Was looking forward to talking with the Code 3 folks here @ FDIC, but they are a no show this year, even though they are listed in the program. Stopped at the exhibitor's ofice and they confirmed that they had cancelled???? Also talked to the folks at Westchester booth and they confirmed the same. Anyone have any ideas??

They are in China to see if they can produce the Xmas model 2005

Or searching for the missing march model

Having a meeting about what to do with reward levels which you cannot reach because of lack of models

Negotiating with Orlando and all the other fine people to get them back

Selling door to door all the sculpted posters.




serious, strange story

They are to ashamed to show their faces in public. They probably went to the Earl Schribe Memorial instead.

THEY WERE THE LAST ONES I EXPECTED TO SEE THERE, THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG TO SAY THE LEAST . THESE REPAINTS ARE NOT A GOOD SIGN , I WILL GET TERRYTOWN BECAUSE IT IS A GREAT PAINT JOB,I SAVED A FEW THOUSAND SO FAR THIS YEAR. ITS A SHAME ,BUT ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO A END

Smart move, and here is why:

http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0120/p03s01-ussc.html

I tried to stay optimistic about Code 3 after reading numerous comments on this site of their coming demise, thinking that there's no way they would ever go out of business. But after not seeing them up at FDIC this year, well, I do now believe that the end IS in sight for them.

Code 3 has been a staple of the FDIC expo for several years, and when I didn't see them, to me it confirmed the rumors. Usually they're next to or across from the Best Choice Collectibles booth. Those guys had no idea where Code 3 was this year, either, and said they'd been asked the proverbial question several times over the past few days. They (Best Choice) said that if Code 3 folds that they (Best Choice) won't be at FDIC next year, as that's most of their stock.

I know that there are those that will disagree with us pessimists, but I really do now believe that this time next year Code 3 will be just a memory.

I agree, it wud be a shame not to see the folks at Best Choice @ FDIC next year. They had some great prices on Code 3 items. Just finished tearing down the Rosenbauer display, so FDIC is history for another year. It was announced that they set another record this year for attendence. Today (Saturday) did not seem as big as last year, maybe gas prices?? Had several board members stop by and visit, good to put a face with a name!

I spoke with some of our Code 3 folks last fall about this, as well as the die cast company I consult to. Its a smart business move not to do trade shows. They lose tons of money at a show, where the majority of the folks attending are not their customer base. Because it is a Fire Department Instructor's Conference, it does not translate in to Fire Department itty bitty truck Collector. Plain and simple folks, these shows are not very cheap to attend, and they lose money on them. Thats why so many American firms did not attend Nurnberg Toy Fair this year. I would guess three Code 3 employees at FDIC plus the floor space at $25,000 easy. Thats not money well spent. They are not selling million dollar rigs, so its not worth the money, because there is so little return. The only shows I would attend, would be a SPAAMFA or large muster, as thats where the collectors are that are buying the products. I would rather they spend the money on R & D or production.

Code 3 is clearly losing it in terms of keeping their name in the market place. It might seem appropriate to not appear at the FDIC show, where clearly the main audience is not the average collector. But for the last several years, Code 3 has also not attended the annual Toy Fair and Diecast show in Chicago, which is attended by tens of thousands (if not more) people in the fall - preceding the all important christmas shopping season. All the mainstays are there..Corgi and others - but no Code 3. They were there initially for the first few years, and then stopped attending the last few years. One hast to question the business sense of that kind of decision.

From a quality/collector interest standpoint, I think Code 3 should stick with four to six well-executed releases per year at a price that is commensurate with the release quantity. I would probably buy them all.

Twelve repainted clones of a poorly done piece or a flood of FDNY pieces don't interest me at all.

Guys,
Follow this scenario and some of you may come to the
same conclusion that I have; first they let long time
employees like Jewell go as well as others, then Orlando comes along and in a mere two or three years
he is gone, they don't make the trade shows anymore,
no Xmas 2005 Pumper, they totally screw up the Rescue
Rewards Program,long term collectors like me STOP buying one or two of everything they produce because of the abundance of repaints, more criticism from guys
who would normally NEVER complain and the beat goes on, let's face I think that their 3D Posters and their
Space Stuff are better sellers and they have a larger
audience than us fire buffs. I hope it not true, but,
my gut tells me that this is almost the end for our
friends at Code 3, and, if it is, it was nice for the
years they were around.
Ronbo

Maybe it's a smart business move not to do trade shows, but there's still SEVERAL buffs and die cast collectors (read: Code 3 Collectibles collectors!) that attend FDIC every year. And those collectors swarmed the Code 3 booth at previous shows, asking questions, oogling over present and future releases. Then you had a few curious individuals, I'm sure, who never collected Code 3's before that were turned on to the hobby just by visiting the booth, and voila, in turn more profit for Code 3 because new collectors joined the ranks.

I understand that booth space at a trade show is not cheap, but it's funny that Code 3 was able to afford it in the past. All of a sudden money is a precious commodity to them. You know why? Because their ship is sinking, and fast.

As mentioned, Orlando's gone. Jewell was let go. The newsletter will no longer be mailed out to us collectors, it will only be able to be viewed online. All cost-cutting measures, folks. Now we're asked by Code 3 if we think that an ALF aerial platform in blue (just another repaint ) would tickle our fancy, that it may or may not even be released. That's never been done before! Just another repaint attempting to keep the Code 3 machine running and paying the bills. I realize that "FDNY sells" but those are just a bunch of repaints as well, and it appears that not even FDNY can keep the ship afloat at this point.

Where's that mid 1970's ALF tiller that was supposed to be released? I have a feeling it's a rig we'll never see, and a popular rig at that, one that would've sold many. It's a shame.

I appologize for being so doom-and-gloom, but I see an end to Code 3 in the next 6 months at the most, and that's being generous.

Code 3 R.I.P.-1997-2006

I hope another manufacturer can carry the tradition of making decent apparatus classic
Or modern if code 3 does indeed close for good.

If and when (it'll happen too!!) First Gear dabbles in the 1/64 classic/modern fire apparatus market (like they started to do with the dump trucks), that will be the proverbial kiss of death to Code 3. FG's detail is phenominal. The only thing they need to do is produce ACTUAL models--stay away from the well painted, well detailed rigs that never existed. They don't even need to do large departments (but face it, Boston, Chicago, FDNY sell well), but if they scale down and make actual replicas of the classics we've been screaming for.....it's game over for Code 3.

The fat lady is getting ready to sing!

Hopefully not, but wouldn't doubt it.

Bear in mind that of the US collectors on this board not everyone can get to one of these trade shows. But very, very, few overseas collectors can and there are regulars on this board from the UK, Holland, Belgium, Germany and on the Code 3 message boards Australians too. A web based business like Code that has largely dispensed with dealers has a world wide customer base so I am not surprised if they decided that toy shows and trade shows were not cost effective if they are based solely in the US. I agree there are signs that fire and rescue may not be Code 3's top priority - drat those Star Wars nuts - but let's just hope they are still committed to the business because I don't see First Gear riding to the rescue.

Attention Chicken Little, Goosey Loosey, Ducky Lucky, Cocky Locky the sky in not falling!

Today a new lease was signed by a carpet and tile business. If code 3 is not going out of business they are moving to a new office. I stopped in to buy a few models and heard the property owner and new tenant talking in the parking lot.

Well, it would appear Chicken Little, Goosey Loosey, Ducky Lucky, Cocky Locky are wrong and the fat lady is on weight watchers.

Maybe Code 3 is in trouble, maybe not. But When they introduced the Star Wars and the Smithsonian collectibles to their venue I sensed that fire apparatus collectors might be in trouble. Whatever they spent on SW and the "Sonian" could have been spent on R & D for a wider range of fire apparatus collectibles that certainly grew under Code 3's watch.
It's been disappointing not to have another members' collector series and I was certainly disappointed that there was no Christmas edition for 2005 with all of the opportunities there were for producing one.
Time will tell whether slick marketing wins or loses.

Larry, is your post in relation to the fat lady and Chicken Little a reference to the "Code 3 Moving" post. If so, I have read that post differently. To me that is not a good sign. I hope the post about the carpet and tile company taking over Code 3 premises is wrong though.

Poor fools .... you listen to much idle speculation so that the Force is no longer with you!!

I will be taking over Code 3 and moving it to the Darkside!!!!

Mark:

Did you consider Code 3 may be moving to a larger facility?

While I know I don't have to read any of these postings, what bothers me is that all anyone can come up with is doom and gloom for Code 3.

If they truly do shut the doors, oh well, they tried. If anyone can do better, get out your check books and have at it.

We have been blessed with some really great models over the years from Code 3 and they kicked the rest of the industry in the butt. But, all many want to do is complain. Maybe those of you who can only give negative feedback, offer them some positive feedback on what you have liked. (If anything)

Attending trade showes is a huge expense for any company. And any company will tell you that you have to weigh the costs against the return. I personnaly don't think that FDIC is the place for them. I would rather have them spend that money on research and new molds and use their web site and trade magazines to get the word out.

Nobody complained here that Corgi wasn't there, or First Gear. Why not? Don't the make diecast fire equipment too? What about Matchbox and Hotwheels.

Come on people, lets stop the B.S. and wait and see what happens. None of use here is going to change it anyhow.

Hey, first off, I'm not mad AT Code 3 IF they are folding. I'm upset for the fact that they MAY be closing shop. I wasn't trying to be negative in my comments to this thread, just expressing my feelings is all. And if you don't like it, well, don't read it then!

As for my comments/concerns about Code 3 not being at FDIC this year, after all the talk on this board about the rumors of them going out of business; less models offered per year; the club newsletter not being mailed out anymore and instead only being available on their website; Orlando and Jewell being let go; mock-ups that were shown months ago not coming into fruition; lots of repaints; all which appear to be cost-cutting measures, I've got a right to think that MAYBE something isn't right at Code 3, that there MAY be some financial problems over there! And evidentally I'm not the only one who is concerned.

Do I want Code 3 to go out of business? Hell no! I'm an avid collector of their models! But I am concerned that there's something going on there. And this board is a great place to raise concerns and questions about things like this.

Here is a few of you comments, which were a bit more than concern, as you put it, but more like downright negativity.
Quote
"I tried to stay optimistic about Code 3 after reading numerous comments on this site of their coming demise, thinking that there's no way they would ever go out of business. But after not seeing them up at FDIC this year, well, I do now believe that the end IS in sight for them."


Quote"
I know that there are those that will disagree with us pessimists, but I really do now believe that this time next year Code 3 will be just a memory."

And your next post quotes that code 3 will be gone within 6 months.

To the doomers and gloomers. Orlando and Jewell were not "let go". Orlando left to pursue other career opportunities. He didnt hide it, he shared it with folks that he knew wouldnt use it to gain entry to the doom and gloom squad. Why Jewell is no longer at Code 3 isnt any concern of any of you, and if she wanted you all to know why she is no longer at Code 3, either her or Glenn would tell you. I suspect they dont want to come to a public doom and gloom forum and share their personal lives with you. The folks that do know why, out of respect, keep it to themselves. Jeeze, give it a rest. Scott went public and shared his thoughts on Code 3's upcoming season and for a few weeks, that seemed to hold off the doom and gloom. Now its back. Code 3 has a pretty ambitious plan for model release's this year, and if its so bad that you see them closing the doors, at least they go out on top, selling out 1500 piece runs two days after they announce them, without the general public getting a chance to grab them up. Thats some doom and gloom I would like a piece of. With each doom and gloom forcast, Code 3 comes out with something new, and blows the forcast out of the water, time and time again. You doom and gloomers should get embarassed by being wrong time and time again, but I guess you dont. Give it a rest.
Here's an original thought. Code 3 doesnt need trade shows, fancy catalogs, or the cost of printing a newsletter and mailing it. They have the greatest marketing tool available anywhere in the world, right at their fingertips. Its called their website. They have all of the R&D they need, all of the sales stratagies they need, all of their feedback forums, and all of the sales predictions they need right there. Think about this for a moment. They lose money selling to Westchester and Pasttime. They dont even need a dealer network. They can do it all on the internet, and it saves them money.
Code 3 is heading in the right direction for them. All internet based sales and marketing. Its working, and its working well. At one time, they did need to attend trade shows and get their name out. But now a days, they sell out production runs before the general public gets a chance to even see them. Not bad for a company that is predicted to fold almost once a week. Some pure genious went in to Code 3 and its web based following. Ya gotta love that......

Thanks Rich!

Anybody see their Fire Apparatus Journal yet ?
Take a look in the scale model section and see if you can find Code 3 releases..

Larry,

I hope so. Code 3 is a very important company when it comes to emergency diecast vehicle collectors.

I have an idea. Lets start a thread to publicly point out and humiliate the collectors (constant posters) who get it wrong week after week, month after month, year after year. There doesn't seem to be any shame about pointing out when Code-3 does something wrong, yet I have never seen anybody who had their "for sure" prediction proven wrong, step up and admit they were wrong. It must be nice to be perfect like some of you folks think you are. I know the people on this board who are "truly" in the know and they are usually pretty quiet because they are professionals and have been around. I can't wait for Code-3 to release their little shovel and bucket so the rest of the children out there can go back to having fun in their sandbox.

Why don't we wait till the end of the year before we put Code 3 in the grave.What little faith people have. They are a company like any other and found it was time to reel in all the free spending.They are part of a bigger company, Funrise which is in the toilet in terms of products and sales and the belt needed to be tightened.There will be a few surprises this year and I think people will change their minds.Lots of big Companies cut costs and still go on.

Kenneth,

Where do you get your information that Funrise is in trouble? All of the information I have read concerning Funrise is that it is in good shape.

Thanks
Jeff

Trade shows and trade news. look up some of there other products. They are not selling well. Hence the
trimming of excess pork.