Anyone have more info on Simmons Wheels closing?

[greens_tuf]

Hey guys,

I must have missed it because I was overseas at the time, but I recently found out that Simmons Wheels had closed down, and not for financial reasons but because the owner wanted to retire?

I did a few searches of this forum and didn't come up with anything, but there was some talk on a few Holden sites though.

I've loved Simmons wheels ever since I was first into cars as a kid, even before I used to love a specific car or brand I always loved Simmons wheels, so I am really cut because I haven't had a chance to build a project car yet, but I always knew I would have a set of new Simmons...

If there is already a thread on this, point me in the right direction, otherwise some more info on this would be good.

Cheers

[Springfield_Johny]

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11266047

I think someone mentioned in one of the replies about someone negotiating to take it over.

Strange I searched for "simmons' too and couldn't find this thread. Its only that I started it I knew that it existed

[XRtowcar]

Saw some of the equipment on Graysonline being auctioned off a few weeks back.

[fordOwner]

I heard some company - its killing me that i cant remember - has bought the simmons rights, so they will still survive.
Ill try and find out more.

[4VCLEVO]

Prices on second hand simmons have gone crazy. My brother had his XD on ebay, and he was getting at least 2-3 offers a day on his simmons (17x8 17x9) with most people offering $3000-$3500 and one offering $4000.

[mickyyyy]

Dont worry guys the wheels will come back soon

[greens_tuf]

Originally Posted by mickyyyy

Dont worry guys the wheels will come back soon

Do you know something that we don't?

[ROLLI]

I think someone has taken over the company and still going to make the same wheels but not in the simmons name....

[Fev]

If it does come back or not, the original owner/creator retired, and as such retired Simmons wheels because he was tired from working so much for so many years.

[mickyyyy]

Yeh i hear things around the traps :-)

It's pretty simple if u think about it, simmons has a good rep here in Australia and who dosent love there wheels. Basically every mazda R100, RX2, RX3 & RX7 have them plus all the fords and holdens so its a profitable business. So if someone has the money to buy it up is a very good long term investment.

Guess what someone has the money and is doing this

[greens_tuf]

Originally Posted by mickyyyy

Yeh i hear things around the traps :-)

It's pretty simple if u think about it, simmons has a good rep here in Australia and who dosent love there wheels. Basically every mazda R100, RX2, RX3 & RX7 have them plus all the fords and holdens so its a profitable business. So if someone has the money to buy it up is a very good long term investment.

Guess what someone has the money and is doing this

I hope you're right, but I don't think it is necessarily that simple. They are expensive wheels and alot of the new generation would go for the cheap imported stuff anyway.

I'm a new generation guy, but I hate all the new stuff so I guess Simmons would have my business. I wouldn't be suprised if sales have been slowly dropping since the late 90s...

I also heard that he didn't want anyone to ruin the Simmons rep and name so thats why he closed since he was retiring. I can totally understand where he is coming from too.

btw you forgot Porsche 911 wide body with a fat set of simmons and some wide rubber!!

[gcg2503]

I heard he doesnt want to sell the rights and potentially tarnish the good name that is Simmonds......

[mickyyyy]

Yeh there's a few things going around now, the people i heared that are going to buy it may have the ability to tarnish the name hence why he may not sell up.

I also heared he may just sell the designs and not the name.

[SLO AU XR8]

Originally Posted by mickyyyy

Yeh there's a few things going around now, the people i heared that are going to buy it may have the ability to tarnish the name hence why he may not sell up.

I also heared he may just sell the designs and not the name.

And if you look around a few other forums, you find he will have big problems with what you are saying will happen

[mickyyyy]

Yeh i totally get his point of view and u want he business to go 2 someone who has a passion for wheels and not just about profit.

[XRtowcar]

From the Mag Wheel Centre web site.

"05.11.2009 -

Simmons Wheels Update:


Our long association with Simmons Wheels has ended with the announcement of the closure of the Simmons manufacturing plant in June this year. We had been in negotiations with the view to resurrecting the famous Simmons FR, Simmons OM and Simmons B45 3 piece wheels but nothing positive to report and there are no Simmons centres available any more!!.
We will continue with repairs and maintenence etc as there is still a supply of rim parts available.
Therefore we are going to concentrate on servicing our extensive range of existing suppliers, AUTOart, BBS, HRE wheels, Forgestar, OZ Racing, Vemiri, iForged, Neez and 360 Degree. "

[FPV8U]

Shame to see them go, could have been more profitable if they came out with more than one new design every 3-5 years.