Germany and France are quite significant markets for model steam engines, in my opinion. Especially Germany has a large live steam train community. You could perhaps find local dealers?
The problem with dealers is that they expect a significant markup and at the expected volume of production, there isn't enough margin to make that viable. It will have to be direct sales via a website.
When I manufactured and sold marble machine kits it was rare that I received orders from France and Germany. Of course it could just be due to the fact that people in those countries have no interest in a product like that, but I suspect the fact that the shop and the instructions were in English only may have played a role.
Anyway, time will tell. First I need to have some products to offer. I don't expect that to happen until late in 2021 as getting to know the machine tools will take time as will tooling up and parts design. Running the laser cutting business takes priority as that's what I make my living from.
Good luck Michael.
Best wishes,
Charlie
Germany and France are quite significant markets for model steam engines, in my opinion. Especially Germany has a large live steam train community. You could perhaps find local dealers?
The problem with dealers is that they expect a significant markup and at the expected volume of production, there isn't enough margin to make that viable. It will have to be direct sales via a website.
When I manufactured and sold marble machine kits it was rare that I received orders from France and Germany. Of course it could just be due to the fact that people in those countries have no interest in a product like that, but I suspect the fact that the shop and the instructions were in English only may have played a role.
Anyway, time will tell. First I need to have some products to offer. I don't expect that to happen until late in 2021 as getting to know the machine tools will take time as will tooling up and parts design. Running the laser cutting business takes priority as that's what I make my living from.
Language certainly plays a role, but once people start knowing you, especially if your products start getting attention in forums and communities like this one, orders will follow even if you don't have the site in their language. Since many browsers can automatically translate a website now, language has become less of a problem. You could even embed such an automatic translation feature on your website.
I can give you an example: I know a small maker of steam fittings in Germany, Winfried Niggel https://www.modellbau-niggel.de/ . His site is only in German, but since his fittings have started to be discussed in steam forums, he gets orders from many countries (France, UK, USA, even as far as Australia). It also helps that his products really are of the highest quality.
The VMC that should have arrived in April finally arrived in October. Lack of chipsets for the Simens control caused delays and there were also shipping delays. 2021 has been an awful year and I had to go out and find a job. Therefore the Syil has not been in operation yet. Not sure what 2022 will throw at me but I have lowered the priority on steam engines considerably since I can't sell to UK either. On the bright side I probably have the best equipped hobby workshop in the world now.
That's an impressive machine! I hope you will start building. At least you can sell to the EU without problems and import duties?
Bonjour Michael,
"Bonne Année" seems appropriate when I see this machine. I wish you to go on in your passion and confirm that the langage is a barrier for lot of (old) French people who could be interested by your future products.
Thanks to Google translator, I manage to read and write English and will be interested by your future products, even if the brochure is in English
