International Masalin Ceramics
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
International Masalin Ceramics, Ltd. (IMC; A.K.A. Masalin) is a manufacturer of porcelain goods. IMC's main factory is based in Thailand with another in China (Shun Sheng Ceramics Proucts Co., Ltd.; A.K.A. SSC). Its main office was located in Taiwan but have since moved to mainland China.
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[edit] History
[edit] Taiwan days
International Masalin Ceramics (IMC) was started as a factory to manufacture porcelain figurines, including the now famous Precious Moments porcelain bisque figurines. The porcelain figurines were originally designed and manufactured in Japan after Word War II, but with the ever improving economy of Japan, it was becoming difficult to keep the operational costs low. The Japanese company, designing the bisque figurines, decided to take the production end of the business to Taiwan. They sought out Masa Lin, a local Chinese businessman, and started the factory as a joint venture.
Although most of the fixed costs of the factory were invested by the Japanese company, Masa made up for his share with the intangible; the time and effort him and his staff put in to the factory. It looked as though the joint venture was a success - until the introduction and success of the Precious Moments porcelain bisque line.
In Masa's eyes, the Japanese design firm was over paid. After all, they only made one proto-type and his factories were producing thousands of these figurines. Also, in any manufacturing industry, the payment received by the factories are far less than the retail price of the products. In 1980, the factory to retail price ratio was 1:5. IMC had to split this revenue with the Japanese design firm. Masa thought he could negotiate a better deal with the American distributor.
In order to gain a bigger piece of the pie, Masa decided to oust his partner. IMC suddenly denied payment to the Japanese firm for the design fees and declared that IMC was now independently owned by Masa Lin and his family. IMC attempted to continue manufacturing Precious Moments, but the American distributor declined to purchase the completed products - which caused IMC to lose the anticipated revenues. Overall, Masa Lin failed to get the "bigger piece of the pie".
On a side note, the American company executives invested personally in to this joint venture. It is not known if Masa severed ties with them or is still sharing the profits with them.
[edit] Mainland days
Several years later, Masa Lin had started a factory in mainland China in the Dongguan city, Guangdong province. He put Jonathan Lin in charge of the Shun Sheng Ceramics Products, Co. Ltd. factory (SSC). The company had succeeded in securing contracts with some fine porcelain dinnerware makers, but the dinnerware market was slow and they needed something to give them a little boost.
Masa Lin went back to the American distributor of Precious Moments bisque figurines. After all, he heard that the figurines were selling like hot cakes. But by that time, the Japanese design firm had grown in to an International design & manufacturing company with three other factories around the world. There was no need for another factory outside of this group. So in his conversations, Masa brought up the non-payment for produced goods and forced the Americans to use his factories again.
Although the Japanese firm was taken aback at the American distributor's decision, it hoped to be able to mend the rift in its old relationships with the new factory and its new leader.
Not interested in mending any relationship, SSC or rather some of its older partners who had worked with Masa, continued in its attempts to circumvent the Japanese firm. SSC tried to negotiate an exclusive production contract with the American distributor - kicking out its Japanese partner again. Another tactic was for SSC to design their own Precious Moments figurines and tyring to sell them to the distributor. Every time they failed and lost time and money. The products were marketed as being created by the artist Sam Butcher and designed by his Japanese friend. There was no circumventing this million dollar ad campaign.
[edit] Present day
With Jonathan Lin as their leader, SSC has expanded their factories into Shanghai, China. This newest factory holds a more sophisticated facility than before to design and sculpt figurines. Essentially with this mini-studio, SSC can attract distributors who need a one-stop solution for design and manufacturing.
In May of 2005, the American distributor decided to cancel its license agreement with the copyright holder of their products, and that same copyright holder became the new worldwide distributor of the product. With this change over, there was no more reason for IMC/SSC to be loyal to any promises made during its partnership with the old distributor or the Japanese design studio.
In January of 2006, the new American distributor, introduced to its retailers their new products at its Atlanta show. Among these new items were a handful of figurines designed and manufactured at SSC, showcasing their design and manufacturing capabilities. As the year continued, more and more pieces designed by SSC appeared in the Precious Moments porcelain figurines line, every time improving their techniques and providing a higher perceived value.
[edit] Contacts
- Taiwan Office
1-6-1 Wu Ku Village
Kon Kwan Shiang, Miaoli
Taiwan R.O.C.
- Thailand Factory
International Masalin Ceramics, Ltd.
146 Moo 4 Sukhumvit 162
T. Huaykapi A. Muang, Chonburi
Thailand
- China Factory
Dong Guan Shun Sheng Ceramics Products Co., ltd.
Shang Feng Lin Industrial Area
Shi Jiao Road, Houjie Town
Dongguan City, Guangdong Province
China
[edit] Resources
Precious Moments porcelain bisque products designed solely by SSC appear in:
- Precious Moments, Inc. "Precious Moments January 2006 Catalog" #6100. May. 2006.
- Precious Moments, Inc. "Precious Moments June 2006" Catalog #6300. Jun. 2006.
- Precious Moments, Inc. "Precious Moments October 2006" Catalog #6400. Oct. 2006.
