NEW CAT® SCALE MODEL LICENSEE

Custom Originals Australia is pleased to introduce Diecast Masters, as the new Caterpillar® scale model licensee
Although new to the program as a licensee, Diecast Masters management has a rich history of brand and product development for Caterpillar, spanning 26 years. Specific to scale models, Diecast Masters owners and managers have been involved in manufacturing and distributing Cat diecast for more than 14 years.

The focus of Diecast Masters’ business will be 1:50 scale model replicas, although 1:87 and other scales of models will also play important roles within their Cat scale model line. Production will commence immediately with some models available through a worldwide distributor network before the end of 2015.

Diecast Masters was formed through the purchase of the Cat scale model businesses of both Norscot and Tonkin Replicas. Many of the former Norscot and Tonkin items will constitute the basis of the Diecast Masters line of Cat scale models, especially in the early stages. Diecast Masters is also launching an aggressive program of new model development that will be evident in full force during 2016 and going forward from there.

Custom Originals Australia will remain the exclusive distributor for Diecast Masters covering the Australia and New Zealand region and look forward to presenting the extensive new range that will be available shortly, including some very exciting brand new releases and concepts for Cat Diecast scale models.

I'm confused, is this company a joint venture from Tonkin and Norscot or something new altogether? If so, will Norscot and Tonkin continue with other licences? I wonder what the reasoning behind this was? I really hope they will absorb other projects, I was really looking forward to the Norscot 390F.

Rowan.

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1:25th scale CAT 375L excavator

After further thought, if they have been producing models for CAT for that long, perhaps they are one of the Asian model manufacturers who built for Tonkin and Norscot going out big for themselves?

Rowan.

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1:25th scale CAT 375L excavator

Thanks for clearing that up Gav.

Rowan.

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1:25th scale CAT 375L excavator

Gavin got to announce before we did - just received the news this morning. It is finally official.

We will keep you posted on all of the happenings - stay tuned!

Chuck

Hopefully this is a good thing. From what I've heard the CAT deal really bogged Tonkin down. I also hope that through this there will be new 1/87 models made.

Hope someone can get it together, just like CCM. But I can't buy every CCM Cat piece so the cheaper Cat models will suffice!

Finally some good news on CAT Scale Models. I hope that the new mfg will produce models from each business unit within the Caterpillar product line whether it be BCP, Paving, Waste, Quarry and Aggregates, Heavy Construction and I guess Mining.............lol!

I am not sure if it will be any better than before. Price and quality of Norscot was In my opinion not in balance. The Tonkin models which had no QC issues were not bad. I always wonders why WSI can make a good model for a reasonable price (Hitachi 870 and Liebherr 974) and Norscot ends up with a 374 as the best they can. The greatest concern I have is that OEM’s like CAT set the budget for a model and not the model manufacturer (Although their profit margins have impact on the budget) I don’t think anything has changed at CAT so I don’t expect the models from Custom Originals will be any better.
Also I found this text on the internet:

“Diecast Masters owners and managers have been involved in manufacturing and distributing Cat Diecast for more than 14 years”

It concerns me because it means that the same people who presented us the models over the last 14 years are still in control!

So much for getting my 555 Skidder.

It sounds like the new company will be based in Australia?

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- Kyle