There have been rumblings (from several sources) over the last 24 hours that Testors will be ending the Pactra line of paints. If you are like us, your local hobbyshop probably carries a rack full of their rattle cans, and it’s been a staple of your time in the r/c hobby. I can remember using their paint when I first got into the hobby 15 years ago, and still have several cans on my shelf today. It’s pretty mind boggling that they are discontinuing it.

One of our loyal readers sent us what looks to be a letter from Testors to their partners:

Friday, May 17th, 2013

Dear Valued Partner,

I am writing to inform you about changes that are taking place at the Testor Corporation. For over 80 years, we have provided premium paints and finishing systems to the craft and hobby industry. Today, we announced that we are transforming our business in order to more effectively address the changing needs of our consumers and their interests.

Weve made the decision to exit the following businesses within the Testor® Brand family – Pactra®, Floquil®, Polyscale®, and ColorArtz®. This will enable the Testor Corporation to return to our foundation of success providing premium, innovative product that inspires creativity. We will continue to accept orders and ship product for a limited time based on available quantities.

Going forward, the following brands will be critical to our success and development Testor®, Model Master, and Aztek®. These brands will be infused with marketing support, innovation and operational efficiencies.

In support of this, we have announced a consolidation of operations at our Rockford facilities. Over the next several months we will provide updates critical to your order and delivery needs as well as product availability. We assure you there will be no disruption to service during this transition. Our commitment to the Testor brand has never been stronger. By implementing these changes, and the ability to leverage all of Rust-Oleums world class services, we are more strongly poised to take your business to the next level through product and merchandising innovations, and increased customer
intimacy. Please contact me or your sales manager directly with any questions.

We appreciate your business!

On their official Facebook page, Testors responded to the outcry from R/C enthusiasts the world over:

“Many of you have expressed disappointment regarding our decision to exit PACTRA. As RC trends have changed, with more bodies coming pre-decorated and ready to run. The dynamics of the category has changed. This ready-to-run trend is the primary reason we have decided to exit the category. We hope that you will continue to enjoy the other product lines that Testor has to offer.”

We here at RC Soup think this is complete lunacy. They are also discontinuing the Floquil and Polly Scale brands of Model Railroad colors. That alone tells me there is more to this story. If the business is failing due to poor sales, then admit it. Don’t come up with some lame excuse. We all know RTR bodies don’t last – and most of them are horrible looking. When they break, we buy a clear body from any number of manufacturers and customize it to our liking. If RTR / pre-“decorated” bodies were all people ran, then how is that the JConcepts, Pro-Line, and others continue to release new bodies on an almost WEEKLY basis.

You can probably tell we’re annoyed, as most R/C hobbyists (even the train guys) are as well.

The good news is there are still a few other options for those of us with only basic painting skills without an airbrush..

Check out the line of quality r/c aerosol paints from TamiyaUSA & Spax Stix.