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Post by mrbarlow on Oct 28, 2020 9:59:15 GMT -5
Are all AZL products 100% Made in CHINA ?
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Post by markm on Oct 28, 2020 10:37:11 GMT -5
 Not all of them. |
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Post by Curn on Oct 28, 2020 11:39:42 GMT -5
For the most part, a vast majority of the current offerings are made in China. I think the first run of GP7s, and much of the older brass offerings were made by AJIN precision manufacturing in Korea. Then the Great Recession happened 2008-2010 which messed up most of all hobby manufacturing. AZL had to find a new factory. Production was moved to AFFA and SDK in China. AFFA is in Hong Kong (Corrected: See Hans Post Below). Here is a blog of the AFFA factory tour: www.americanzline.com/blogs/hans-blog/azl-visits-hong-kong-and-china/I think AFFA had some quality issues (Corrected: Sanda Kan)(Like they ruined the GP7/GP9 tooling), and production the newest products has been moved to a new factory (in China). Whoever the new factory is, they seem to be doing good work. Correct me if I'm wrong. |
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Post by Hans Riddervold (AZL) on Oct 28, 2020 12:15:32 GMT -5
We have used: AJIN (Korea), AJIN Train Model (Korea), Sanda Kan (China), AFFA (China), New AFFA (China), Bowser, Z-Panzer (UK). Did I forget some?
At the moment we are using New AFFA and Z-Panzer. New AFFA is now in China, not HK. Old AFFA production was also in China, but HQ in HK.
Sanda Kan lost or destroyed: GP7/GP9, SD70/SD75, F59PHI, Bombardier Passenger Cars, Amtrak Surfliner Passenger Cars, Amtrak California Passenger Cars and our Containers. Yes that many products!
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Post by bnsantaray on Oct 28, 2020 15:44:57 GMT -5
We have used: AJIN (Korea), AJIN Train Model (Korea), Sanda Kan (China), AFFA (China), New AFFA (China), Bowser, Z-Panzer (UK). Did I forget some? At the moment we are using New AFFA and Z-Panzer. New AFFA is now in China, not HK. Old AFFA production was also in China, but HQ in HK. Sanda Kan lost or destroyed: GP7/GP9, SD70/SD75, F59PHI, Bombardier Passenger Cars, Amtrak Surfliner Passenger Cars, Amtrak California Passenger Cars and our Containers. Yes that many products! Question ? Do I understand no more GP7/9 SD70/75 etc ? Raymond |
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Post by ztrack on Oct 28, 2020 18:05:29 GMT -5
For the record, we have done quite a lot of assembly, and packaging here in Dublin, OH. Does that count?
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Post by fulingyu on Oct 28, 2020 21:21:35 GMT -5
For the record, we have done quite a lot of assembly, and packaging here in Dublin, OH. Does that count? A lot of companies are now using the phrase "ASSEMBLED in America using global materials" so you wouldn't be alone in this regard. I think that for some of us, we aren't as concerned as much as long as the quality is still high. Ideally, it would probably be better if everything was made in the US, but I don't think there are many large z scale manufacturers here. Primarily AZL and to a lesser extent MTL. Mostly smaller companies. |
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Post by Hans Riddervold (AZL) on Oct 29, 2020 6:19:27 GMT -5
Yes everything counts. We will for now not use "Assembled in America", but the amount of work being done in the US is substantial.
There are very few options for production in the US since manufacturers rarely can offer a complete product. MTL and Bowser are good examples of US based production, but they are also dependent on subcontracting to China. Especially locomotive manufacturing. There is always an economic aspect, but the cost difference between the US and China is not substantial. Last, it is also about skill level.
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Post by markm on Oct 29, 2020 19:38:53 GMT -5
As long as Hans and the Robs continue to see that we get highly detailed well-working, durable product at a reasonable cost does it really make any difference where the product is made?
Mark
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Post by DAZed on Oct 29, 2020 22:23:31 GMT -5
As long as Hans and the Robs continue to see that we get highly detailed well-working, durable product at a reasonable cost does it really make any difference where the product is made? Not for nothing...if all of their hard work is being perpetually lost, stolen, and/or destroyed, I'd say that makes a difference. |
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Post by ztrack on Oct 30, 2020 8:18:49 GMT -5
One really important fact I want to share. It doesn't matter as much as who makes the trains, but who is driving the designs. I have known Hans and Rob for over 20 years (wow hard to believe it has been that long) and what you are seeing in the products is their vision. Any manufacturer can make a locomotive or train car. But the drive for all the prototypical accuracy and incredible running performance is all Hans and Rob. They continually push their manufacturers for that high quality and standards. If a manufacturer can't deliver their exceptions, they will move on to another. The AZL line just keeps getting better and better. I think we all can agree to that!
I can only imaging what the next 20 years will bring..
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