Proto Models S.r.l.
Driving force to the born of I&B is its first project: will to achieve high quality material for railway modelling destinated to a selected group of railway modeler.
In the year 2009 an exploratory journey in Korea and China laid the foundations for agreements with Korean manufacturers for some productions projected and realized in Korea and others projected in Korea and realized in China.
Under the brand Proto Motels I&B was ready to present a new line of products that after entered in a market niche captained by historical and well-know brands.
On November 2009, in Paris, I&B presented sample not already definitive of the French propelled X 2800. That event added concreteness, and not only to the project.
We propose to you what happened before in chronological order.
Progetto Proto Models – Time line
2009 – On December the prestigious magazine Le Tranin on its usual special about ExpoRail counted our brand among the big names of European railway model. Success at ExpoRail 2009 exceeded all expectations.
2010 – On March I&B released its branch of business to deliver a new company which continued the project already active. So it borns Proto Models S.r.l. through the release of branch of the branch of business.
2010 – In the autumn of 2010, due to a disaster management of Proto Models S.r.l., Carlo Filippo Follis was consulted for targeted intervention to safe a enterprise that a little later delivered its first production. Carlo Filippo Follis took charge of enterprise in the role of Sole Administrator and founding member with a corporate share of 90%.
2010 – In November it was introduced the definitive sample of the propelled SNCF X 2800 at the Paris’ ExpoRail. It was a success.
On that occasion it was introduced, for the first time in the world, mammoth Swiss electric locomotive Ae 8/14 11801 1:32 scale, known as 1 scale.
2011 – On February finally it was delivered the X 2800 1:43,5 scale, known as 0 scale. Customers were enthusiastic.
2011 – On 9th June 2011 Mister Gabriel Acker – Editor of Le Train – announced to us X 2800, for its category, won the prestigious prize « Modèle de l’Année 2010 ». The delivery occurred on 16th June at the expo Mondial du Moélisme in Paris.
2011 – On July Projects manager was fired. Carlo Filippo Follis played that role trying to correct errors already done. Second production was locked in Korea for checking the project. The entire production was corrected to be closed to perfection.
2011 – On 29th December Ae 8/14 11801 came in Italy after a year of delay.
2011 – On 14th February it began commercialization of Ae 8/14. It’s passed exactly one year from deliver of X 2800.
2011 – In the spring come the first “Business” order. Proto Models S.r.l. Began to product for an other enterprise thus opening up new perspectives.
2011 – As far as we could do production of Ae 8/14 11801 wasn’t perfect as Carlo Filippo Follis wanted. For that reason 30 produced pieces of 40 were sold to Dingler GmbH – one of the best European craftsmen – with the agreement that it would have marketed models only after they have been made perfect.
This choice was made to save our Brand, but it was also motivated by the wish to close to the past and to reach standards always desired by Carlo Filippo Follis.
2011 – Now Proto Models S.r.l. Is ready to be reorganized to turn page and to continue to give value at its Brand.