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[[File:AMT-Matchbox European company logo.jpg|225px|right|Matchbox-AMT]]
  
[[File:AMT-Matchbox European company logo.jpg|225px|right|Matchbox-AMT]]
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'''Lesney Products & Co. Ltd.''' was a British manufacturer whose core business has been the manufacture of die cast and metal automotive products. Founded in 1947, the company became best known for its brand '''Matchbox''' which it introduced in 1953. That name originated from the fact that the models produced under that brand name fitted in a matchbox and were for years marketed that way, the models were packaged in or with matchboxes.
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'''Lesney Products & Co. Ltd.''' was a British manufacturer whose core business has been the manufacture of die cast and metal automotive products. At a later time branching out to injection-molded plastic model kits, the company has produced and marketed [[Star Trek model kits|''Star Trek'' model kits]] during the years 1979-1980.
   
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==General history==
⚫
Following the energy crisis of 1973, Great Britain experienced a series of adverse economic periods, which also affected the business of Lesney. In a effort to broaden its economic basis in order to counteract the declining sales, Lesney decided in the mid-seventies to branch out into the market for injection molded plastic model kits, which, being relative late in that market, was a big gamble as the company had to compete with the absolute market leader of the time {{w|Airfix}}. To that end, to counteract the lack of experience in that market, the company acquired the well established US-based model kit manufacturer [[Aluminum Model Toys|AMT]] in 1977. The model kits produced retained its "AMT" brand in the US, but were marketed in Europe as "Matchbox-AMT" to make optimal use of the brand awareness of "Matchbox" in Europe.
  
  +
Founded in 1947, the company became best known for its brand '''Matchbox''' which it introduced in 1953. That name originated from the fact that the models produced under that brand name fitted in a matchbox and were for years marketed that way, the models being packaged in or with matchboxes.
   
  ⚫
Following the energy crisis of 1973, Great Britain experienced a series of adverse economic periods, which also affected the business of Lesney. In an effort to broaden its economic basis in order to counteract the declining sales, Lesney decided in the mid-seventies to branch out into the market for injection molded plastic model kits, which, being relatively late in that market, was a big gamble as the company had to compete with the absolute market leader of the time {{w|Airfix}}. To that end, to counteract the lack of experience in that market, the company acquired the well established US-based model kit manufacturer [[Aluminum Model Toys|AMT]] in 1977. The model kits produced retained its "AMT" brand in the US, but were marketed in Europe as "Matchbox-AMT" to make optimal use of the brand awareness of "Matchbox" in Europe.
⚫
Despite the quality of the model kits produced, Lesney was unable to stem the tide of economic adversity and the company went into bankruptcy in June 1982, having sold AMT a few months earlier to Ertl Company.
  
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  ⚫
Despite the quality of the model kits produced, Lesney was unable to stem the tide of economic adversity and the company went into bankruptcy in June 1982, having sold AMT a few months earlier to [[Ertl Company]].
   
 
==''Star Trek'' association==
  
==''Star Trek'' association==
  ⚫
Through the acquisition of AMT, Lesney became associated with the ''[[Star Trek]]'' franchise, though due to the bankruptcy it only lasted four years. To customers in the US, state of affairs remained pretty much the same. In Europe, Lesney started to release some of the classic kits under its new brand name "Matchbox-AMT" as part of the "Yellow Crown Range" range, in 1979. Still, thanks to the release of {{film|1}}, it was Lesney who could market the first true expansion of the ''Star Trek'' model kit line in 1980 with three new kits based on that movie.
⚫
:''For the individual [[Star Trek model kits|''Star Trek'' model kits]] listing see [[AMT/Ertl]].''
  
  +
⚫
Through the acquisition of AMT, Lesney became associated with the ''Star Trek'' franchise, though due to the bankruptcy it only lasted four years. To customers in the US, state of affairs remained pretty much the same. In Europe, Lesney started to release some of the classic kits under its new brand name "Matchbox-AMT" in 1979. Still, thanks to the release of {{film|1}}, it was Lesney who could market the first true expansion of the ''Star Trek'' model kit line in 1980 with three new kits based on that movie.
  
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{| class="grey" colspan="6" style="width:100%;"
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! colspan="6" style="text-align:center;" id="Star Trek model kit releases under the Matchbox brand" | ''Star Trek'' model kit releases under the Matchbox brand
  +
|-
  +
|-
  +
! Item
  +
! Scale
  +
! Release
  +
! Item No.
  +
! Notes
  +
! Boxart
  +
|-
  +
|{{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701}}
  +
|1:650
  +
|rowspan="3"|{{y|1979}}
  +
|PK5102
  +
|"Yellow Crown Range" imprint
  +
|
  +
|-
  +
|[[Deep Space Station K-7|Space Station K-7]]
  +
|1:7600
  +
|PK5105
  +
|"Yellow Crown Range" imprint
  +
|
  +
|-
  +
|[[Romulan Bird-of-Prey (23rd century)|Romulan Space Ship]]
  +
|1:650
  +
|PK5106
  +
|"Yellow Crown Range" imprint
  +
|
  +
|-
  +
|refit-{{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701}}
  +
|rowspan="2"|1:537
  +
|rowspan="3"|{{y|1980}}
  +
|PK5110
  +
|"Yellow Crown Range" imprint
  +
|[[File:AMT-Matchbox Model kit PK5110 USS Enterprise 1979.jpg|180px]]
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|-
  +
|[[K't'inga class|Klingon Cruiser]]
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|PK5111
  +
|"Yellow Crown Range" imprint
  +
|[[File:AMT-Matchbox Model kit PK5111 Klingon Cruiser 1979.jpg|180px]]
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|-
  +
|[[Long range shuttle|Vulcan Shuttle]]
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|1:187
  +
|PK5112
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|"Yellow Crown Range" imprint
  +
|[[File:AMT-Matchbox Model kit PK5112 Vukcan Shuttle 1979.jpg|180px]]
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|}
  ⚫
:''For the other individual AMT/Ertl [[Star Trek model kits]], see [[AMT/Ertl]].''
   
 
==External links==
  
==External links==
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*{{wikipedia}}
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* {{wikipedia}}
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*{{wikipedia|Matchbox (toy)|Matchbox}}
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* {{wikipedia|Matchbox (toy)}}
 
[[Category:Collectibles]]
  
[[Category:Collectibles]]

Revision as of 01:25, 24 May 2014

Template:Realworld

Matchbox-AMT

Lesney Products & Co. Ltd. was a British manufacturer whose core business has been the manufacture of die cast and metal automotive products. At a later time branching out to injection-molded plastic model kits, the company has produced and marketed Star Trek model kits during the years 1979-1980.

General history

Founded in 1947, the company became best known for its brand Matchbox which it introduced in 1953. That name originated from the fact that the models produced under that brand name fitted in a matchbox and were for years marketed that way, the models being packaged in or with matchboxes.

Following the energy crisis of 1973, Great Britain experienced a series of adverse economic periods, which also affected the business of Lesney. In an effort to broaden its economic basis in order to counteract the declining sales, Lesney decided in the mid-seventies to branch out into the market for injection molded plastic model kits, which, being relatively late in that market, was a big gamble as the company had to compete with the absolute market leader of the time Airfix. To that end, to counteract the lack of experience in that market, the company acquired the well established US-based model kit manufacturer AMT in 1977. The model kits produced retained its "AMT" brand in the US, but were marketed in Europe as "Matchbox-AMT" to make optimal use of the brand awareness of "Matchbox" in Europe.

Despite the quality of the model kits produced, Lesney was unable to stem the tide of economic adversity and the company went into bankruptcy in June 1982, having sold AMT a few months earlier to Ertl Company.

Star Trek association

Through the acquisition of AMT, Lesney became associated with the Star Trek franchise, though due to the bankruptcy it only lasted four years. To customers in the US, state of affairs remained pretty much the same. In Europe, Lesney started to release some of the classic kits under its new brand name "Matchbox-AMT" as part of the "Yellow Crown Range" range, in 1979. Still, thanks to the release of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, it was Lesney who could market the first true expansion of the Star Trek model kit line in 1980 with three new kits based on that movie.

Star Trek model kit releases under the Matchbox brand
Item Scale Release Item No. Notes Boxart
USS Enterprise 1:650 1979 PK5102 "Yellow Crown Range" imprint
Space Station K-7 1:7600 PK5105 "Yellow Crown Range" imprint
Romulan Space Ship 1:650 PK5106 "Yellow Crown Range" imprint
refit-USS Enterprise 1:537 1980 PK5110 "Yellow Crown Range" imprint AMT-Matchbox Model kit PK5110 USS Enterprise 1979
Klingon Cruiser PK5111 "Yellow Crown Range" imprint AMT-Matchbox Model kit PK5111 Klingon Cruiser 1979
Vulcan Shuttle 1:187 PK5112 "Yellow Crown Range" imprint AMT-Matchbox Model kit PK5112 Vukcan Shuttle 1979
For the other individual AMT/Ertl Star Trek model kits, see AMT/Ertl.

External links

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