Author Topic: SIG is sold! (Read 3601 times)

Posthole_digger · « **on:** February 28, 2011, 06:54:35 AM »

This is posted on RCU and supposedly has been confirmed with SIG. The buyer - reportedly an RC flier from Illinois.

This is to be announced at Toledo.

Paul

Bill Little · « **Reply #1 on:** February 28, 2011, 07:56:09 AM »

Hi Paul,

It will be very interesting to see what direction the new "R/C" owner takes concerning C/L, building materials, etc..

Big Bear

Clint Ormosen · « **Reply #2 on:** February 28, 2011, 09:31:31 AM »

Quote from: Bill Little on February 28, 2011, 07:56:09 AM

Hi Paul,

It will be very interesting to see what direction the new "R/C" owner takes concerning C/L, building materials, etc..

Big Bear

....but probably not surprising.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #3 on:** February 28, 2011, 09:33:24 AM »

Guess I should buy a ton of silkspan while I can.

Terrence Durrill · « **Reply #4 on:** February 28, 2011, 10:50:21 AM »

Has everyone ordered their fuel supply for this flying season? All castor may become a thing of the past!......TDurrill.........

FLOYD CARTER · « **Reply #5 on:** February 28, 2011, 10:59:21 AM »

Like Randy, I went to SIG site and entered "silkspan", then "covering materials". Came up blank. Guess they only care about plastic iron-ons. Also motor mounts? No more maple?

Floyd

Dennis Holler · « **Reply #6 on:** February 28, 2011, 12:15:27 PM »

got some 29% all caster fuel from the Fox custoemr service window last summer...I think they offer it in 5/10/and 15% nitro

Rafael Gonzalez · « **Reply #7 on:** February 28, 2011, 12:22:24 PM »

I've been talking over several years about this to my friends. I am not surprised as I knew something was going on. SIG had many planes that were backordered over a 2 year span. R/C mostly, and not filled. From the Hobby Shop I used to work for and other local ones. Then, they came out with several good C/L models and when that supply sold out, they backordered that. I hope that it rejuvenates...

Tim Wescott · « **Reply #8 on:** February 28, 2011, 01:21:17 PM »

It wouldn't hurt, when this anonymous RC flier is identified, to for a bunch of CL (and FF) guys to write "letters from the other customer base".

If he (or she) is a serious business person, he'll recognize a potential market when he sees it, and cater to it as he can.

Mike Gretz · « **Reply #9 on:** February 28, 2011, 01:23:43 PM »

I can confirm that SIG was sold on Friday, February 18th. There are 3 new owners - a partnership. The great news is that the new owners are all lifelong modelers.

Majority owner Herb Rizzo, active R/C flier from Chicago area.
Partner Ron Petteric, lifelong modeler with C/L and R/C background.
Partner David Martin, lifetime model industry professional who's background includes Hobby Lobby and Kavan.

This is all good news. There are no plans to quit selling fuel, paint, glue, balsa wood, or kits. Thank you to all the loyal SIG customers who stuck with us during our recent supply problems. Bear with us a little longer as we get back into full production. We'll be coming back strong.

Mike Gretz
SIG Mfg. Co.

Chris McMillin · « **Reply #10 on:** February 28, 2011, 01:38:45 PM »

Thanks for the straight poop, Mike.
Good luck, will be good to see Sig back with new stuff and hope the ARF thing gets going again. I know that it's essentially the life blood of manufacturers these days and would like to see you guys back in a position of good standing with the worlds modelers again. That is that it seems R/C ARF offerings are very important to the financial health of a company providing goods to small, niche, event based modeling activities like control line. Within the R/C community everyone seems to be pulling for you guys and want their quality Sig stuff back and in stock.

Chris...

LARRY RICE · « **Reply #11 on:** February 28, 2011, 01:51:21 PM »

Crist!!!! I Slit my wrist for NOTHING!!!!
Larry

Tim Wescott · « **Reply #12 on:** February 28, 2011, 01:52:04 PM »

Quote from: Chris McMillin on February 28, 2011, 01:38:45 PM

Thanks for the straight poop, Mike.
Good luck, will be good to see Sig back with new stuff and hope the ARF thing gets going again. I know that it's essentially the life blood of manufacturers these days and would like to see you guys back in a position of good standing with the worlds modelers again. That is that it seems R/C ARF offerings are very important to the financial health of a company providing goods to small, niche, event based modeling activities like control line. Within the R/C community everyone seems to be pulling for you guys and want their quality Sig stuff back and in stock.

I couldn't agree more. Sig was the first place I ever bought model airplane stuff from (after the local five & dime), ever since I found their address in the "Whole Kid's Catalog" and got a free modeling poster from them. They were even responsible for me getting my first checking account at age 13 or so (after the teller at the bank patiently explained that a savings account was for putting money into and leaving it there, kid).

So I've got a soft spot in my heart reserved for Sig, and if they're still there all the nice old farm ladies (or their daughters and nieces) who work the stock room (my brother was nice enough to detour to Montezuma in '77 or '78, as we were on our way to the Street Rod Nationals to display car parts for my dad's company -- I got a very nice factory tour, and a handful of nylon parts, some of which I still have).

Dick Byron · « **Reply #13 on:** February 28, 2011, 02:58:58 PM »

Mike,
This great news. I was most worried about you. I hope all is well.

wwwarbird · « **Reply #14 on:** February 28, 2011, 03:43:47 PM »

Thank you Mike, sounds like good news. Are they retaining the Sig name?

I grew up building and flying Sig models, practically everything in the catalog at least once, many of them multiple times. I'd been nervous the last year or two and would be absolutely sick if Sig went away. Hopefully the new owners will continue with and value the true modelers viewpoint, and we will all enjoy the "stand by" Sig products for years to come!

Best wishes to Sig and the new owners!

Wayne Willey

Allen Goff · « **Reply #15 on:** February 28, 2011, 04:35:28 PM »

Great news Mike, thanks.

Blessings
Allen

Jim Kraft · « **Reply #16 on:** February 28, 2011, 04:47:29 PM »

Thanks Mike for the good news. Sig has always been my first place to go shopping for model stuff. Been buying stuff from them since the early 60's. I still have my old catalogs from back then. Kind of like looking through old magazines. I once had a couple of old Torpedo 40's that I was not sure about which models they were. Found them in my old Sig catalog.

Will Hinton · « **Reply #17 on:** February 28, 2011, 05:30:30 PM »

Good news, Mike - hope to see you at Toledo!
Will

Bill Hodges · « **Reply #18 on:** February 28, 2011, 05:49:15 PM »

Floyd:

Here are the links to the silkspan and maple motor mounts on the Sig website.

http://www.sigmfg.com/cgi-bin/dpsmart.exe/MainMenuFV4.html?E+Sig
http://www.sigmfg.com/cgi-bin/dpsmart.exe/MainMenuFV4.html?E+Sig

It does say if they actually have these items in current stock but at least they are still listed on the website.

Edit: Ok, I can't get the links to work properly. Go to their site and type in silkspan or maple. Be sure to put it in the keyword box not the product code box.

Bill Hodges

Bill Hodges · « **Reply #19 on:** February 28, 2011, 05:55:37 PM »

Mike:

Thanks for the update. I wish Sig nothing but prosperity under the new ownership.

Bill Hodges

proparc · « **Reply #20 on:** February 28, 2011, 07:00:19 PM »

Without question, if the new SIG has any hopes of surviving, it will have to pick up the pace, big time on its RC ARF's offering!! Don't see any other way.