Steven Chong
First Sergeant
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2005
- Messages
- 1,365
Before I summarize Andy's talk, I want to again thank Mike and Myszka Hall of Sierra Toy Soldier Company for organizing Andy's talk at the West Coaster. Andy spoke and answered questions for 1.3 hours.
First, some of the questions posted on the forum:
1. WWI will be available mid-April, 2007.
2. ACW is matt and available May, 2007.
3. Arnhem? Andy hopes to have British paratroopers available for sale at Chicago.
4. Silk Road? "No need to do it again." Have SOHK and IC. No plans now or foreseeable future.
5. Russians? Don't do well.
Andy talked about K&C's history. In past reports on Andy's talk, I have not summarized these comments because I have heard them many times. This time I will report them for the benefit of forum members who have never had a chance to hear Andy talk.
In the 1970's, Andy was working in Hong Kong when his brother Gordon gave a box of glossy toy soldiers as a birthday gift. This gift rewakened an interest in toy soldiers from his childhood and Andy started collecting. Soon became frustrated with the long wait time for orders from UK. Then wife Laura suggested they make toy soldiers. At the time, Andy was a graphic designer with his own one person agency. He had a bar called "Mad Dogs" and another upscale pub in Wan Chai district (the red light area located in this district) of Hong Kong. He was doing toy soldiers part time and eventually started losing money. Decided to devote all his full attention to the toy soldier business.
At one Chicago Show, Andy had set up his glossy Seaforths and Zulus on his 6' table and noticed a crowd around another table. He went to look and discovered his Hong Kong rivals, Frontline, had set up the entire Charge of the Light Brigade on their table. Could not sleep that night and decided K&C needed a unique selling point. WWII in realistic matt was not done at the time and finally decided to focus on one battle: Arnhem. In 1994-95, K&C was the first company to do an entire series (Arnhem) in matt. K&C established a name for itself and became noticed for it different line.
In 1998, heard about a movie about D-Day that was being directed by Speilberg was in production -- did not know stars or anything else about movie. Decided to do D-Day 44 line and the rest is history. K&C was the 1st company to manufacture toy soldiers in China.
At this time, the carved wood and resin vehicles were too expensive for most collectors. At a Hong Kong trade show, he noticed a booth with ploystone paperweights, pencil holders, etc., but in one corner was a very crude jeep. It was the right color and size and Andy asked if they could make few samples of a tank. He give them the references and in a few weeks received the samples. When he looked at them, he knew he had the solution. K&C was the 1st company to introduce polystone vehicles.
Andy then talked about his passion for toy soliders ... wants to do this the rest of his life. Offer the best product at the best price with the best service.
Andy then asked for questions:
A. German cavalry? He thinks K&C's scuptors does the best horses, even better than the Russians. Have a production schedule for 2007 already, maybe 2008.
B. Dioramas? K&C would be doing more architectural pieces for dioramas.
C. Pacific? New IWJ, which Andy thought was some of K&C's best sculpts, did not sell anything like the first IWJ series or the other European lines.
D. Railway Station Diorama? Took Gordon 2 weeks to make, working 10 - 12 hours a day. Gordon's artistry has increased from one diorama to the next.
E. Retirements? Depends on how well something sells. There is the initial surge, the decrease, then ... Everything has a shelf life.
First, some of the questions posted on the forum:
1. WWI will be available mid-April, 2007.
2. ACW is matt and available May, 2007.
3. Arnhem? Andy hopes to have British paratroopers available for sale at Chicago.
4. Silk Road? "No need to do it again." Have SOHK and IC. No plans now or foreseeable future.
5. Russians? Don't do well.
Andy talked about K&C's history. In past reports on Andy's talk, I have not summarized these comments because I have heard them many times. This time I will report them for the benefit of forum members who have never had a chance to hear Andy talk.
In the 1970's, Andy was working in Hong Kong when his brother Gordon gave a box of glossy toy soldiers as a birthday gift. This gift rewakened an interest in toy soldiers from his childhood and Andy started collecting. Soon became frustrated with the long wait time for orders from UK. Then wife Laura suggested they make toy soldiers. At the time, Andy was a graphic designer with his own one person agency. He had a bar called "Mad Dogs" and another upscale pub in Wan Chai district (the red light area located in this district) of Hong Kong. He was doing toy soldiers part time and eventually started losing money. Decided to devote all his full attention to the toy soldier business.
At one Chicago Show, Andy had set up his glossy Seaforths and Zulus on his 6' table and noticed a crowd around another table. He went to look and discovered his Hong Kong rivals, Frontline, had set up the entire Charge of the Light Brigade on their table. Could not sleep that night and decided K&C needed a unique selling point. WWII in realistic matt was not done at the time and finally decided to focus on one battle: Arnhem. In 1994-95, K&C was the first company to do an entire series (Arnhem) in matt. K&C established a name for itself and became noticed for it different line.
In 1998, heard about a movie about D-Day that was being directed by Speilberg was in production -- did not know stars or anything else about movie. Decided to do D-Day 44 line and the rest is history. K&C was the 1st company to manufacture toy soldiers in China.
At this time, the carved wood and resin vehicles were too expensive for most collectors. At a Hong Kong trade show, he noticed a booth with ploystone paperweights, pencil holders, etc., but in one corner was a very crude jeep. It was the right color and size and Andy asked if they could make few samples of a tank. He give them the references and in a few weeks received the samples. When he looked at them, he knew he had the solution. K&C was the 1st company to introduce polystone vehicles.
Andy then talked about his passion for toy soliders ... wants to do this the rest of his life. Offer the best product at the best price with the best service.
Andy then asked for questions:
A. German cavalry? He thinks K&C's scuptors does the best horses, even better than the Russians. Have a production schedule for 2007 already, maybe 2008.
B. Dioramas? K&C would be doing more architectural pieces for dioramas.
C. Pacific? New IWJ, which Andy thought was some of K&C's best sculpts, did not sell anything like the first IWJ series or the other European lines.
D. Railway Station Diorama? Took Gordon 2 weeks to make, working 10 - 12 hours a day. Gordon's artistry has increased from one diorama to the next.
E. Retirements? Depends on how well something sells. There is the initial surge, the decrease, then ... Everything has a shelf life.
