Is Team Associated going out of business (answer of 2022)
Team Associated or Associated Electrics, as it is commonly called, is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-end RC cars, trucks, and accessories. It was established in 1964 by Roger Curtis and Lee Yurada.
Associated Electrics may have started as a slot car part manufacturer, but today they are a well-respected RC brand with a devoted fan base. Curtis and Yurada no longer own the brand, with Yurada selling his shares to racer Gene Husting in 1970.
I regret to inform you that our promising investor process finally did not have a positive outcome, which results in the closure of LRP electronic GmbH on March 31st, 2018. Until then, business operations will continue normally with the existing workforce.
Insolvency proceedings of LRP electronic GmbHDear Sir or Madam,
LRP electronic GmbH and Associated Electrics, Inc. would like to announce a change in distribution for the Team Associated and Reedy brands.
The bidirectional collaboration between LRP electronic GmbH and Associated Electrics, Inc. stands out as one of the most successful partnerships in the R/C industry’s history. After cooperating to win countless World Championship titles, the successfully shared sales and marketing efforts will come to an end.
Starting February 1st, 2018, LRP electronic GmbH will not be the exclusive distributor for Team Associated and Reedy anymore.
LRP electronic GmbH will now sell off its stock of Team Associated and Reedy products. All warranty and service for Team Associated and Reedy products will be handled by the new Team Associated and Reedy distributors starting February 1st, 2018.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the great support we have received from you in the recent months.
I regret to inform you that our promising investor process finally did not have a positive outcome, which results in the closure of LRP electronic GmbH on March 31st, 2018. Until then, business operations will continue normally with the existing workforce.
I, as the founder of LRP electronic GmbH, intend a new start for the LRP brand in new structures.
We will keep you informed about further developments.
Yours sincerely
LRP’s Announcement from January 2018
Jürgen E. Lautenbach
LRP electronic GmbH
Is Team Associated going out of business?
There is no definite answer to this, although there have been many speculations over the direction of the Team Associated brand, especially after the company was bought by Thunder Tiger corporation, an RC vehicle manufacturer in Taiwan.
Since the buy-out, there have been stereotypes around the quality of RC models manufactured by the brand. Many believe that the models produced by Thunder Tiger will be of poor quality even though it is a known fact that Thunder Tiger produces high-quality buggies and helicopters.
Another reason most people believe Team Associated is going out of business is because Thunder Tiger will no longer be producing spare parts for existing Team Associated models. Thankfully, after years of waiting, Team Associated RC vehicles are now available through Horizon Hobby.
Are Team Associated sales increasing?
In 2017, Team Associated RC models turned to Horizon Hobby to distribute its products. The company’s RC vehicles became available to retailers on the Horizon Hobby website and through authorized Horizon Hobby dealers.
Returning to Horizon Hobby greatly increased the company’s sales, and its sales have continued to rise ever since.
Team Associated’s short history
Team Associated started as a side hustle for aerophysics technicians Roger Curtis and Lee Yurada. They opened a slot car track at a time when slot cars were incredibly popular in Southern California, and using their aerophysics skills; they began producing slot car parts and accessories. Their side business was so successful that they decided to make it a full-time job and launched Associated Electrics.
Associated Electrics launched their first car, the RC1, in 1971. The RC stands for Roger Curtis. The car was a gas-powered 1/8 scale on-road RC car that was a winning car right from its inaugural race.
Who owns Team Associated these days?
Thunder Tiger currently owns Team Associated.
Roger Curtis and Lee Yurada founded the Team Associated brand. After a conflict between Curtis and Yurada, Curtis met up with and tried to convince early RC racer Gene Husting to buy out Yurada’s share of Associated.
In 1970, Husting agreed, and he bought Yurada’s shares, believing that the radio-control industry had a bright future; in the end, he was right as the Associated Electrics brand went on to achieve great success.
In 2000, Gene Husting retired and sold his shares to Roger Curtis. In 2005, Curtis went into semi-retirement and sold Associated Electrics to Thunder Tiger, an RC model manufacturer in Taiwan.
Thunder Tiger corporation manufactures RC airplanes, helicopters, cars, boats, accessories, and engines. It is a public company founded in 1979, and since then, it has been at the forefront of the radio-controlled vehicle industry.
Where are Team Associated cars made?
Team Associated was previously located in El Segundo, California, until it was sold to Thunder Tiger, a Taiwanese company.
As of 2013, Team Associated is located in Lake Forest, California.
Just like any other Thunder Tiger products, so do Team Associated’s RC cars are made in Taiwan.
What is Team Associated’s best seller RC car?
No Team Associated car has dominated the RC industry like the RC10.
It is to this date referred to as “one of the most iconic RC cars in history” and the RC car that “changed the world of RC off-road racing forever.”
The RC10 was designed by Roger Curtis and released in 1984. This car immediately took the RC industry by storm and led to the extraordinary growth of Associated Electrics. It has won more IFMAR World Championships and ROAR Nationals than all the other 2WD off-road cars put together.
RC enthusiasts were ecstatic after Team Associated announced that it would be reissuing the 1964 gold-tub RC10. The new model was dubbed the RC10 classic, and although it is a replica of the original, it comes with some slight modifications. These new features are in line with the quality of modern RC vehicles while maintaining the look and feel of the original RC10. Many of the reissued models parts have better finishes than the original RC10 because the manufacturing processes in 1984 were not as detailed as it is today.
The Team Associated SC10 is also a great RC car worth checking out
Who is Team Associated’s biggest competitor?
Team Associated competes on the same level as some of the biggest RC brands in the world, including Team Losi Racing, HPI Racing, Arrma, Tamiya, and Kyosho. But its biggest competitor is Traxxas. For years ‘RCers’ have debated between Team Associated and Traxxas; this rivalry is so old that at some point in RC industry history, you could only ever be one or the other; you were either a Team Associated fan or a Traxxas fan.
The most common debate amongst RC hobbyists is between the Team Associated SC10 and the Traxxas Slash. Both are short-course RC trucks, and the argument over which is better has gone ok for years, both face to face and on several forums and social media platforms. But even the most unrelenting ones have agreed that the Slash is a better basher than the SC10, but the SC10 is a better racer.
Is Team Associated a good RC brand?
Team Associated is known for producing some of the best RC vehicles out there. The quality of their RC vehicles speaks for itself.
Since its acquisition by Thunder Tiger, the company’s future has become unknown, and many fear that Team Associated will be out of business soon.
But Team Associated has continued to prove everyone wrong, and it seems they will be in business for years to come. Years after joining the Thunder Tiger family and withdrawing their products from the Horizon Hobby website, Team Associated has returned to the website with a few fan-favorite models.
We did full research to determine Is Team Associated A Good RC Brand
Is Team Associated better than Traxxas?
There is a great chance that this argument will never truly be resolved because Team Associated fanatics will never cave to Traxxas fanatics and vice versa. Traxxas RC models are cheaper and more durable than Team Associated; it is also preferred because of how easily available their parts are. But Team Associated fans argue that this brand is the best RC brand.
We took the long run on figuring out is Traxxas better than Team Associated
Did Team Associated stop making touring cars?
Team Associated discontinued most of its touring cars, including the TC7, TC7.1, and the TC7.2 factory team kits.
Should you buy Team Associated?
If you need a high-end RC vehicle for professional or hobby racing, we recommend the Team Associated’s RC models. Quality Team Associated RC vehicles are available on the Horizon Hobby website or can be gotten from any authorized Horizon Hobby dealer.
