GTW FEATURE [ASG]

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The dawn of a new era for ASGActionSportGames was set up 13 years ago, merging two other companies, but that has

proved to be a lucky number for the Danish airso! and airgun manufacturer, which has newpremises, more innovation than ever and an improved infrastructure.

It’s been one hell of a year forDanish airsoft and airgun

expert ActionSportGames(ASG).

For a start, it has moved intonew headquarters in the Danishtown of Espergaerde, just acouple of miles from its originalHumlebaek home, but thesepremises provide central o!ces,design and testing areas pluswarehousing, all in one.

"e contrast could not beclearer – each o!ce is #lled withsta$ dedicated to internationalsales, marketing, customerservice, design and development,website and social media, #nance,assembly and logistics.

"en there’s the move intomanufacturing of a completeairsoft gun, right there inDenmark.

"e EVO 3 A1 Scorpion is apioneering product and makesgood on a promise to GTW threeyears ago when we last visited,to produce a European or evenDanish-made gun.

Add in a completelyredesigned website with theend user in mind, an innovativemarketing plan and a sales teamthat, in many cases, uses sta$from the areas its distributors

actually come from, and it is clearthat ASG is all geared up for thefuture.

MOVING ONSettling back in the expansivemeeting and showroom, against abackdrop of activity from productdevelopment and assemblingactions, ASG’s internationalsales and marketing manager,Christian Kaae Olsen, has an airof con#dence about him.

"e move went smoothlyand brings everything – withthe exception of the main partsmanufacture – under one roof.

He explained: “"e movehas made such a big di$erencealready."e o!ces are ideal for us,everyone is easily accessible andwe already have people swappingbetween di$erent roles as webring new sta$ in and discovertheir best talents.

“We have space to move about,a dedicated meeting room wherewe can present our productsand discuss things with ourinternational distributors.

“It’s a very good environmentand it also means we can assembleactions and other parts here, tryout new ideas and then test themin our dedicated airsoft tunnel.

"at was especially importantwith our HPA system.” (More ofwhich, later).

Meanwhile, the impressivewarehouse is a hive of activitythanks to its clever barcodepicking system, wheresophisticated scanners are usedto pinpoint each item, update theinventory and mark o$ everythingas it is picked and packed. Insome cases the orders are evenphotographed before they leavethe facility for destinations acrossthe world.

Christian added: “It makeseverything ultra-e!cient, easyto track and, perhaps mostimportantly, means few returnsor supply issues. Everything runssmoothly and the system – whichwe designed ourselves – is sosimple.”

QUALITY COUNTS"e premises are also home toa unique ASG innovation – amachine designed by companyfounders Johnny Pedersen andHenrik Grobelnik that actuallysorts and grades BBs individually.

Every single BB, whichhas been moulded, processedand tested based on ASGspeci#cations, is sent through the

machine for grading, to ensure itis perfectly round and the samesize as all the others.

Christian revealed: “We arethe only airsoft supplier in theindustry who does this and itensures strict quality control.

“"is is very important. Ifyou buy a pack or bottle ofBBs that have not been tested,manufacturing variations canmean that some are larger thanothers or not uniform in shape.Obviously this can cause a jam ora problem in the gun, which wereally don’t want.

“So we perform this extraservice and test every single BBbefore it is packaged up, to makesure they are all of the best qualityand the same size.

“We gather up the imperfectones and send them back to themanufacturer. In this way theycan improve their manufacturingprocesses too, as they will try towork out what has happened toproduce some that are not usable.”

Once the BBs have beenthrough the machine and gradedaccordingly, those that have passedthe quality control test are bottled,sealed and labelled, ready fordelivery to shops and distributorsaround the world. It’s a slick

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[ASG]FEATURE GTW

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GTW

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FEATURE [ASG]

ActionSportGamesT: +45 8928 1888E: sales@actionsportgames.comW: www.actionsportgames.com

operation that reduces returnsand increases the company’spro#le as a quality supplier.

MADE IN DENMARKWhen GTW last visited there wasmuch talk of the development ofa new product – the CZ ScorpionEVO 3 A1 – which would bemade in Europe.

At the time Johnny told us:“To be honest, I couldn’t #nd anymanufacturer in Asia that has thetechnology to make this electricairsoft gun.

“Indeed, we actually changedthe way these items areengineered to make them moresuitable for European – evenDanish – manufacture.”

In fact, ASG not onlysucceeded in bringing it toEurope, it actually broughtthe manufacturing process toDenmark itself, having discovereda specialist injection mouldingfacility that could producemagazines and receivers, amongother items.

Technical project co-ordinator Nikolaj Christensenexplained: “We knew we wantedto manufacture the EVO inDenmark if at all possible andwe uncovered this place, which isideal. It makes many componentsfor other industries but we realisedvery quickly it was an ideal #t forour products.

“Once we had found otherswho could contribute additionalparts, it was clear we had theanswer to Danish airsoft gunmanufacturing.

“Of course, we didn’t stop there;it allowed us to look at the waywe did things and this led to thedevelopment of the HPA (HighPressure Air) system. Originallydeveloped by American engineers,we saw the potential and havebeen working on it to take airsoftto the next level using the HPAsystem.”

UNDER PRESSUREA little over a year ago ASGand Wolverine Airsoft in theUSA got together to develop thelatter’s HPA system for its CZScorpion EVO – the #rst timeever that an airsoft manufacturerand an HPA engine

manufacturer had collaboratedon such a project.

"e result is that ASG can nowo$er the EVO in two options:an electric version manufacturedcompletely in Denmark, and ahigh-pressure air model with anengine made in the United States.GTW’s editor in chief, John

Hunter, and business developmentmanager, Mark Peacock, were the#rst people outside the companyto o!cially test the HPA system,at ASG’s HQ.

"e di$erence between theoriginal electric system and theHPA could not have been moremarked. All agreed the electricsystem EVO was a fun gun toshoot and did a great job.

But the HPA moved accuracy,control and fun up another notchentirely.

Nikolaj continued: “We haveturned the airsoft market onits head with the launch of theEVO. It is generally consideredto be the best airsoft model, outof the box, and that may be why

we are now turning the tables onFar Eastern manufacturers andare actually selling this airsoftgun to Asia.

“We know airsoft players liketo tweak their guns to get thebest out of them and we haveproduced a range of accessoriesto help them, from stockadaptors to high-capacity, 375-shot magazines.

“But the addition of a new‘engine’ just makes things evenbetter. We needed an EVO thatnot only works well but alsohad to improve on the currentversion, as well as being able toassemble it, of course.

“Obviously we don’t want tobe building a completely newgun; it makes more sense to usethe same moulds for as muchas possible. Indeed, in order to

implement the HPA system, theonly part we have had to change(aside from the internal motor,of course) is the hop-up rubber.It has been hard work but it haspaid o$ in terms of o$ering atruly precision gun.

“In fact, there are fewer partsto break down so the EVO HPAshould be even more reliable andneed less servicing – it has takenairsoft guns to the next level; it’sa plug and play solution.”

DELIVERING THEMESSAGEGetting the product right,innovating it and having it madelocally are all great, but getting theproducts into the hands of dealersand customers is crucial.

"e move has allowed theASG team to look carefully ateverything it does and its updatedwebsite and web shop will make iteasier for everyone to choose theright products.

Built on a platform that is justas accessible to mobile and tablet

users as PC users, it will o$er acomplete rundown of products,plus news, videos and much more.

Michael Rosquist, who hasbuilt the system, explained: “Wewant it to be accessible to anyone,from anywhere. All our stocklevels and product informationand images will be available to allof our dealers.

“"ere is an Excel-uploadfunction for customers to re-order,they will be able to check ordersand even see suggested accessories.All of this will free up time for thesales team, too.”

Christian added: “We listenedto our customers and are aimingto give them what they want. Ifpeople ask ASG for something,we try hard to produce it for them."at is very important to the waywe work.”

ON A MISSIONAs a specialist in licensed replica#rearms, ASG has some of thebiggest names in the businessunder its belt, including CZ, DanWesson, Steyr, Arsenal, Bersa,Franchi, Accuracy International,Armalite, B&T, STI and BSA,among many others.

Today it uses these licences toproduce everything from springguns to gas, CO2, non and fullblowback, 4.5mm and 6mmairguns.

One of its latest forays is intoair ri*es, with the launch of theTAC4.5 non-blowback, whichtakes 4.5mm BBs.

"ree years ago, havingidenti#ed the USA as a majorpotential market, it set up anoperation over there, based inMoorpark, California.

Christian added: “Our goal asa worldwide company is to worktowards becoming the preferredsupplier in the #rearms replicabusiness through worldwidelicensing agreements,qualitybrands and premium service.”

But whatever ASG does, it isunderpinned by its principles andthese are enshrined it its DESKacronym.

"is stands for Dedication,Entrepreneurship,Service andKnowledge, all of which help focusthe team on the job in hand andhelp them stay one step ahead ofthe competition.

ASG says it can demonstrateits total dedication to the trade,quality and its customers througha common identity, focus andcommitment.Entrepreneurship isidenti#ed by development, energy,a strong solidarity and the will andurge to be the best,making ASGat the front of its market.

"e service element comes fromits willingness to work rationally,based on fact and through e$ectivesystems, all supported by its strongteam of employees.

Finally, its knowledge of thetrade,products and technical skillsmakes ASG the preferred partnerfor both suppliers and end users. GTW

We listened to our customers and areaiming to give them what they want. Ifpeople ask ASG for something, we try

hard to produce it for them.ASG | CHRISTIAN KAAE OLSEN

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[ASG]FEATURE GTW

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