IMCO lighters closed down

[thesuper]

Due to a thread on here I've only just found out about these fab lighters, tho my grandad had one many years ago. I have ordered several already. Now while trawling for more info on them,on tinternet, came accross another forum discussing them and saying the Austrian company making them is now gone out of business..........smurph it! They were saying stockists were already running out of stock, with no more available. I cincerely hope this info is bogus, as it will be very sad to see these go out of production. Any one else heard this? If it turns out to be true tho........best stock up on them while you can.

[Steinar]

Yet another classic bites the dust, it seems... 

[enki_ck]

I really wish this isn't true. I think I know a guy who lives near the factory and is also an IMCO fan. I'll check with him if he has any info on this.

[kirk13]

I had a look and IMCOs website is still up and running

[nuphoria]

Not checked this out myself, but I am a big fan and have a few IMCOs in my collection.

I think it's the petrol thing, which a lot of people have moved away from in favour of gas. Zippos probably have a more niche market and bigger fanbase, so would be less effected by that.

[AimlessWanderer]

I think many Zippos sell on the basis of collectability rather than function with the myriad of different variations they offer. Case knives are also owned by Zippo and offer their products in a very similar way. Of course both Zippos and Case knives are very functional item, but they are serving a secondary appeal also.

IMCO it has been argued on the forum are a better lighter from a functional perspective, and I happen to agree - but they certainly lack the collectability of their competitors. I do hope they haven't shut their doors or that this is at least a temptorary set back and we see the company getting another lease of life under new ownership if indeed they have closed the doors

That said, I also have to agree with Nuph and admit that most of my lighter use tends to be butane even though I do use my IMCO (and less frequently Zippo) lighters

[16VGTIDave]

In my corner of the world it goes something like this:
- Butane lighters for summer use
- IMCO's for winter use
- Zippo's for trading.

The reasoning for this is simple. Lighter fluid evaporates easier when hot, while butane is sealed into the lighter. Butane doesn't vaporize in sub-freezing temperatures, while lighter fluid is still volatile. And, from autumn through spring, I carry a pocket hand warmer that runs on lighter fluid along with a 5oz bottle of fluid.

Zippo's have a reputation, so even those who know nothing about lighters know the Zippo name and think "dependable, quality and reliability". Makes them easier to trade or barter with.

I just hope that the demise of IMCO is an unfounded rumour and that they are still going.

Dave


Sent from my iPad2

[enki_ck]

Here's what I've learned form an Austrian. Rumors and stories that IMCO's going down or already is making their products in China have been around for a long time. He hasn't read or heard anything about it lately though. He'll try to find out something new and let me know. He also discovered something weird, if you go to the page http://www.imco.at you are redirected to a "Papier-Clips" page If you go to http://www.imco.at/en/ or http://www.imco.at/de/ everything's ok.