would they arrange things at such short notice?
Staff were expecting a 'Liquidator' to come in on Friday to see what was left but they were very much in the dark.
My apologies to Poto Etch for initially saying they had 'gone bust' as it would seem that is definately not the case.
Philip

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Horsetan
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Re: PHOTO ETCH - CEASING TRADING

Postby Horsetan » Thu Sep 08, 2022 9:27 pm

SteamAle wrote:....The owner is closing the business and selling everything off. In my opinion he must have been planning it for some time....


To look at it another way, if you were going to jack it in, now's probably the best time to do it.
That would be an ecumenical matter.

mickeym
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Re: PHOTO ETCH - CEASING TRADING

Postby mickeym » Fri Sep 30, 2022 5:05 pm

I have just read this on Western Thunder
Although it is not something that affects me I thought it may be of interest to some on here...

I had some of my tooling with PEC and have since been in touch with the liquidators since I was not (along with many other customers, apparently) informed of the closure by PEC Ltd. The process is being handled by Matthew Hill from the Birmingham office of PKF Smith Cooper who can be contacted on 0121 236 6789. I retrieved my tooling yesterday and Matthew today suggested that I should pass on his details to anyone who has tooling with them and wishes to arrange to retrieve it. The liquidator is attempting to write to anyone who still has tooling with them, but they think there are about 350 customers to inform and obviously they've no guarantee that contact addresses etc. are up to date. The last date for retrieval of anything from the factory will probably be 1st November, after which the contents will be disposed of and the premises handed back to the landlord.


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