Steven Chong
First Sergeant
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2005
- Messages
- 1,365
Before I summarize Andy's talk, I want to thank Myszka and Mike Hall of Sierra Toy Soldier for hosting the event.
After introducing K&C staff Helen Mok Sargent (K&C Managing Director) and Patrick (PRETORIAN), Andy repeated the story of how he found Helen by praying to God for help and soon bumping into Helen (who was an old acquaintance) in church, and how the management changes she initiated have greatly improved K&C.
Patrick was hired right out of college and initially did not know anything about toy soldiers. He accompanies Andy into China to translate and has become more knowledgable about the toy soldier business and has become more involved in product development.
K&C in currently has 24 staff in Hong Kong and 8 in China.
When asked about why certain lines get more attention, Andy responded that K&C was a business and more attention was put to the things that sell.
Retirements are based on several factors: decreased sales, development of a better version, and need to produce fresh products for collectors. Hong Kong is a small place and warehouse space is very expensive. There is no fixed time to retirements.
Production numbers on Strictly Limited is based on business knowledge of what production numbers work. K&C sells worldwide and sometimes collectors are unaware of K&C's foreign markets. For example, K&C made about 2000Whitman's Tiger and used the same mold to make 999 SL Winter Tigers while other vehicles have been as low as 500.
When asked about research, Andy talked about his early education where he did well in history, art and English (but not math or science), which led to a lifetime love of reading history. Gordon and Patrick help with finding images on the internet. He also has friends who help with certain subjects. Andy also mentioned he loved to study DVD's and movies on military subjects to see how the soldiers move.
When asked about development, Andy said fastest from concept to shipped out was 2.5 months, with the normal development of a new item taking about 6 months. Helen has helped implement production plans that allow K&C to plan further and further ahead. Another factor is fitting a factory's schedule since they produce products for other clients.
Andy repeated story of how he started using polystone and how current products now have more metal detail pieces that have increased the production cost.
I asked Andy about future releases and he responded that certain items will always be released at certain times e.g. BOB and winter theme in October/November and Normandy and DD in June/July. All the other themes are more flexible. There is a limit to what K&C can do.
There will be two completely new themes this year that has not been done by K&C in a historical period that has not been done.
Andy then mentioned that things sometimes change e.g. K&C planned to do Custer's Last Stand and had gathered references and was within a week of doing production drawings when the owner of Kings X called to ask Andy if he wanted to buy the store. After purchasing the Kings X, there was the need to reintroduce an Alamo theme and Custer was put on the back burner.
When asked about K&C book, Andy mentioned there were several ideas that K&C was thinking about: book with pictures of all of Gordon's work with how-to-do-it instructions; book with Andy's sketches and photos of finished figure; and book on history of K&C.
When asked about dealer specials like K&C UK's Crimea theme, Andy said there were lots of requests but it could not interfere with K&C's already planned production schedule or affect sales of current products.
New Crimea in June with several mounted figures (including one British) and Thin Red Line.
Andy talked about development of Streets of Old Hong Kong and how it was developed to attract women and how idea of title came from an old song: "Streets of London." Might revisit Dickens theme.
Andy was asked about his favorite K&C theme and he said it constantly changed.
Finally, Andy said that Chinese themes are 1/32 scale and that 90% of K&C's products are 1/30 scale.
After introducing K&C staff Helen Mok Sargent (K&C Managing Director) and Patrick (PRETORIAN), Andy repeated the story of how he found Helen by praying to God for help and soon bumping into Helen (who was an old acquaintance) in church, and how the management changes she initiated have greatly improved K&C.
Patrick was hired right out of college and initially did not know anything about toy soldiers. He accompanies Andy into China to translate and has become more knowledgable about the toy soldier business and has become more involved in product development.
K&C in currently has 24 staff in Hong Kong and 8 in China.
When asked about why certain lines get more attention, Andy responded that K&C was a business and more attention was put to the things that sell.
Retirements are based on several factors: decreased sales, development of a better version, and need to produce fresh products for collectors. Hong Kong is a small place and warehouse space is very expensive. There is no fixed time to retirements.
Production numbers on Strictly Limited is based on business knowledge of what production numbers work. K&C sells worldwide and sometimes collectors are unaware of K&C's foreign markets. For example, K&C made about 2000Whitman's Tiger and used the same mold to make 999 SL Winter Tigers while other vehicles have been as low as 500.
When asked about research, Andy talked about his early education where he did well in history, art and English (but not math or science), which led to a lifetime love of reading history. Gordon and Patrick help with finding images on the internet. He also has friends who help with certain subjects. Andy also mentioned he loved to study DVD's and movies on military subjects to see how the soldiers move.
When asked about development, Andy said fastest from concept to shipped out was 2.5 months, with the normal development of a new item taking about 6 months. Helen has helped implement production plans that allow K&C to plan further and further ahead. Another factor is fitting a factory's schedule since they produce products for other clients.
Andy repeated story of how he started using polystone and how current products now have more metal detail pieces that have increased the production cost.
I asked Andy about future releases and he responded that certain items will always be released at certain times e.g. BOB and winter theme in October/November and Normandy and DD in June/July. All the other themes are more flexible. There is a limit to what K&C can do.
There will be two completely new themes this year that has not been done by K&C in a historical period that has not been done.
Andy then mentioned that things sometimes change e.g. K&C planned to do Custer's Last Stand and had gathered references and was within a week of doing production drawings when the owner of Kings X called to ask Andy if he wanted to buy the store. After purchasing the Kings X, there was the need to reintroduce an Alamo theme and Custer was put on the back burner.
When asked about K&C book, Andy mentioned there were several ideas that K&C was thinking about: book with pictures of all of Gordon's work with how-to-do-it instructions; book with Andy's sketches and photos of finished figure; and book on history of K&C.
When asked about dealer specials like K&C UK's Crimea theme, Andy said there were lots of requests but it could not interfere with K&C's already planned production schedule or affect sales of current products.
New Crimea in June with several mounted figures (including one British) and Thin Red Line.
Andy talked about development of Streets of Old Hong Kong and how it was developed to attract women and how idea of title came from an old song: "Streets of London." Might revisit Dickens theme.
Andy was asked about his favorite K&C theme and he said it constantly changed.
Finally, Andy said that Chinese themes are 1/32 scale and that 90% of K&C's products are 1/30 scale.
