I was telling Tony Candra about the MP100 when i remembered about the first time that i visited the Zenith Sports Shop in Bras Basah Complex. Thats when i bought the Fleet Ti-99 as an experiment. Its very similar to the Yonex Ti-7 if not exactly the same. I decided to ask the lady there why Fleet rackets are so similar. I know that Kwun mailed Winex and got the reply about how Winex just want to prove that they can make rackets just as good as Yonex but at a cheaper price and whatever. But this lady told me that Yonex "don't have a factory so they give the plans to other companies to make". Exactly in those words. I think thats complete BS. I was just wondering, does this make anyone wonder about how accurate the information we get from dealers actually are?
I have seen and personally used Hart rackets that are exactly the same as Yonex rackets. Even the racket specs, colours, design, letterings, fonts are exactly the same. Check out the Hart Maestro Slim and the Maestro Long. They are exactly the same as Yonex Isometric Slim 10 and Yonex Isometric 250 Long except that they are in the S$80-S$90 price range compared to the Yonex's S$140-S$180. You have to see and use it to believe it!!
It's not necessarily that uncommon for one sports equipment manufacturer to use another manufacturer's products for part or all of its product line. In the early 90's not many people in the U.S. were familiar with the Giant brand of bicycles (that has since changed), but they were actually one of the largest manufacturers of mountain bikes in the world, with factories in Taiwan. They made a lot of bicycles, particularly low and mid-priced models, for other more famous/trendy companies, who then put their own brand's decals on the bikes. One explanation for the numerous brands that seem to copy Yonex racquets may be that patent laws in the various Asian countries are either much less restrictive or not enforced through litigation as frequently as they are in North America or Europe. My father took a lengthy business trip to Korea about 12 years ago and was able to buy copies of computer software legally for 10% of the U.S. price - he told me that various of his colleagues who had lived in a number of Southeast Asian countries had advised him that patent and copyright laws were virtually non-existent in Asia. Anyone out there know whether that was true then or now?
i'd be very surprised if yonex doesn't have a factory. also, since most yonex rackets are made in japan, even if they don't have a factory, the factory will be in japan instead of other places in asia. i know that factories in other SE asian countries regularly take the plans and re-manufacture the products. but i doubt japan will have that.
Asia is a huge black market. Laws are not very enforced. You could litterly buy anything in Asia if it's available at a discount price to the North American equivalent. If you do some shopping in China, notably Hong Kong.. you may just find that there are numerous cheap knock offs or pirated goods.
Its never legal to sell pirated goods. Its just that the police probably aren't bothered to raide all the shops. Once they do, they will have about another 3 or 4 opening up in other areas. Yes it is a huge black market. Most of the software being sold now have been stopped and these shops are very rare now.
Generally, for Yonex those of the high end models are made in Japan and those low end are made in Taiwan with low production cost. Made in Japan rackets do not they will not crack as even for even the most expensive ones do fall apart. And there are many Made in Taiwan rackets are of high quality and they are not necessarily imitation. However, I do know of fake Yonex floating around as they can sell because of its brandname.
1 - 2 years behind I don't think that the top 'clone' company are 1-2 years behind. Winex are just finishing their MP100 clone, which will feature Yonex's curved string grommet bridges aswell! The smaller companies cannot probably move this fast due to their smaller budgets and possibly less money to pay for any technology license fees that may be payable to Yonex. This does not represent a very long delay for most players. I personally don't buy a new racket mid season, so for me the slight delay is good as it give time for prices to fall and for rackets to be reviewed and opinions formed.
I also heard to Yonex don't have a factory. This information came directly from a shuttlecock manufacturer in China. They told me that they have up to 7 contracts with various factories in Taiwan to produce the rackets for them and that they are only assembled in Japan, which is why they can have the 'Japan' on the handle butt. I suspect that if this is true, then it the reason that the 'clone' manufacturers come out with their designs so quickly. In return for making the racket for them, maybe thay get delayed mould rights to make it worth supporting Yonex's dominance. For Yonex they get production without the hassles and also have the luxury of being first to market with most products. Anyone agree that this sounds plausible? Mark
It sounds very reasonable. I did wonder how the "made in Japan" label was on all the racquets yet some are definately poorer quality with more uneven weight distribution.
Re: 1 - 2 years behind i was going by my previous knowledge but as we know now, clone manufacturers like winex, yang yang, fleece are no longer small timers. So it is possible for them to react faster
good points mark. it is very plausible. Yonex must have gotten VERY CHEAP manufacturing cost from outsourcing to taiwan. I alway wonder how can clone racket makers can get away by copying yonex rackets (isometric shapes, MP frame, etc) without being sued by yonex. Also, i have seen two Ti-8 with japan on handle bottom but qualities were so much different, visually and playability.
