I wonder what are the biggest pieces of equipment used in the manufacturing of replicas, I assume the most expensive items are the CNC machines, which would be a huge expense to replace.
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Factory seizures in China
- Thread starter MadeOfCheese
- Start date
You'd think that they'd have the CNC machines would be in a different location than the final assembly point. No?
It makes sense to me that everything would be assembly line style with machines on site so they can maximize volume and profits.
All we ever heard about the factories is that the final assembly was handled in places like peoples homes by families with kids. So unless these illegal factories have changed, I guess a 9 year old girl assembles while daddy works the CNC machine?
If that was the case, then the only things that would be seized are the machines and parts bins. This means we'd still have a supply for a while. From a purely profit point of view, it still doesn't make sense to me.
mydnytrydr
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- 25/9/09
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I can't understand why you all are surprised. When I was in China in December I asked my American coworker, who lives there, why I couldn't load certain social media websites and why the internet in my hotel room was so slow. He responded that it was the "Great Firewall of China". The government watches all traffic on the internet. I assume that they know exactly who and where reps are made and who and where they are sold. It's not a 'free' society. I am sure that the government of Chairman Mao gets a cut on every watch made or sold. In China money talks and everything else walks. China is like the wild west of capitalism.
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mydnytrydr
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Absolutely not. This is real.
I'm in China now, and have had plans with MReplica for months to get together, but she tells me that the situation is too unstable now to risk even a social meeting.
The ideal simple solution is to move factories from China to, say, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, and any other South East Asian countries with low labor cost. But the truth is it's much complex than that.
Aside from a lower labor cost (yes, it's becoming higher but still low enough to compete with other markets), the Chinese government gives more state support to investors than any other country's subsidies. In any country, an investor has to apply for permits, go through red tape, build his factory, look for transportation system from factory to port, bring in equipment, hire people, do a delivery system, etc. In China, as long as you have the precious working capital, they will more or less bring everything to you.
Example, say you like to buy a land. Instead of saying, "I don't wanna buy this land because it's in the middle of nowhere." Chinese state will just say, "You buy this land, I will build you factory, I will build you roads, I will get you people, I will bring down labor cost, no need of hassle. Just bring your money." You don't get anywhere that close with other countries.
Wish I could talk more..
Absolutely not. This is real.
I'm in China now, and have had plans with MReplica for months to get together, but she tells me that the situation is too unstable now to risk even a social meeting.
Pity. Hope it all works out for everyone.
- 30/3/08
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Not a viable solution. 90% of the market for AAA grade reps is local, in China.
It is far harder to get counterfeit good into China than out.
Neither N nor H factories have been raided but they have closed down for a while to keep a low profile. The factory that makes the 42mm UPO however did get hit
The watch market is virtually a ghost town, no reps are on show even in the upstairs offices and the police presence is huge. This will last at least another week yet, maybe longer.
Please make sure you ask first before ordering ANYTHING and if you have an order in please understand it may take some time before it gets shipped.
I "understand" a little about activites that upset the local athorites, & what can happen if one ends up under that thumb ( picked the info up from books, ofcourse), but I can not, & do not want to imagine what that could be like in China! or for a child in China! Way too much to try to process for my little brain! I hope, & pray they are all OK over there! There truly is nothing new under the sun. Hope for the best, & RUN LIKE HELL! I need a nap.....
For what it's worth, I'm in Kuala Lumpur today and had a good chat about the chinese crack down with a Chinese rep importer that sells high quality reps over here. He says this kind of thing tends to happen every march, to different degrees. He did say why in march, but i didnt get what he was saying, i'm afraid! Incidentally, he says that this tends to benefit rep business outside china (e.g. Malaysia, Thailand, etc) for those holding stock, as the Chinese go a little quiet for obvious reasons. However, in his view this will also pass quickly as it always does. He said much of the noise that the authorities wanted to make has now been made.
Anyway, I thought I'd share this because it's nice to hear some good news too. Whether he's right or wrong, we'll see...
Anyway, I thought I'd share this because it's nice to hear some good news too. Whether he's right or wrong, we'll see...