Notice to British customers

The enforcement of Brexit in matters of import/export between EU and UK has, without a doubt, had a huge impact on our consumption habits: in addition to the ever increasing transport costs, we have now the interference of Customs services - with the delays and taxes that their job entails.

For all those of our dear British customers who are rightfully worried by those growing drawbacks, I'm happy to acknowledge you have now McKeeman Models at your disposal for ordering Minairons Miniatures stuff within the UK.

Based in Dunfermline (Fife, Scotland), they have been performing as a retailer of Minairons' stuff from a long since, albeit focused mainly on our 1:72^nd scale ranges so far. Despite of this, Stephen from McKeeman Models will be eager to take orders from other Minairons' ranges. As a matter of fact, they've already just imported some of our 1:100^th stuff within their latest backorder.

McKeeman Models can be accessed via website (www.mckeemanmodels.com), eBay, Amazon and Facebook (www.facebook.com/McKeemanModels). Do not hesitate to contact them if needed, for they will be happy to kindly assist you!

Shipping fees drop to UK customers

I'm sad to announce that The Plastic Soldier Company is no longer going to carry and distribute Minairons Miniatures stuff. They haven't formally acknowledged me over yet (something I would have greeted anyway), but all clues and indications do confirm this is irreversible. This circumstance saddens me even more if recalling that I had always taken PSC as a model to follow.

However, setbacks along the way should not make us stop, look back and regret. Nothing is gained like this. This is the reason why, after some thinking, I've chosen to be proactive and decide the following: as while as Minairons Miniatures does not achieve a trade deal with another UK company replacing PSC as distributor or even retailer, I've dropped all order shipping fees to individual British & Irish customers to local rates (the same ones enjoyed by Spanish customers), as if Minairons was based in the UK.

No need to add that every UK & Ireland local shop is warmly invited to get in touch with us and purchase Minairons stuff directly from us, so avoiding intermediaries --as other shops in Spain, EU and USA are already doing. Please find here our general terms for retail.

A load on the way to PSC HQ

British friends of Minairons miniatures will perhaps like to know that a load of our stuff is right now on its way to the HQ of The Plastic Soldier Company --who are our distributors in the UK. Packages include not only a wide selection of 1/100, 1/72 and 1/56 stuff including our latest novelties, as 1/72 BT-5 fast tank for instance, but also a sample of our upcoming 20mm Requeté Militia figure set (which BTW is already available and shipping right now, only that I haven't had time for announcing it yet!).

Carrying Steel72 model kits

Hi, just a short note with presumably good news for those fond of WW2 gaming --or, at least, for those equally fond of this period and Spanish Civil War altogether!

From now on, Minairons website will start retailing the models from Steel 72, a small company recently founded by Xan along with an associate partner. Incidentally as some of you are already aware, Xan has been so far the main sculptor of Minairons' own range of SCW figures.

Well, the thing is that I'm introducing Steel 72 current list of products into Minairons website database. These fall into two main categories so far: on one side, complete resin model kits with some white metal minor parts and driver; and on the other side, Armourfast model improvement kits --these consisting of an Armourfast sprue complemented by stowage, tank commander and other goodies. Here you can check their product listing.

In the next few days I shall complete this listing by adding Xan's own WW2 figures (Germans and Soviets, currently).

Farewell to Pat Condray

Just come from a short holidays spent with my lovely wife in the Pyrenees range, when I've just been acknowledged at The Miniatures Page about the passing of Patrick "Pat" Condray, as a result of the injuries suffered after being swept away by a car while riding on his bicycle.

I had been developing lately an increasing e-mail relationship with Pat, who as owner of Historical Products Company had taken the challenge to represent and sell in his country Minairons miniatures' 1/72 SCW products, which he had judged would help boosting his own 20mm range and spreading SCW gaming in the United States of America. Always concerned with the historical accuracy of his own settings, he often used to request me uniform data, OOBs or even scenarios to game at shows.

Beyond his sgnificance as an HMGS founder, or the fact of being a key link between us Minairons and SCW gamers in the US, I'm just able right now to express my deep sadness at Pat's passing away. May he rest forever in peace.

Et trobaré molt a faltar, Pat. A reveure!

Good news for UK customers

We are exultant to let you know that The Plastic Soldier Company, who are our main distributor in the United Kingdom, has just decided to venture unreservedly into Spanish Civil War; having thus recently introduced our full catalogue in their trade listings, as well as into their own online webshop. I'm convinced this will be good news to our wide community of British customers, who will from now on have the chance to get our models and figures direct from an UK trader, so saving some shipping money.

Also, some might like to know that Rif Raf Miniatures are willing to carry our 1/56^th scale models too, due to having judged these to be an ideal compliment to their excellent own range of Spanish Civil War 28mm figures --with a prospective at tightening closer our deal, for Rif Raf figures might be welcome in Spain and, if so, we'd love carrying them. Rif Raf Miniatures own website has already been updated with our 1/56 products too.

What Ever Hobby, from Belgium

We're delighted at welcoming What Ever Hobby of Bart Van der Taelen as our first retailer in Belgium. This shop, which is devoted to modelism, wargaming and collecting stuff is going to carry from now on all of our ranges, from 1/144^th to 1/56^th scales.

Their www.what-ever.be regular webshop is currently under re-construction work, but they can nevertheless be found at the Facebook URL www.facebook.com/pages/What-Ever/116679165072503. We strongly encourage Belgian aficionados to get into touch with Bart of What Ever Hobby --you won't be deceived!

Welcoming new traders

We would like to welcome a handful of shops having decided recently to carry Minairons Miniatures stuff. Such is the case of Tas Modelshop in Netherlands, for instance. They have just got into touch with us for this reason.

Modelists and wargamers in the capital city of Aragon region, Saragossa, would perhaps know that Kits shop in their town is already selling our 1/72 models and figures, and do also have some of our 1/100 stuff with the purpose of allowing curious customers to inspect it. Kits shop have no website yet, but they're located in downtown (calle Mayor, 45).

And last, the renowned Kaburi shops net in Barcelona city (Catalonia) are also carrying for test some of our products since last Christmas. Hopeful that their experience becomes satisfactory enough for permanently retailing Minairons Miniatures from now on!

New traders, and schedule changes

We are happy to acknowledge our American followers that Internet Hobbies stores do now carry Minairons Miniatures products in their huge catalogue. Also, that Jordi Rubio renowned hobby shop in Barcelona has just started trading our 1/72nd scale models, both plastic and resin ones.

On the other side, we've had to re-adjust our next releases expected schedule, due to a previously unexpectable issue related to the decals sheets that were to complement the affected sets. In the end, we've been compelled to delay releasing of some models. In exchange, we expect to be able to push forward in the pipeline a couple of models that had been left for the first months of 2014. Please take a glance at our updated pipeline by clicking here.

Glad to assure you that our forthcoming first SCW infantry set hasn't been affected by such schedule changes, as you can appreciate below. Greens will be brought to casting on next week.

Welcoming new traders worldwide

In spite of not having been formally announced yet, most likely many of you have already noticed that The Plastic Soldier Company has de facto become our main Distributor for the shops supplied by them, either inside the United Kingdom or abroad.

That isn't all, though. We are proud to acknowledge our friends that Minairons Miniatures full range is now available at Tracks & Troops. We are happy that this highly reputed, long-aged Czech online shop had finally considered it worth to include our plastic and resin models in their huge catalogue.

Also, our American fans might like to know that Mega Hobby store has also decided to carry Minairons products --thus helping expand a public knowledge of our humble brand around this great Republic, that is much needed still.

I had privately expressed several times to friends my deep concern about an apparent gap existing in France regarding Minairons Miniatures. It finally seems that such gap is slowly starting to fill up, thanks to individual shops like Cherbourg Maquettes, who have also dared to include our catalogue in their own listings. Wish such is just the start of a long, fruitful venture!

And, last but by no means less important, I'd like to acknowledge all Spanish users that the recently born, rapidly expanding Bandua Wargames Galician business is also retailing Minairons Miniatures in their webshop. There are few words in any language capable of expressing all the happiness and hope these unbeatable news above represent to me, after this first, hard and sometimes deeply deceiving year.

Thanks to you all for your confidence! --and please help us grow and expand: keep purchasing our miniatures, as well as freely feeding us with your appreciations and criticisms...

New Australian & German traders, and PSC carrying Minairons

We are glad to publicly announce that Platypus Publications, an Australian military bookseller and publisher, has confirmed its will to carry our 1:72^nd scale range --with a prospect to take the 1:100^th scale one too, depending on eventual demand. Thanks to such agreement, Minairons Miniatures will be finally able to land on Australian shores!

Also, our coverage area in German language countries is to get significantly widened from now on, thanks to the deal recently reached with Dragon's Cave games and hobby shop in Upper Palatinate (Bavaria), who are initially interested in our 1:72^nd scale range too.

Last but not least, we believe it most worthy to acknowledge you that Plastic Soldier Company, the renowned plastic miniatures manufacturer, who were already retailing our 1:72^nd plastic models, have just taken advantage of this TMP thread topics to confirm their will to carry the 1:100^th scale range at their own website too.

Wouldn't you agree these are actually encouraging news indeed?

Spain Distributor and some news

We are happy to acknowledge our Spanish fans that the well-known e-Minis distribution company has just reached an agreement with us for carrying all our ranges. This partnership comes to fill one of our most moaned gaps on map --that of Spain, precisely. Our current list of committed Distributors and Stockists can be seen in the following page of our website, www.minairons.eu.

Now, some space for explaining in a few words what is going on behind the scenes:

• Our 1:100th scale Bilbao armoured car will be released within this week. We're just awaiting the plastic accessories to be finished.
• The 1:100th scale version of Panzer I A is also progressing fast. Admittedly, we're pressing the plastic factory for delivering the first sprues in time for Hamburger Tactica show.

• Our second 1:72nd scale plastic tank, T-26 mod. A & B has just entered the toolmaker's workshop. Naturally, the ultimate model will show a crispier detail than this one shown at right, which is no more than a testing prototype.
• Our third project --no other than Befehlswagen I B-- has seen its design finally approved, so that it will enter 1:72nd scale production in the next days.
• Two new models have now occupied their place in the pipeline, just come from the Wishlist. One of them has been chosen to be our first 1:56th scale project, while the second one will be made in 1:100th scale first. Let me keep a bit of mystery for some days still before unveiling them.

More news coming pretty soon!

New Deals in Poland, Germany & France

The Minairons' distributors and retailers net keeps extending --at a slow albeit constant pace. The renowned Martola hobby shop in Poland have recently confirmed their commitment to carry our models as a retailer, for instance; as it has done too Le Lancier Bleu, a gaming shop in France already listing our 1:72 Panzer I Ausf. A in their website.

A third significant deal has been agreed with Heer46 in Germany, so that this firm will become a privileged distributor in their country of Minairons' 1:100 scale range products, as soon as the first model in such scale is released. That should happen this very month of December, or next January perhaps.

Besides, conversations have just started with a hobby shop in Belgium and an Australian distributor. Quite oddly to me though, no distributor in the USA have shown any interest in our fast assembly models so far, apart from the maker Historical Products Company (HPC) --who, quite logically, are showing their main interest in our 1:72 scale models.

Retailers in the USA and Germany

I'm glad to confirm to you all that some new agreements have been reached for allowing Minairons Miniatures models to be fluently spread into a much wider geographical area, beyond that of the distribution deals already announced a few days ago.

Such is the case of Germany for instance, where our 1:72^nd scale range will be found pretty shortly at the well-known BB-Toys shop, while a second company whose name can't be told yet has shown a strong interest in our 1:100^th scale models.

Minairons Miniatures are close to land in the United States too, thanks to an upcoming deal with Historical Products Company (HPC) for carrying our 1:72^nd scale vehicles range, that matches so well with theirs own renowned metal SCW figures.

Some further talking has already started with French, Australian, Italian and Turkish retailers and distributors as well --although none of such possible deals can be confirmed yet. Except for the particular agreement with Caliver Books for an exclusive distribution in the UK by them, no other exclusivity conditions are currently contemplated yet, so that any further request is still welcome.

Please check our current retailers & distributors list on this page.

Announcement of Distribution Deals

I am really happy to announce that Minairons Miniatures has reached an exclusive distribution partnership with Caliver Books - Partizan Press, for this renowned company to become, from now on, our full effect speaker and exclusive distributor in the United Kingdom.

Besides to this, another significant agreement has just been achieved with Waterloo 1815 so that this well-known firm will become a privileged stockist and distributor of Minairons' products in Italy.

There are good news for Irish aficionados too, because a similar deal has already been agreed with The Hobby Den; not to speak about Germany yet, where a widely reputed local trader has just contacted Minairons for our products to be carried by them; as soon as an ultimate agreement is reached, their name will be publicly announced too.

In order to keep all these distributors and stockists conveniently visible and fully at hand of users, I've just created a new provisional blog page to keep track of them, whose name is Where to find us.