Danny Teh

iTrader: (7)

We have received unconfirmed reports that Dutch manufacturer Serpent MRC as of the 1st of August 2008 may close. Sources say a letter has been sent out to shops saying distribution would cease and team drivers would have to look elsewhere. Rumours of Serpent experiencing financial difficulties surfaced a couple of weeks back, and appears to be the most likely cause for a closure. More info as soon as we get it.

Update: We have received further information that a largescale relocation of the company to Asia is in the works as well as a complete re-branding, the Holland HQ will close.

Source: Neo Buggy

http://www.neobuggy.net/modules/news/

hms racing

This email I received from Serpent Holland.

Dear Press,

Due to some rumours in the rc market we need to publish below:



Serpent continues, and stronger as before.

Serpent has decided to move all production and logistics to Asia. Serpent Distributors are supplied from Asia warehouses direct.

Product-development, marketing, sales and overall management will remain in Holland.

Due to high cost of manufactuering in Europe (Holland), the margins were getting to small to continue operation in Holland.

Certainly in todays very tough RC car market and with a weak economy and very weak USD against the euro, that does not help either.

Almost all major rc brands have their manufactuering already in Asia for long. Serpent started few years ago with the Serpent F180 chassis made by an expert manufacturer in Taiwan and lateron the Serpent S400 electric touringcar.

The Serpent 720 and 960 will be made in Asia too at an expert manufactuering facility for high end competition cars. The long awaited Serpent S120 1/12 scale pan-car is ready 1st week of august to ship worldwide. Details in our web www.serpent.com. The offroad cars in 1/8 and 1/10 are still under development and testing continues.

Serpent will ofcourse continue with our strong Serpent team.
At last weeks EC for 1/8, Serpent took TQ honours (Fantini) and put 4 cars in the Main with a nice podium finish by Cristiani.

Next big race is the Worlds in Portugal for 1/10 GP and we are certainly going for the title there.

USA:
The distribution in USA has suffered last couple of months, but we are working on solutions to improve the situation. As an intermediate solution some major competition minded rc dealers from the USA have already received goods from Serpent direct, to make the products available. A more longterm solution is in the works.

Holland:
Serpent (under the trade name Ciro-RC Distribution) also operates a whole-sales distribution company for brands like Serpent, Mega, Xray, Hudy, Xceed, GRP, Speed Passion and few other brands. This whole-sale activity will be sold to another expert RC company, which will start operations soon, so that products and lines will remain available and well supported too.

Serpent has been around for over 25 years. By making above changes Serpent will be in a much stronger position on the longer run, with a more agile organisation and even higher quality products like before. We thank all Serpent fans worldwide for their continuing support !!

Serpent is ready for the next 25 years. Serpent, the race experience.

Michael Salven / Ronald Baar



www.serpent.com





Kind regards,
Ronald Baar
_______________________
t: +31 (0)23 548 30 00
e:[email protected]
i: www.serpent.com
_________________________________
SERPENT, THE RACING EXPERIENCE
P Please consider the environment before printing this email

Danny Teh

iTrader: (7)

Well, it is hard to imagine to see a company with a rich history to go off like that.

Anyway, nice response from Serpent, at least supporters knows where they are heading for !

DT

jets

iTrader: (10)

Serpent already move its production to Taiwan(from a reliable source).

devious17

iTrader: (1)

Never trust everything you read on the net, I would have checked with a local distributor before sharing statements from www.

jets

MIKA

Good one, Chris.

Make your upcoming HMS race stronger as ever before to shut those people mouth, i.e., increase the GP 1/10 to 100 people quota.

hms racing

Thank you for your support MIKA koko

jets

iTrader: (10)

Its not from any websites sir. Anyway,its good news for Serpent fans.

fly_wheel

iTrader: (9)

wow... moving to asia mean cheaper spare parts lor in the future for serpent cars, that's a very good news to us in malaysia indeed..! tell serpent don't move to taiwan lar, better move to malaysia ...

Azizi

iTrader: (6)

Kilang dia nak buka di Manjung, Perak....

ularlidi

casye

iTrader: (16)

Lagi bagus kalau every state ada kilangnya.... hahahahaha

iphoone

Serpent is still strong and we believe the new range of products such as Ep 1/12 and 1/8 Buggy will proved more as S400 had already start wining races so as the 960.

Giant Brand such as xray also start working on his cost. Company like Team Orion also bought over by kyosho and get stronger after kyosho pump in more for their R&D.

In other words, i believe serpent will get better down the and produce a even more durable car after their switch in manufacturing countries.

tornado

This is what they call "globalisation" . International companies are setting up manufacturing and distribution hubs in logistically stratergic locations to cut delivery time and cost, manufacturing cost is a must in order to gain market advantage to survive else risk being taken over by other companies.....eg

AE - taken over by Thundertiger (Taiwanese)
now Orion - eaten up by Kyosho (Japanese)

In the 1:1 world Renault taken over Nissan.....etc etc etc......

tornado

FYI, Manjung has nothing exiciting to offer to FDIs period.