Pocher (company)
Pocher Micromeccanica snc was an Italian manufacturer of railway and car models. Pocher was best known for his car model kits on a large scale 1: 8.
history
The beginnings
The company was founded in 1952 by Arnaldo Pocher and Corrado Muratore under the name Pocher Micromeccanica snc in Turin and was one of the first Italian companies to manufacture (railway) models.
Arnaldo Pocher, who had considerable experience from the goldsmith's school, had already manufactured various model railway accessories: signals, tracks, etc. The first models were freight cars made of brass in H0 gauge , which were made in small numbers (10–15 units) from 1954 were.
1956 began the construction of the first passenger car models. The wagons, which were completely handcrafted in H0 scale, had interior fittings - a notable feature for the time and the technologies available. Particularly noteworthy is the Compiègne car model .
In 1958, the first color catalog appeared, which included freight and passenger car models as well as catenary masts and accessories. The first locomotive model produced by Pocher, the French CC 7107 Mistral , who held the world speed record on rails at the time, was also presented.
This model was already technically very advanced, including a ventilated mid-engine. However, production did not take place until the early 1960s. There were 500 locomotives for the DC system and 300 for the Marklin - AC system made. The purchase price, however, was 28,000 lire , which at that time corresponded to about two thirds of the average monthly income of an ordinary worker.
The second H0 model of a locomotive that Pocher produced was the limited and numbered edition reproduction of the Bayard . The model was made entirely of metal parts and represents the locomotive of the first railway in Italy (Naples - Portici) , which was commissioned in 1839 .
The Rivarossi Chapter
In 1963 Corrado Muratore left the company, his shares were taken over by Rivarossi and from now on the products were sold through the Rivarossi distribution network.
The company initially asserted its autonomy in production and administration . In 1964 the model of the Genoa 4-4-0 locomotive , a typical "Wild West locomotive", was presented. It was probably the most successful model of the Turin company. In 1967 the last H0 model actually developed in Turin came onto the market, the Italian ALe 803 electric multiple unit .
The production of railway models has been streamlined and brought into line with Rivarossi's production processes. At the end of the 1960s, the production of the railway models was relocated to Como and further rationalized. The models of the Genoa 4-4-0 and the ALe 803 have been revised to further simplify production and to align it with the Rivarossi standard.
Pocher automobile model making
In 1961, FIAT commissioned Pocher to build a 1:13 scale model of the new Fiat 1300 . Pocher took over the position of the Rivarossi company, which had manufactured Fiat 600 and Fiat Nuova 500 models for the Turin-based automobile manufacturer in the 1950s . This was the beginning of a long collaboration that resulted in Pocher producing models for all new cars that FIAT presented at the Turin Motor Show .
In the second half of the 1960s, Pocher began producing very detailed models of classic cars. In 1966, the 1: 8 scale model of the Fiat 130 HP was presented as a pre-assembled kit at the Italian toy fair ( Salone del Giocattolo ). The model consists of 823 parts of different materials such as plastic, brass, leather, steel, rubber, canvas and aluminum. When finished, the model measures almost 50 cm. It was a success for Pocher in Italy and abroad.
Corrado Muratore returned to the company and his previous position in the company and acquired shares in the company, while Arnaldo Pocher left the company that bore his name in 1968.
The success of the Fiat 130 HP led to the development of a second, similar model. In 1968 the model of the Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza , developed by Gian Paolo Altini , a student of Arnaldo Pocher, appeared from 1961-32 .
In 1970 the Rolls-Royce Phantom II came out in the Drop Head Sedanca Coupé version . The model consisted of 2199 parts made of different materials. The engine's pistons were movable and the gearbox was functional and extremely precise. The Spirit of Ecstasy , the hood ornament, was made of silver in the first models. The coolers were individually hand welded.
In addition to the 1: 8 scale models, production of the 1:13 Fiat models was continued. Electric cars with remote control as well as other plastic toy cars were also produced, mostly based on Italian and French models.
Other products
In order to expand the market and to take advantage of Arnaldo Pocher's creative talent, the company tried to diversify the product range after the first few years. From the mid-1960s, models of historic cannons, ashtrays, pencils, carnival masks based on characters from Walt Disney and other smaller products were made in addition to the above-mentioned railway and car models . The production of these additional products was finally given up after the fire of 1972.
The fire and the restructuring of the company
In 1972 a fire destroyed the factory in Turin, on Via Ambrosini. The new model of the Fiat 132 and a variant of the Alfa Romeo in the scale 1: 8 have just been produced. The shapes survived the fire. The management took advantage of the opportunity to drastically reduce the workforce by outsourcing many processes as well as the decision to devote itself exclusively to model making. The company's activities were then resumed in Via Adamello, the number of employees had now shrunk from 120 to 30.
In the meantime, work has been carried out on a new 1: 8 scale model, the Mercedes-Benz 500 K / AK Cabriolet . When the project was close to completion in 1974, Gian Paolo Altini fell ill with leukemia and died just a few months later at the age of 39. He was considered the “creative soul” of the company. After a transitional phase, Altini's post was filled by Gian Franco Fabris , a modeller who had studied at the Spilimbergo mosaic school and had been a student of Altini since 1970. The model of the Mercedes was released in 1975.
Rivarossi had meanwhile become 100% owner of Pocher. The company had taken over the shares from Corrado Muratore, who now worked as Managing Director of Pocher and National Sales Manager for Rivarossi.
The last historical model was presented in 1980. It was the Bugatti 50T from 1933, which was designed by Gian Franco Fabris. All subsequent models were replicas of modern cars or variants of existing classic car models.
Move to Como
In the meantime the plant has been relocated to a warehouse in Brandizzo , also in the province of Turin. But in 1981 Rivarossi's difficulties were now also reflected in Pocher. The company was relocated to Como in the factory halls in Sagnino. Pocher initially retained his autonomy in Como under Gian Franco Fabris, who continued his work with a few colleagues. Variants of the classic cars were now produced, but the number of parts that made up the models was reduced to make assembly easier.
During this time (1985) a completely new product, a Volvo truck, was presented, but it was not a great success: The model market was changing and Pocher, previously always working in a protected niche, now felt these changes. Despite the proximity of the past few years, Pocher production was still autonomous and until then remained independent of Rivarossi.
At the end of the 1980s, Alessandro Rossi Junior, the new CEO of Rivarossi, was looking for new ways in production and began manufacturing the Ferrari Testarossa (1990) on a scale of 1: 8 with a metal body. While the Pocher brand was retained, the model was developed entirely by Rivarossi, and production has now been completely outsourced. Compared to the Pocher standard, the number of parts (470 parts) has now been drastically reduced, which made the models cheaper to manufacture and easier to assemble. Soon afterwards, construction of the new Ferrari F40 (1991) (507 parts) began, also with a zinc die-cast body.
The last actual Pocher model, which was also developed directly by Rivarossi, was the Porsche 911 . However, the body was no longer made of metal, but made of ABS plastic like the old Pocher classic cars. However, the model was no longer too successful. Coupled with the high investment costs for this type of project, this discouraged Rivarossi from tackling more 1: 8 models.
In 1998 the last Pocher catalog for the time being was published. In 2001 the Rivarossi Group changed its name to Lima SpA for tax reasons .
New beginnings under Hornby
When the Lima Group went bankrupt in 2004 , the Pocher brand finally came into the possession of Hornby . However, production was initially discontinued. In December 2012, however, Hornby announced that it wanted to revive the Pocher brand. An official presentation has been announced for the Nuremberg Toy Fair 2013. There, on January 30, 2013, Pocher presented the model of the Lamborghini Aventador as a 1: 8 scale model kit. The model again has an injection-molded metal housing and consists of around 600 individual parts.
Pocher model directory
Pocher Prestige model list
| Kit no. | Manufacturer | model | colour | novelty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| K30 | Porsche | 911 | black | 19 ?? |
| K31 | Porsche | 911 "Silver" | silver | 19 ?? |
| K31 collco24 | Porsche | 911 "Silver Plated" | silver | 19 ?? |
| K31 collco24 | Porsche | 911 "convertible" | silver | 19 ?? |
| K32 collco24 | Porsche | 911 "Yellow" | yellow | 19 ?? |
| K33 collco24 | Porsche | 911 "Blue" | blue | 19 ?? |
| K34 collco24 | Porsche | 911 "Red" | red | 19 ?? |
| K35 collco24 | Porsche | 911 "Carrera Cup 1994" | Racing | 19 ?? |
| K51 | Ferrari | Testarossa Coupe | red | 1990 |
| K52 | Ferrari | Testarossa Spider | White | 19 ?? |
| K53 | Ferrari | Testarossa Coupe "Black Star" | black | 19 ?? |
| K54 | Ferrari | Testarossa Spider "Sportster" | red | 19 ?? |
| K55 | Ferrari | F40 | red | 1991 |
| K56 | Ferrari | F40 "Yellow" | yellow | 19 ?? |
| K57 | Ferrari | F40 GT (Dutch prototype) | red | 19 ?? |
| K58 | Ferrari | F40 GT (Italian prototype) | red | 19 ?? |
| K59 | Ferrari | Testarossa Coupé Convertible | yellow | 19 ?? |
| K60 | Ferrari | F40 "Black Power" | black | 19 ?? |
| K61 | Ferrari | Testarossa Spider "Silver Special" | silver | 19 ?? |
| K62 (never produced) | Ferrari | F50 | red | 1995 |
| K63 | Ferrari | Testarossa Coupe "Flashlight" | yellow | 19 ?? |
| HK100 | Lamborghini | Aventador | Argos orange | 2013 |
| HK101 | Lamborghini | Aventador | Isis white | 2013 |
| HK102 | Lamborghini | Aventador | Nero Nemesis matt black | 2013 |
| HK103 | Lamborghini | Aventador | Blu Monterrey (metallic blue) | 2013 |
| HK104 | Lamborghini | Aventador | Bianco Canopus (semi-matt metallic white) | 2013 |
| HK105 | Lamborghini | Huracan | Rosso Mars (metallic red) | 2016 |
| HK106 | Lamborghini | Huracan | Giallo Midas (pearl effect) | 2016 |
| HK107 | 1: 4 Ducati Superbike | 1299 Panigale S. | red | 2016 |
| HK108 | Mercedes Benz | 300 SL "Gullwing" | Gray metallic 'NewModel ' | 2016/17 |
Pocher Classic model list
| Kit no. | Manufacturer | model | colour | Wheel type | like model | novelty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K70 | Fiat | Grand prix de France | red | 1966 | ||
| K71 | Alfa Romeo | 8c 2300 Monza | red | metal | 1968 | |
| K72 | Rolls Royce | Sedanca Coupé Phantom II | Black / blue | metal | 1970 | |
| K73 | Alfa Romeo | Spider Touring Gran Sport | Cream / blue | metal | 1972 | |
| K74 | Mercedes Benz | 500K / AK convertible | black | metal | K93 | 1975 |
| K75 | Rolls Royce | Torpedo Phantom II Convertible | Silver Gold | metal | 19 ?? | |
| K76 | Bugatti | 50T | Black - yellow | metal | 1980 | |
| K77 | Fiat | F-2 racer | Black red | K88 | 19 ?? | |
| K78 | Alfa Romeo | 8c 2300 Monza "Muletto" | White | metal | 19 ?? | |
| K80 | Mercedes Benz | 500K "Sport Roadster" | red | metal | 19 ?? | |
| K81 | Alfa Romeo | 8C 2600 "Mille Miglia-Scuderia Ferrari" | red | metal | 19 ?? | |
| K82 | Mercedes Benz | 540K "Convertible Special" | White | metal | K94 | 19 ?? |
| K83 | Rolls Royce | Phantom II Ambassador | green | metal | 19 ?? | |
| K84 | Bugatti | 50 T Coupe de ville | Blue-silver | metal | 19 ?? | |
| K85 | Mercedes Benz | 540K "Classic Roadster" | red | metal | 19 ?? | |
| K86 | Bugatti | 50T Surprofilé | Black red | metal | 19 ?? | |
| K88 | Fiat | F-2 racer | Black red | K77 | 1966 | |
| K89 | Alfa Romeo | 8c 2300 Coupé Elegant | Black-and-white | metal | 19 ?? | |
| K90 | Mercedes Benz | 540K "Rumble Seat" | Red-brown | metal | K95 | 19 ?? |
| K91 | Mercedes Benz | 540K "True Roadster" | Cream / brown | plastic | 19 ?? | |
| K91BIS (never produced) | Mercedes Benz | 540K "True Roadster" | Cream / brown | metal | 19 ?? | |
| K92 | Alfa Romeo | "Dinner Jacket" | black | plastic | 19 ?? | |
| K93 | Mercedes Benz | 500K / AK convertible | black | plastic | K74 | 19 ?? |
| K94 | Mercedes Benz | 540K convertible special | White | plastic | K82 | 19 ?? |
| K95 | Mercedes Benz | 540K "Rumble Seat" | Red-brown | plastic | K90 | 19 ?? |
Pocher truck model list
| Kit no. | Manufacturer | Model | colour | novelty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| K79 | Volvo | F-12 Turbo Truck | red | 1985 |
| K87 | Volvo | F-16 Globetrotter | black | 19 ?? |
Pocher engine model list
| Kit no. | Manufacturer | model | novelty |
|---|---|---|---|
| KM51 | Ferrari | Testarossa | 19 ?? |
| KM55 | Ferrari | F40 | 19 ?? |
| KM76 | Bugatti | T50 | 19 ?? |
| KM87 | Volvo | Truck tractor | 19 ?? |
Web links
- Pocher , official website
- Hornby International
literature
- Giorgio Giuliani, La storia dei treni Rivarossi: sessanta anni di modellismo ferroviario in Italia , Università di Bologna, Facoltà di Lettere e Filosofia, 2008
- Michele Lomolino, Catalogo guida al modellismo ferroviario di Arnaldo Pocher , Palermo, Edizioni ML, 1984
- Edoardo Massucci, Quei giorni in cui facemmo la Pocher , from ACI News , n.4 Ottobre 2003
Individual evidence
- ↑ Pocher freight car
- ^ First color catalog from Pocher (1958)
- ^ First locomotive model produced by Pocher
- ↑ Train Passion Pocher
- ↑ Models of historical cannons
- ^ Pocher catalogs
- ↑ Homepage of the manufacturer
- ↑ Pocher Lamborghini Aventador ( Memento of the original from April 11, 2013 in the web archive archive.today ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Official presentation at the Nuremberg Toy Fair 2013 ( memento of the original from April 11, 2013 in the web archive archive.today ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
