Humbrol

Humbrol Limited was a British manufacturer of model kits, toys and paints, producing under its own brand and the Airfix, Sky Marks, Young Scientist, 1st Gear, High Speed and W. Britain (William Britain) brands. In 2006, the company entered administration, but later the same year was acquired by Hornby Hobbies Ltd., who have since re-launched the brand.

History

Humbrol was founded in Kingston-upon-Hull as the Humber Oil Company in 1919. During the 1950s and 60s, Humbrol developed a range of model paints and other modelmaking paraphernalia. In 1976, Humbrol became part of the Hobby Products Group of the international Borden, Inc. group. Five years later, Borden also acquired the French kit manufacturer Heller.

The famous Airfix model company joined the group in 1986, transferring its kit production to the Heller factory in Trun, Orme, France. In 1994, the group was acquired by an Irish investment company, Allen & McGuire, and the business was restructured under the Humbrol name. Heller was sold off in 2005, but continued to manufacture kits for Humbrol.

On 31 August 2006, following the collapse of Heller SA, Humbrol went into administration. It was announced on 10 November 2006 that Hornby Railways would acquire certain assets of Humbrol, comprising Airfix, Humbrol paints and model accessories and the Young Scientist brand for £2.6 million. [http://www.hornby.com/pages/nws_det_press.aspx?NewsItemID=581]

Humbrol is possibly best known for the enamel paints manufactured for use with plastic model kits. The archetypal container was a 14 ml tin with the lid coloured to illustrate the paint colour and an embossed reference number. Humbrol did, however, sell 50 and 120ml tins and spray cans in some colours.

Humbrol's (now disused) main factory is located on Marfleet Lane in Hull. It has recently been subjected to attacks of Arson and vandalism. The original factory and part of the office blocks burnt down in 1989 in what was one of the largest factory fires in postwar Hull.

Notable People

The artist George Shaw uses Humbrol enamel paints to create highly photorealistic paintings on canvas. Most famously, he used as his subject a council estate in Tile Hill, Coventry.

External links

* [http://www.humbrol.com Humbrol website]
* [http://www.themanufacturer.com/uk/detail.html?contents_id=5629 Article in "The Manufacturer"] including origin of name
* [http://pws.prserv.net/gbinet.dbjames/win.htm History of Airfix] (also mentions Humbrol)
* [http://www.fortunecity.com/meltingpot/portland/971/reference/humbrol.htm Humbrol Enamel Cross Reference]
* [http://www.xs4all.nl/~robdebie/models/humbrol.htm Humbrol tin evolution]