the "Hornby" name to the Tri-ang plastic trains. In 1970 Lines Brothers changed the company name to "Meccano-Tri-ang". In 1971 the Lines Brothers Tri-ang group went into voluntary liquidation and 'Meccano-Tri-ang' was eventually sold to Airfix industries in 1972, the company name reverting to "Meccano Ltd". At the same time, General Mills, a United States toy manufacturer, purchased the majority of shares of Meccano France S.A., renaming the French company "Miro-Meccano". The new Meccano With competition from other manufacturers from around the world and the increasing popularity of television, Meccano Ltd's dominance of the toy market diminished sharply. To cut their losses, Airfix closed Meccano Ltd's flagship Binns Road factory in Liverpool in November 1979, bringing to an end three-quarters of a century of British toy making. The manufacture of Meccano, however, still continued in France. Airfix were eventually liquidated two years later and in 1981 General Mills purchased Meccano Ltd UK, giving it complete control of the Meccano franchise. It shifted all Meccano and Airfix operations to France and completely revamped the Miro-Meccano construction sets. In August 1985 French accountant Marc Rebibo bought Miro-Meccano from General Mills, reverted the French company name to "Meccano S.A." and reintroduced some of the discontinued Meccano sets. In 1989 Rebibo was bought out by Finamec (Financière de Serbie), who continued the manufacture of Meccano in France. In 1990 Meccano France purchased the "Erector" trademark in the U.S.A. and started selling Meccano sets marked "Erector Meccano" in the U.S.A. By 2000 Meccano France was faltering and was bought out in May 2000 by the Japanese toy company Nikko, who continue to manufacture Meccano sets in France and China, although very different from the Meccano originally manufactured by the Binns Road factory. In 2013 Meccano was acquired by Spin Master. See also Frank Hornby Meccano Meccano Magazine References External links International Society of Meccanomen Canadian Modeling Association for Meccano & Allied Systems A Chronological History of Meccano British companies established in 1908 Manufacturing companies established in 1908 1908 establishments in England Toy companies established in 1908 1964 mergers and acquisitions Hornby Railways Toy companies of the United Kingdom Model manufacturers of the United Kingdom Defunct toy manufacturers Defunct manufacturing companies of England Manufacturing companies based in Liverpool