Hey all,

I have heard that there is a Kite Factory in China somewhere. Does anyone know which city? I am going to travel over there for a month or so, and would love to visit it!

Cheers,
Tom

Aiolus said...

I kited with a dude yesterday at Huskisson that had a red Kite made in one of those China factories last year and had it imported, it was a direct copy of a leading brand kite ... said it cost $200 US before our dollar crashed ... it had the website of the China factory printed in HUGE letters on it, I'll write it down if I see it again .. China are good copy-cats, howevr I'd rather support the original manufacturer

It's probably also worth considering what your own life is worth if the thing craps out on you at the wrong time. Better off buying a second hand or last years kite of a reputable brand - rather than some direct copy with no testing or R&D.....

there called teki and if you get in contact with steve from fluid kiteboarding he can let you know the details of this dodgy duplicating factory.
Good luck getting onto steve!!! as he loves to sell his stuff but will never answer his phone if you have a problem or he owes you money

tmiddled said...

I'm talking about the reputable kites, not copies (although I'd be interested in seeing either).

I know (or at least was told) that Ozone's factory is in Vietnam. I though Cab's & Slingshot got them made in China? Or was someone telling me porkies?

unless you work for one of these company's and are a quality controll person you have no chance of getting a tour as they are a bit funny on letting out secrets of how they are made and the methods used.

Buy local, support your local industry.

There are several places where quality kites, with original R&D designs, are made.
Ozone have their own factory, but have made some kites for SS in the past, not anymore though, not since they started making their own inflatables.

There is a big manufacturing plant in Sri Lanka, because of low wages there, it makes several well known brands, including the bulk of North, Core, Caution, and several others.

The rest are in China, Neil Pryde factory makes several brands, including lots of Best kites, Liquid Force, etc.
A.Lam Sails is another huge factory that makes lots of brands, and I think there are a couple more that make Naish and Flexifoil.
Then there is the Chinakite factory when many cheaper brands are made as well as lots and lots of knock offs, not just kitesurfing knock offs, foils and stunt kites included.

Ripping off original designs sucks.

Cya and

Goodwinds

Steve

I started a thread in the general section on ozi manufaturing if anyone is interested on commenting
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=49489

Kitepower Australia said...

Buy local, support your local industry.

As in local manufacturers? I didn't think there were any...

Mmmmm,,,, I haven`t made up my mind on this one yet.
From what I see on the water not many people buy Oz brand kites. And if most of the big name kites are being made in places like China, then why should I buy local?
Just to look after your local kite shop owner? Maybe for reasons like, if you have a problem with your kite taking it back to your local shop is easier than sending it back to China? But if I`m saving a few hundred bucks maybe it`s worth the risk? Your local shop will be more willing to repair your kite if you bought it from him? But surely there will always be somewhere to take it if it needs repairing? And again, if you`ve saved big money on the kite in the first place you`ll take your chances with the repairs when that time comes.
For example: A friend I know right bought his kite on line last june from overseas and saved at least 500 bucks. It`s his main kite wich he hammers like anything (cause he`s such a brilliant aggressive kiter that takes things to the max) The only repairs since was he had to change the pulleys, wich he bought on line for next to nothing and worn bridle lines, wich again he got on line quite cheap.
So from what I can see, this friend of mine didn`t do too bad.
Like I said I haven`t made up my mind on this one. But has anyone bought from this www.chinakite company? And what are their kites like? If they are good kites then why not? They`re made in China like most of the others.

I think you will find the folks who get ripped off the worst are the "fashion victims" who have to have a new quiver of kites and boards every year...

But then again, that's a victimless crime if there ever was one.

You might not be able to buy a local made kites but you can buy local made boards. I think cardboard for 1 is truly ozzzzzie owned and made. (correct me if im wrong )

i believe the honest kite shop owners out there. and when i need my australian puchased kite repaired i take it to one, just like my US purchased kite, or the 2nd hand one. i have never taken it to the shop i purchased from, because it was an internet buy (all 3) and they are not local to me. does this mean i should not buy from australian estores? are they killing the sport? do they push Oz board manufacturers and kites, or the ones made o/s?


seems to me the argument is dont buy from o/s, because we do that then sell it to you. yes, service, if you provide a service and market it in a way that i perceive a need, then i will buy from you.

but i am no charity, if i research the kite, i have done the 'selling', there is no local dealer within 1300km of me half of the year, and the local bloke for the other half doesnt stock the kite i want. but my warranty better be international, because i travel, and i may yet find something in your store if i am getting it sorted.

if i save $500 and spend it at the local pie shop, or better yet on lessons, am i not injecting more cash into Oz? (or better yet my partner so i can kite more) and spending the $900 govt handout on an import is a bit hypocritical isnt it?

and will these selfless kiteshop owners and employees guarantee me that they will only buy Oz cars, Oz tuna, Oz made clothes. because if we dont buy Oz made clothes we will end up naked.

2nd hand kites, seabreeze is killing the sport helping push these kites with no GST, nothing going to the kiteshop owners, this last comment is a final stab at the narrow minded notion that saving quite a few hundred dollars does not end up back in the sport in Oz in some way.

I`m sure if these big brand designer companies didn`t over price their sports wear, jeans, sunnies, handbags etc then there wouldn`t be a big pirate copy trade. I mean come on, a couple of hundred bucks for a pair of jeans, that`s made in China or India like all the rest. Doesn`t make sense. What`s the average price of a new kite, $2000+ ? And most of them are made in China. Let`s be honest, they`re made in China so the owners can maximise profits. Why do I have to spend 500 bucks more on a kite down my local so he can treat me to a few beers once in a while? And none of my local kite shops have rescue boats. Neither does my local kite shop sell one Oz made kite. Or even board comming to think about it. So if they are not looking after local producers why must I be loyal to them? I`m not saying we should buy counterfeit kites because that would be silly and dangerous. But if some Chinese manufacture wants to get in on the kiteboarding buisness (where most of the others are being made anyway) and their stuff is good enough and cheap enough then what`s the problem? People make as if places like China and India are such a big threat, they`re forgetting that it`s thanks to big demand from China and India that the minning industry here experienced such prosperous times. And because of the ripple effect other industries blossomed. Thanks to the boom in development in these countries that western buisnesses could go in there and make a killing. Mobile phone industry, computer industry, fashion industry and loads more. It`s a very small world we`re living in people, get used to it. Or get left way behind. Why do you think our shops are filled with such variety compared to years ago? Why do you think things that were only available to the well off years ago can be afforded by most now? We are more comfortable now than ever before thanks to globalisation. Just ask your grandparents what it was like then compared to now.
Anyway, back to the point. Errrr I forgot now
Freedom of choice and competition. That`s what drives things forwad.

This discussion has been had many times over the last couple of years on this forum and most of the time this has been the conclusion:

- It costs a lot of money for R&D for kites and we get the benefit of this when we get good gear that works out of the bag and gives us a good dose of adrenalin for about 10 bucks a go.

- If anyone thinks kite shop owners are getting rich...think again. The markup on kites in the shops is probably one of the lowest markups on retail goods out there.

- If I buy a kite for $2000, I can use it heaps over a couple of seasons and if I've treated it well I can sell it for about $1000. A rip off copy will sell for nothing even if it's only been used once.

- After sales service and backup is worth every cent. If your local distributor is not giving you this then go to another one.

- Nobody is stopping people from buying rip-off China kites. It's a free market. If you want to buy cr@p then go for it.

- I buy the good brands from my local people - not because it makes me feel good but because over the years I'm getting value for money and excellent service. Not to mention the fact that I can demo as many kites as I want and they'll lend me a kite for the weekend if mines away for repair.

phrase said...

I`m sure if these big brand designer companies didn`t over price their sports wear, jeans, sunnies, handbags etc then there wouldn`t be a big pirate copy trade. I mean come on, a couple of hundred bucks for a pair of jeans, that`s made in China or India like all the rest. Doesn`t make sense. What`s the average price of a new kite, $2000+ ? And most of them are made in China. Let`s be honest, they`re made in China so the owners can maximise profits. Why do I have to spend 500 bucks more on a kite down my local so he can treat me to a few beers once in a while? And none of my local kite shops have rescue boats. Neither does my local kite shop sell one Oz made kite. Or even board comming to think about it. So if they are not looking after local producers why must I be loyal to them? I`m not saying we should buy counterfeit kites because that would be silly and dangerous. But if some Chinese manufacture wants to get in on the kiteboarding buisness (where most of the others are being made anyway) and their stuff is good enough and cheap enough then what`s the problem? People make as if places like China and India are such a big threat, they`re forgetting that it`s thanks to big demand from China and India that the minning industry here experienced such prosperous times. And because of the ripple effect other industries blossomed. Thanks to the boom in development in these countries that western buisnesses could go in there and make a killing. Mobile phone industry, computer industry, fashion industry and loads more. It`s a very small world we`re living in people, get used to it. Or get left way behind. Why do you think our shops are filled with such variety compared to years ago? Why do you think things that were only available to the well off years ago can be afforded by most now? We are more comfortable now than ever before thanks to globalisation. Just ask your grandparents what it was like then compared to now.
Anyway, back to the point. Errrr I forgot now
Freedom of choice and competition. That`s what drives things forwad.

Phrase wouldn't it be better for the people who live in Australia, to buy products made from the minerals dug out of our great land, products made from our own refineries and mills, produced in our own factories using skilled local workers?

The whole country and the rest of the western world is obsessed with getting things for the lowest possible price and not looking at getting the best possible value.
Never for a moment considering the greater cost of a low one off price, like the loss of vast numbers of jobs and skilled tradespeople.
We live in a global commmunity for sure that has never been more obvious.

The current Global economic crisis has been partially caused by the greed of speculators, and the directors and owners of the western owned companies that are exploiting low labor cost countries.

The formula for sustainable activity should be mine it, refine it and then add the real local community supporting value to it, supply the locals with their needs and export the surplus finished goods.

But its easier the current, unsustainable, world and planet destroying way, exploiting poor nations and people, burning fossil fuel the whole way. How dumb is it that we spend huge amounts of resources shipping raw materials all over the world and then buy it back after shipping half way round the globe again.

I'm not saying there is an easy overnight solution, however we all do need to start to think differently and begin to really think a lot more about what we all do on this planet, is it sustainable and supportive of life, or is it just all about immediate gratification and the almighty F**king dollar?

If you have kids what sort of world are we leaving them, and even harder to imagine is what sort of world will their kids inherit??

I've been very fortunate to live in the time period I have same goes for all people in generations similar in age to mine. We will be dead before the world and its people really begin to suffer for the lack of tolerance and co-operation we've all shown each other for the last 200 years since industrialisation began.

Cya and

Goodwinds

Steve

Kitepower Australia said...

[b]


The formula for sustainable activity should be mine it, refine it and then add the real local community supporting value to it, supply the locals with their needs and export the surplus finished goods.


I

Steve

couple of things, you mine and refine, that aint sustainable mate, you mine you've #$%'d it. no one is putting new minerals in the ground dude.

secondly, no way am i advocating people buy cheap copies, hard to kite in a wheel chair (maybe its not, i dont actually know) my life is worth the R&D.

its a global economy now, this isnt the 60's, the fact is if you have a billion people, you have cheaper labor. with labor intensive goods, they just do it cheaper.
a country doesnt need to produce something to hold in your hand to prosper. ireland, switzewland, etc.

as far as the effect on global warming, give up meat, turn off a light. buy less stuff period.

didnt i just see an advert saying use kevin rudd's bonus for a kite??? spend all the cash intended to support the australian economy on imports. and with your slim margins, it will almost all go overseas, just a touch of hypocracy there? or did i imagine that advert?

Sookee, you have no idea what you are on about,

Stonk still makes handmade twin tips, kitesurfboards and sup's to order,

I have owned 3 Undergrounds (95 & 98 models in 122,128,138) tried most other brands, had a handmade Stonker twin tip and now settled on one of the new 2008 Stonker (Taiwan made) models which are as good as any other brand.

The Stonker website openly states as you saw that the 2008 twin tips are made in Taiwan.

So Sookee, if you are really in Vic, get your head out of your arse and go and visit the shop, have a chat with Stonk, he'll be happy to show you around so you can see for yourself.

If you can, then why not buy local, Stonker or Cardboards.

happy winds ya plonker