Nürnberg Toy Fair 2012

Nürnberg Toy Fair 2012

The temperatures may have been way below zero all over Europe, but it seemed as if it did not have any effect on the Nürnberg Toy Fair, and inside the big Messezentrum the usual activity took place like every year. It was business as usual in the plastic modelling branch as well and though it only represents a fraction of what is on display at the fair, I think I do not exaggerate when I say that the whole plastic model kit industry was present this time again.

Before the Nürnberg Toy Fair, the big question is always if there will be something new to see, especially when manufacturer tend to have their Facebook pages updated almost daily. Well, in fact there where some big surprises this time as well as some new kits already ready to be dispatched to the reviewers of modelling websites and magazines (which seems to be an expanding crowd as well at the fair). There was also some more confidential news, which sometimes had to be picked up in the obscure pages of the manufacturers' catalogues or gathered during a top secret conversation - almost between the lines if you know what I mean.

There where also some big disappointments, sometimes even coming from the top manufacturers. But one has to keep in mind that not everything is about aircraft, and that armour, ship, cars, etc... also want to have their share of fresh plastic.

Sometimes the lack of new items is only a temporary slow down, however judging by the size of some booths some companies are going through harder times. On the contrary others do expand and attract more light and like the phoenix should be careful not to burn their wings(cale). But everyone knows that the phoenix can reappear from the ashes... in many different ways!

On a more personal side, I have to say that I have enjoyed this fair tremendously again. It was a real pleasure to meet Sindy, Volker and of course our own Steffen. They are all members of IPMS Germany and now I'm a proud member of their gang with my card n°201105. This year I had to drive alone to Nürnberg because Steffen is now living on the opposite side of Germany. This made my trip shorter in the end since I didn't had to rely on my human GPS who always had the bad habit of making me drive through Stuttgart in the past.

It was also a real pleasure to meet the people representing the plastic model kit industry and I must say a big thank you to all of them for for devoting some of their precious time to answer my silly questions. I wish them and their companies all the best for this year and I'm already looking forward to meeting them in 2013.

For a list of what is scheduled for 2012, please take a look at the IPMS Deutschland news list list which is probably the most up to date.

Note: IPMS Deutschland have kindly allowed us to use some of their images to fill the gaps of this report. Thanks a lot to them!