BillTexHoyt wrote:
Reading what I can find on the subject it sounds like Folbot was treading water a decade before it closed shop, a victim of the recent depression. I take it some of the assets sold at auction, and it's not clear, but it sounds as if the core of the outfit was packed away for a better day. With today's surging economy maybe the better day is here. Has anyone been in contact with whomever owns the rights to Folbot? With money in folks pockets and recreation on people's minds I think a new modern Folbot company could do very well.
Folbot's demise was discussed in great detail in another thread. The idea they were "a victim of the recent depression", while probably partially true, is overly facile. Since Eric Thome ended Folbot without much notice or explanation we don't know many fact, but we can speculate based largely on Folbot's history, especially after Thome took over.
Perhaps the most significant problem was their specialization: Alv of Pakboats has stated their kayak sales alone wouldn't be enough to sustain the company, which is one of the reasons they also make canoes. Trak seems to be doing OK with only one model, but their production seems to be on a much smaller scale, and someone who can afford or is willing to spend that much on a kayak probably wouldn't be interested in more of a budget manufacturer like Folbot.
Ultimately, the long-term future of folders is probably bleak, not just Folbot. Feathercraft has also closed, and it seems likely others eventually will.