Author Topic: James Conway Founder of Con Cor. Affa Model Train factory closing in China  (Read 3724 times)

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Spades

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Here: https://www.con-cor.com/

OK, back to Affa Technology Ltd.

Here are the known facts:

On Friday morning 27 July, Mr. KK Ku the factory owner arrived at the factory early and asked all his department Managers to meet in the Conference Room.

He announced to his staff, that due to his personal ill health he would have to close the Affa factory the following week on August 3rd, and they were to tell all the workers that information
immediately. Everyone was totally shocked by the news.

Note: I was not at that meeting, and am getting this information 3rd hand, but it seems to be from a very reliable source that emailed me on Saturday 28 July.

I emailed Mr. Ku on Sat 28th July with a "get well card", and asked if it was true that he was ill and had closed the factory.

On Monday 30 July I got a short email from KK saying, factory was closed and I should contact the factory to pick up our molds etc. No confirmation of any illness.  But Chinese people are very tight lipped about person things, so this would not be unusual.

However, further emails sent to the factory staff whom we normally dealt with on a day to day basis have gone un-replied to.

A follow up from a contact we have says a reliable party they knew drove to the Affa Factory on 4th and found it closed, and the gate to the fenced property padlocked, but no public notice posted of any sort.

On August 8th we got a one line Email from the Hong Kong office of Affa that the factory was closed on 3 Aug 2018, but no further explanation
or comments.

These are all the facts I have that can be verified.

I will post more details on our website as I can verify them.

peteski

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We have covered this thing ad-nausea in the "bad news Atlas" thread (not in the Crew Lounge).  To me it is old news by now.  Regardless of the reason, the factory closed. The important thing is that it's closed and that hopefully all the affected model RR companies are able to quickly move their production to other factories.
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Spades

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Well, I don't disagree, but .....  Jim Conway is knowledgeable and actually knows the parties involved that's all.

I will try to keep my post count down.
« Last Edit: August 14, 2018, 10:09:42 PM by Spades »

Chris333

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Sounds like people only had a few days to get their tooling that is on the other side of the globe.

JanesCustomTrain

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I will try to keep my post count down.

Ha ha, says the one with 463 posts to the one with over 17k, loving it   ;)

Thanks for the link, I read the whole lot on the Con-Cor website, VERY informative.

Jane
I don't want to start any blasphemous rumors
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And when I die I expect to find Him laughing...

peteski

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Well, I don't disagree, but .....  Jim Conway is knowledgeable and actually knows the parties involved that's all.

I will try to keep my post count down.

Sorry, I wasn't trying to rain on your parade.  But to me this is just ho-hum - another explanation of why the Chinese factory closed, regardless of how much juicy detail is given to us about the closure. To me the important thing is to see the model manufacturers getting back on their feet.
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NorsemanJack

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Thanks for posting that Spades.  We may never know the entire story, but letters like this from Conway certainly help to fill in some of the missing pieces.

Doug G.

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Of course, most of the ad-nausea in this thread was pure speculation by those who have no knowledge of the situation.

Doug
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daniel_leavitt2000

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I don't believe anything JC says anymore at this point.

Anyone know if anyone is able to get tooling out now that the factory is locked up?
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reinhardtjh

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I don't believe anything JC says anymore at this point.

Anyone know if anyone is able to get tooling out now that the factory is locked up?

Comments Paul Graf made on Facebook would seem to indicate he thinks Atlas either has or will be able to get their tooling.
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Point353

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Given that Affa apparently was a key supplier of parts to other local manufacturers, one wonders if those customers ever had any opportunity to try to keep Affa in business?

JMaurer1

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We're getting only slightly old but useful info from Concor...miracle. I guess now all of the announced Concor stuff will be delayed  :facepalm:
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