Fiocchi buys Express

[Smokersmith]

Apparently deal went through on 6th April.

So … securing the brand and jobs for the future, or another death knoll to British Manufacturing?

[Whitebridges]

Here's some more blurb from social media.

Fiocchi Group announces the acquisition of Lyalvale Express.
Fiocchi Group, the worldwide leader in the production of small calibre ammunition under Fiocchi Munizioni, Baschieri & Pellagri and Fiocchi of America brands, announces the acquisition of the entire share capital of Lyalvale Express, the historical British manufacturer established in 1983 in Lichfield, United Kingdom, and specialised in manufacturing and distribution of premium game and clay shotshells.
Closing of the deal occurred April, 6th, 2022. The acquisition of the manufacturing platform of Lyalvale Express in the United Kingdom has the strategic objective to further consolidate Fiocchi Group’s leadership in the game and clay target shooting segments, not only from a manufacturing point of view but also through the expansion of the Group’s product portfolio, offering to consumers a complete range of premium and super-premium products.
Unique to this sector, Fiocchi Group will benefit from four manufacturing plants in two continents: the historical Fiocchi Munizioni plant in Lecco (Italy), Baschieri & Pellagri’s centre of excellence in Bologna (Italy), the manufacturing platform with two plants in Missouri and Arkansas (United States) and the newly acquired Lyalvale Express plant in Lichfield, north of Birmingham (UK).
In addition, the strong complementarity of the brands’ product range, coupled with the unparalleled innovation footprint – the latest example being the biodegradable shotshell components launched within the Green Core project – will allow the Group to enjoy an additional, significant growth in the global markets thanks to the unrivalled commercial network the Group has consolidated over the years.
“We are excited to announce this transaction, which has a significant strategic value. Lyalvale Express becomes part of a Group with an unbeatable historical heritage and will benefit from outstanding innovation capabilities and from a large production platform which will generate important synergies” proudly says Maurizio *****, Group’s CEO.
Stefano Fiocchi, Group’s President, highlights that “it’s with great pride that we welcome Lyalvale Express to our Group. We will benefit from another historical brand which will further contribute to strengthen and develop the Group’s leadership”.
James Rose, Fiocchi UK Managing Director, will become Managing Director of the new Group’s UK entity: “I’m extremely thrilled by this transaction, I’ve always respected Lyalvale’s high quality and positioning as a UK manufacturer, so I’m absolutely sure that together, we will be able to strengthen and further develop our market”.

[enfieldspares]

I have had bought and sold Express products and Fiocchi products for over thirty-five years. Express from the time of Mumtaz Daftary and Fiocchi for many years in the 1980s when Hull Cartridge were the UK agents. Then as now, it produced occasional production runs of metallic pistol ammunition for obsolete calibres such as 9mm Steyr, .455 Webley, 5.5mm Velo Dog and many many others. I think that this is good news for British shotgun users. I think this will be a scale of economy, it will bring cartridges for the near obsolete 24 bore and 32 bore guns and last but not least it will be something better than the poor choice of offerings from the Spanish owned Eley company and will reinforce the line of quality cartridges offered by Express. It seems all good news to me.

Edited April 15, 2022 by enfieldspares

[Poor Shot]

Interesting..

So, will this new acquisition by Fiocchi achieve:

A) Allow Fiocchi products to be produced in the UK along side the express products allowing them to bypass any post Brexit import tarrifs/ nonsense making the end product cheaper for all in the UK? (Or allow Fiocchi to make more profit using existing prices)

B) Allow Fiocchi to slowly reduce the express product line until the company is no more and then shut it down completely reducing competition in what is going to become a shrinking market in the UK. Strip anything useful from Express (Like what BMW did to Rover), shut the factory but retain a base in the UK for the traditionalists and mark some Fiocchi products with a union jack.

Smart move would be A and capatalise on being able to sell their products (both Fiocchi and Express for those who support British) cheaper than Hull and Eley. Capture a larger share of the market and benefit from a sell them cheap stack them high type model.

Though, what I think will happen is nothing. We'll continue to see soaring prices and people moving to golf because they can't afford or are unwilling to spend £265 on a 1000 budget cartridges every month.

[Fellside]

Express has been a dying brand for years - despite having its diehard followers. Loosing so much market share it was ripe for takeover. 

I do hope that Fiocchi can use the Express base as a manufacturing platform to strengthen their position in the UK. They make great cartridges and if (IF?) they can keep their prices competitive, they should shake things up. 

Good move!

As an afterthought, I wonder if they have secured an MOD contract. They are an important ‘defence’ supplier. I suppose we’ll never get to know the ins and outs of that one…..?!

[grahamch]

Can only be good, never thought much of Express other than the Hevishot stuff they used to load and packed up. 

[London Best]

3 minutes ago, grahamch said:

never thought much of Express

Have to disagree. Express has served me well (very well) for the last twenty five seasons, and is my preferred brand. I will also buy Hull, or Eley at a pinch, but I can’t say a good word for Gamebore products. I also try to avoid foreign made stuff.

Tin hat on!

[Fellside]

13 minutes ago, London Best said:

Have to disagree. Express has served me well (very well) for the last twenty five seasons, and is my preferred brand. I will also buy Hull, or Eley at a pinch, but I can’t say a good word for Gamebore products. I also try to avoid foreign made stuff.

Tin hat on!

No tin hat necessary LB - you have your pet products just like the rest of us. 

I think what did it for Express years ago - was a major product failure which they didn’t support very well. I personally had used their cart’s for about 5 years prior to this. I think a lot of the RFDs and end users consequently shopped elsewhere.

I’m using those Fiocchi FBlue clay bangers at the mo’ - a very high end cart’ at the price of a cheapie. I have to say I’m impressed.…..even though they’re made by Johnny foreigner……😀

[Agriv8]

There Supper lights are a favourite of mine and shooters that struggle with even medium recoil.

they seemed to go through a bad patch a year or two back and a lot of grounds stopped selling them.

I have always fond them a good shell for the price point !

watching this one with interest

Agriv8

[Sweet11-87]

Most probably will mirror eley. And continue to operate under a familiar name. 
 

I do wonder if they carts will change at all as fiocchi manufacture allot of components from scratch and I can’t imagine they will be thrilled to keep using the competing components thst express use 

[Scully]

The Lyalvale 29grm 6 Pigeon Power is a fabulous cartridge. Of course it comes in a red case! 

[Centrepin]

2 hours ago, Agriv8 said:

There Supper lights are a favourite of mine and shooters that struggle with even medium recoil.

they seemed to go through a bad patch a year or two back and a lot of grounds stopped selling them.

I have always fond them a good shell for the price point !

watching this one with interest

Agriv8

I use the 21gram super lights for everything clay, absolutely can't fault them. I also carry a few in my bag whilst in the field in case of squirrels. I've frequently fetched pigeon down with them also.

[Rob85]

1 hour ago, Scully said:

The Lyalvale 29grm 6 Pigeon Power is a fabulous cartridge. Of course it comes in a red case! 

I second that, my go-to all rounder. A great cartridge for side by sides, plenty of oomph without being harsh on the shoulder.

[Fellside]

31 minutes ago, Rob85 said:

I second that, my go-to all rounder. A great cartridge for side by sides, plenty of oomph without being harsh on the shoulder.

Buy a heap of them while you still can. 

[enfieldspares]

I've also never liked Gamebore. Saw a guy at Weston Park on the clay row blow off the muzzle of his side by side with a stuck wad from a Gamebore cartridge. He went to the Gamebore stand where he'd bought the cartridges from and they weren't interested in the least. It was his fault, his gun's fault, everyone and anyone else's fault but not Gamebore's fault. And was told of the same with another stuck wad in a Remington 870. I'd rather not shoot if the choice is that or use any Gamebore cartridge.

Edited April 15, 2022 by enfieldspares

[pigeon controller]

I have used Express for years and never had a problem , used some Fiocchi  recently  and after a shot they would jam in the breach, dry fire the empty shell and they would eject, this on two guns. Others have had the same concern. Using in autos not problem.

A sad day for another Brummie firm, Tommy Shelby would not let it happen, he did not trust the Italians.

Edited April 15, 2022 by pigeon controller

[enfieldspares]

3 minutes ago, pigeon controller said:

A sad day for another Brummie firm, Tommy Shelby would not let it happen, he did not trust the Italians.

LOL! He wouldn't maybe have maybe liked Eley either! It's been owned by Spaniards since years back!

[JohnfromUK]

I usually use Hull Cartridge; Comp X 21g for clays and Imperial Game for game.  I did get some Fiocchi TT21 when Hull were out of stock locally - and they wouldn't fire reliably in 3 of my guns.  OK in other guns - and my guns would fire any other make of cartridge we could find to hand!  I suspect it was a batch issue, and I used them up in a gun in which they did work fine.  I now stock up on my preferred Hull before I run too low.  I have used Lyevale Express and can't recall any problems, but the 21g clay load seemed less smooth than Comp X to me.

[WalkedUp]

6 hours ago, Scully said:

The Lyalvale 29grm 6 Pigeon Power is a fabulous cartridge. Of course it comes in a red case! 

I was shooting these today. Easy to spot the empties spat out from the semi. 

[Stimo22]

2 hours ago, enfieldspares said:

I've also never liked Gamebore. Saw a guy at Weston Park on the clay row blow off the muzzle of his side by side with a stuck wad from a Gamebore cartridge. He went to the Gamebore stand where he'd bought the cartridges from and they weren't interested in the least. It was his fault, his gun's fault, everyone and anyone else's fault but not Gamebore's fault. And was told of the same with another stuck wad in a Remington 870. I'd rather not shoot if the choice is that or use any Gamebore cartridge.

Well as a clay club we used to sell Fiocchi but had several that misfired and left a wad stuck in members barrels, so people stopped buying them. We switched to Gamebore evo and have not had any problems 

[Fellside]

Strange - never came across any problems. Bad batch…?

[Scully]

The only cartridge I’ve experienced a wad stuck in a barrel, was Gamebore White Gold. I won’t buy them again but only because they’re a very dirty cartridge in my experience. Otherwise I’m a Gamebore fan. I used a lot of Blue Diamond when I shot a lot of clays, and their Clear Pigeon was my go to cartridge for bolting bunnies and decoying, both superseded by Eley cartridges now. 

[Johnny English]

Best cartridge express ever did was the super comp from the 90's. Absolutely superb shell at a decent price, by far one of the most popular cartridges at the time. Then they changed the mix and made it unbearable overnight. Shot a few at the express masters at AGL the other year, still far too thumpy. Such a shame as it was world class shell in the 90's, also shot some of there 24 gram high velocity budget carts in 90's, they were excellent for the money and super soft on the shoulder when learning.

[Fellside]

3 hours ago, Johnny English said:

Best cartridge express ever did was the super comp from the 90's. Absolutely superb shell at a decent price, by far one of the most popular cartridges at the time. Then they changed the mix and made it unbearable overnight. Shot a few at the express masters at AGL the other year, still far too thumpy. Such a shame as it was world class shell in the 90's, also shot some of there 24 gram high velocity budget carts in 90's, they were excellent for the money and super soft on the shoulder when learning.

Yes agreed. When I shot Express years ago, the Supercomp was a brilliant and popular shell. I used many thousands. They did it in a number 6 shot for a while, with high antimony pellets, for the Japanese market I believe. They were great for pigeons and crows. I paid £122 / 1000 for them…..!! 
By eck thems where the days lad….. etc. etc.

I think part of their decline generally, was due to them messing around with the clay cart’s too much. I also understand that the Vectan propellants they relied upon were somewhat tricky re quality control. 

[Newbie to this]

Hopefully they will keep the UK manufacturing going.

But if BICC is anything to go by, when Pirelli bought them, they stripped the factory of anything of worth and shut it down, I know it's not cartridge manufacturing, but....