From Nikkei Net News
Due to the increase of labor expenses and CNY exchange rate, TakaraTomy will be moving their production line from commissioned plants in China to Vietnam to cut production costs.
This will include capsule toys and Tomica mini-cars. Production value in Vietnam will increase from 15 billion yen by March of 2010 to 30 billion yen in 2011.

Edit:
Production of toys in Vietnam
30% of total for capsule toys and 60% of total for Tomica cars
next year, 100% for both.

News is HERE

 

As offspring of post-Vietnam War refugees: You've got to be fucking kidding me, Takara.


Edit: Refugee in this case means "people running away from the regime who won the war".

 

why? I though it'll be good for the country?

 

Interesting. I guess I'd rather my money go to Vietnam than China... I guess. Especially if the end product doesn't go up in price. Vietnamese know how to build quality stuff, so I'm down with it.

 

i thought they were already manufacturing tomica diecast cars in vietnam (and malaysia)?

 

I wonder if I can find some relatives there to sneak me something off the line sometime  .

 

So much for the stolen Chinese toy industry.

 

I'm sure that the money being given to the Chinese employee's was crap enough, can only imagine how much worse it'll be for the Vietnam workers.

 

Hopefully quality remains consistent if not better.

 

No difference. This time is from Vietnam instead.

 

Capsule toys, like the vending machine ones? Meh.

 

Guess who my family was running from?

 

I noticed the Transformers ROTF Battle Charger (Optimus Prime) I put in a Toys for Tots bin this year was made in Vietnam. I was surprised. This tread confirms it.

 

Lets end the war talk now before it gets out of hand :O

 

interesting i wonder if this will have any effect on retail prices and i hope there is no drop in quality of assembly and paint aps

 

I'd like to think it's crap for US standards and pretty decent for their standards

 

Well yeah, it's crap for 1st world countries, that's not to say that for countries such as India, China and Vietnam people are seriously overworked and underpaid. Working 10+ hours a day for the equivalent of $5-10 a day, or less.

It may be considered 'decent' pay for them, but at the same time the wages/employee's rights are seriously flawed.

 

So much for long-term memory.

Takara Tomy To Move Factories From China - Transformers News

 

how is it going to get out of hand? one member expressed a clear and accurate opinion about that crap regime that runs vietnam, nothing hysterical or out of hand....

 

1) TakaraTomy will still be TakaraTomy.
2) Factory owners will probably the same ones in China. Japanese companies usually stick with old partners than trying with new ones
3) More workers will be hired. Some senior workers might go there to train newbies

So,
1) TakaraTomy will spend less
2) Factory owners will probably be making more
3) Labor cost drops
4) Extra time for training the workers to get to whatever level it is now in China. At least for the paint jobs
5) See more defects in the first few years