HPM shuts down end of this month.

[chrisonord]

Don't know if this has been said already, but, High planes models cease to exist at the end of the month. Total shame as they got me into my mirage fetish, as they made some really nice versions of the mirage III, and replacement /add on stuff.

[zenrat]

Shame.  They have been providing me with DAP conversions for the Airfix Beaufort and PJ Productions pilots.

https://hpmhobbies.com/high-planes-dap-beaufort-mk-viii-early-conversion-1-72-for-airfix-kit/?searchid=165365&search_query=beaufort

[chrisonord]

Shame.  They have been providing me with DAP conversions for the Airfix Beaufort and PJ Productions pilots.

https://hpmhobbies.com/high-planes-dap-beaufort-mk-viii-early-conversion-1-72-for-airfix-kit/?searchid=165365&search_query=beaufort

I have bought from them several times over the past few years, and I have stung my emergency cash by purchasing a single seater cheatah E and a set of the drop tanks with bomb mounts. I already have a set of the PJ production ones, but wanted some for another mirage project.

[zenrat]

...and another DAP Beaufreighter conversion set ordered because that's not something which grows on trees.

[PR19_Kit]

No-one has bought up the business then? That's a big pity.

[chrisonord]

No-one has bought up the business then? That's a big pity.

I was hoping the same Kit, as it is a crying shame to lose them.

[The Rat]

There is a glimmer of hope, note the last paragraph:

Important Announcement

Effective immediately, we are ending sales to the USA. Singapore Post has announced suspension of all parcel services, and the Delivery Duty Paid options through FedEx are prohibitively expensive for small shipments.  This is part of a wider pattern: changes to import policies in the US and EU have created an environment where personal imports are no longer a simple option.

Both the EU and US have removed the de miminus exception, where shipments under a certain value entered without taxes or duties. In itself, this is manageable but many EU states and the US also levy a handling fee for processing imports. This can exceed the value of the shipment.  Unlike the UK, the EU has not provided a realistic pathway for registering for Value Added Tax collection. The product safety rules also require an individual resident in the EU to be the nominated representative. This is not affordable for us.

We have decided to cease active operation in early 2026 for at least 12 months, while these regulatory and customs rules stabilise. If we can develop a sustainable business model, HPM Hobbies will reopen.  Until then: please stock up!

Try to not get political, but I think we can all figure out who is responsible for this turn of events.   Let us hope that saner heads will someday prevail, and small companies like this will be able to operate.

[PR19_Kit]

It's difficult NOT to get political as that's exactly what it is.

Two names come to mind, Donald and Rachel.

[NARSES2]

I know it's difficult but lets keep politics out of it 

[jcf]

The EU cancellation of the de minimus exemption has been in the works since 2023 as part of a larger series of reforms of the customs code. Current events just moved it forward from 2028 to July 1st of this year.

This is the current situation in regards to the changes:
EU Customs Reform and end of de minimus

If you want to get political about it, in the EU and US it's due to large retail ecommerce operations outside of both using the de minimus and small package exemptions to get around customs duties and import regulations.
Two guesses as to where those most guilty of this are based, hint the guy in charge of the country has a two letter name. A country that has never had a de minimus exemption. Everything has always been liable for duty and heavily regulated. 

Canada's remains what it's been for decades, $20 CAD. Anything over that is liable for duties. 

[NARSES2]

If you want to get political about it,

No we don't please   

[jcf]

If you want to get political about it,

No we don't please   

That was meant as a sardonic comment, and I'm not sure how discussing the economic realities of international trade, and the way some have used measures intended to promote equal trade to violate the intent of those measures which has resulted in the current actions, is political. 

[Gondor]

I decided to have a look at their site and ended up spending some money.

[Supertom]

Soooooo the owner of HPM is a personal friend (oooh look at me, Mr Big Shot), and I chatted with him the last time I was in Singapore. I won't talk numbers or about how de minimis and EU customs reform affected the business, but we all know it didn't help anyone's business. I can say that Chris is a pretty good planner and has kept his eye on things, and was prepared to make changes based on what was happening. What caught him off guard was how ridiculously silly things got.

As with any business, closing down was a last resort. HPM was and still is profitable as far as small model manufacturers go. Selling the business off would not achieve anything, as a) he wasn't intending to sell at that point, and b) even if the company sold, the successor would face the same problems. He simply did the math and figured that HPM would survive if he shut down temporarily, rather than trying to stay open during this time. He did have a cunning plan, but said silliness has made it tricky for him to decide when to execute said plans. So don't worry. HPM will live to fight another day!

I'll say this. I talked to him this morning. There is still a lot to unravel over what happened in the last 24 hours, but we're not completely in the clear yet. But I'll let him know how much you guys are looking forward to doing business with him again. I'm sure he'll appreciate the support.

In the meantime, I hope you guys stocked up on Mirages, because I did.

[zenrat]

I am replete with Beaufort conversions but am looking forward to buying more of the PJ figures.