Schon vor einiger Zeit haben wir den Versuch gestartet, mit Interviews namhafter Airsoft Hersteller interessante Informationen zusammenzutragen und einen Blick hinter die Kulissen des "Business Airsoft" zu werfen.

Benjamin Willard hat sich hierbei um KWA USA gekümmert und so können wir euch heute das erste Interview präsentieren:

Allen Lau, Product Manager bei KWA USA war so nett, sich die Zeit zu nehmen, unsere Fragen zu beantworten.

Ein großes DANKESCHÖN an Allen Lau, dass er sich die Zeit genommen hat und nun viel Spass beim Lesen! :)

A big THANK YOU to Allen Lau for taking the time to answer our questions! Now have fun with the interview! :)

PS: Am Ende des Interviews findet ihr einen Link zum entsprechenden Thread im Forum, dort steht eine deutsche Übersetzung. 

Interview with Allen Lau, Product Manager of KWA USA

Well, let’s start the interview with a small introduction of your person?
(How old are you? Where do you come from? Where do you live?)

My name is Allen Lau, age 42. I’m the Product Manager of KWA USA. I was born in Hong Kong and move to US in 1982 when I was 15 and living in US ever since.

Okay, let’s move on. Could you please introduce your company to our readers?
(What do you produce? Where do you produce? Since when do you produce? How many workers do you employ?)

KWA is a premier airsoft brand that produce realistic, high performance gas operated pistols as well as electric operated rifles. Not only do we manufacture products under the KWA brand but we also produce products for Western Arms, KSC, Umarex, and Action Sports Game. Headquartered in Taiwan, KWA employs over 200 staffs worldwide with offices in the US, Japan, and state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Taiwan.

Have you worked or lead another company before KWA?

Before I was recruited by KWA USA in 2007, I was a IT System Administrator for a Fortune 100 company.

What was the final reason for your decision to start manufacturing airsoft products?

KWA has been manufacturing airsoft products since 1988. Our first venture into the airsoft business was producing CO2 rifles with external tanks (Classic Airsoft) for the Taiwanese market. Our big break came when KWA was commissioned by Western Arms to manufacture gas pistols.

The world is in a recession and due to that fact, many economies suffer worldwide. What about your company? Have you noticed the crisis, for example in decreasing incoming orders respectively decreasing sales?

KWA's sales has not been adversely affected by the current economy downturn. This is due in part to our Professional Division which tailors to the law enforcement and military markets. We are quite fortunate to see a steady rise in the demands for KWA training weapons over the last two years.

Another influence for your company could have been the upcoming Chinese “cloning manufacturers”. What do you think about that development? Do you change your pricing calculations or your production schedules because of them?

Low cost airsoft "clones" are what fuel the rapid growth of the airsoft industry in the recent years. They help bring down the initial entry cost into the sport. KWA products differs from the Chinese "Clones" because our products are designed for the performance minded enthusiasts and training professionals.

Could you name your main market? Where do you sell most of your products?
(Is it the Asian continent, the United States or perhaps Europe?)

At this time, our primary focus is in the US as all our products are designed for MILSIM and training market. We build our products based on the US specifications and requirements.

Okay, enough facts for the moment.
It is obvious that airsoft products should be tested before they are released. Who does this job in your company? Do you test your own products yourself?

We have an extensive quality assurance program in place. Every one of our products are tested before it leaves our factory in Taiwan and when it arrives here in the US our technicians give it another round of inspection before it is sent to our customers.



Okay, let me extend the previous question a bit.
Do you play airsoft yourself in your free time on local fields?

As a matter of fact, I do. I have been playing and collecting for the last 8 years. I am also a member of a fairly well sized team with over 15 members. Although I haven't been playing much lately, I still try to attend large scale airsoft events like Operation Irene. Sometimes I make up for this by "field testing the product" with my colleagues.

If yes, which gun do you have at the moment?

LOL. Too many to name. But my latest acquisition is the KM4 SR-10 for obvious reason.

If no, why don’t you play airsoft? Is airsoft just a business for you?

-

And what about your staff? Do they play airsoft regularly?

Our corporate motto is "you can't sell a product if you don't use it." So most of the staff here at the US office are avid airsoft players. Once a year, our entire company comes together to play as a team. We use this opportunity to build the comrades within the company. Being a player also enables us to improve our products based on real world experiences.

Well, could you give us some hints about your upcoming products? What are you going to release in the near future?

Unfortunately our corporate policy prohibits us from discussing future unannounced models. However, if the H&K MP7A1 is any indications, I can assure you KWA's future line up is going to be even more impressive.

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Hier findet ihr den entsprechenden Thread im Forum, in dem auch eine deutsche Übersetzung gepostet ist.