David Ashby - Moderator Posted September 22, 2023 Share Posted September 22, 2023 Breaking news folks, effective 22/9, J.Perkins Distribution is the new distributor for Futaba here in the UK and Eire. Perkins will be servicing equipment themselves too. Press release is here. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon H Posted September 22, 2023 Share Posted September 22, 2023 Saw that coming a mile off. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryW Posted September 22, 2023 Share Posted September 22, 2023 So they are replacing Ripmax or are they now an additional supplier to Ripmax for Futaba equipment?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryW Posted September 22, 2023 Share Posted September 22, 2023 2 minutes ago, GaryWebb said: So they are replacing Ripmax or are they now an additional supplier to Ripmax for Futaba equipment?? Ahh.... Helps if i read the press release first doesnt it......lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aidan mcatamney Posted September 22, 2023 Share Posted September 22, 2023 Fantastic news. So happy to hear this. Long live Futaba. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrman Posted September 22, 2023 Share Posted September 22, 2023 Perhaps OS should have a new distributor as well, then we might have a better supply of spares and new engines! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin b Posted September 22, 2023 Share Posted September 22, 2023 Another nail on the (New) Ripmax coffin methinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted September 22, 2023 Share Posted September 22, 2023 I take no delight in seeing Ripmax in difficulties and hope they can recover to somewhere near their former status. Having had a few dealings with them, I found them very amenable to resolving customer problems on an individual basis. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyB Posted September 22, 2023 Share Posted September 22, 2023 (edited) 19 minutes ago, Martin Harris - Moderator said: I take no delight in seeing Ripmax in difficulties and hope they can recover to somewhere near their former status. Having had a few dealings with them, I found them very amenable to resolving customer problems on an individual basis. That may be the case, but looking at their (non-https, looks exactly as it did in the mid noughties 🧐) website, Futaba is front and centre everywhere you look. I am no big Futaba fan, but whilst sales have obviously dipped in recent years as brands like Jeti, Frsky and Radiomaster have grown more popular, they clearly still have a loyal following. Losing them must be a big headache for Ripmax, and they must be worried about OS going the same way given they too must have lost money from the Ripmax insolvency. Edited September 22, 2023 by MattyB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Lee Posted September 22, 2023 Share Posted September 22, 2023 It will be interesting to see if Ripmax GmbH (their German company, a separate legal entity) retains the Futaba distribution for mainland Europe. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul De Tourtoulon Posted September 22, 2023 Share Posted September 22, 2023 1 hour ago, John Lee said: It will be interesting to see if Ripmax GmbH (their German company, a separate legal entity) retains the Futaba distribution for mainland Europe. You may find that Avio & Tiger in France are the main European distributors, Germany may be under the Robbe label 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightflyer Posted September 23, 2023 Share Posted September 23, 2023 Personally I take no great delight from Ripmax current situation. They have been key in the UK market for so many years, but having seen Graupner disappear a few years ago we should really be mindful how challenging it is for organisations large or small. That said its good to hear the news regarding Futaba and J Perkins. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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