World-class production facility in the Philippines: an interview with René Hansen
Today we talked to René Hansen, the managing director of MK Themed Attractions, to learn more about our new production facility in the Philippines.
René, why did you choose to open up a production facility in the Philippines?
RH: The simple answer is that we grew and we needed more space. Not only that, but it was clear that we were going to continue to grow, and so we need a space that we could fill with more people as needed.
The result is three buildings for new employees occupying a total area of 14,268m², so if we need to add new buildings, we have the space to do it. At the moment, we have the capacity for up to 700 employees across the existing buildings.
We already had a presence in the Philippines, and we were happy, so we decided to invest and expand further in the country.
What do you produce in the production facility?
RH: we originally specialized in producing themed concepts for the themed attraction industry, but we now also produce fiberglass characters, props and characters for shopping centers and public spaces worldwide, often combining these fiberglass sculptures with lights from MK Illumination’s worldwide subsidiaries to create magical, light-filled themed concepts.
Is the facility a factory, where you mass-produce fiberglass props, or it there more to it?
RH: The term ‘production facility’ implies that it’s a manufacturing plant, but that’s inaccurate. We hire incredibly talented people who turn dreams and ideas into 3D and 2D fiberglass sculptures. From design to visualization, modelling to final production, we do it all in-house.
No project is too big, too small, too complex or too simple.
We’ve all heard stories about how quality in Asian countries doesn’t always meet European expectations. How do you deal with that?
RH: MK Themed Attractions is headquartered in Denmark and we’re committed to meeting the high standards that our clients deserve. We make sure that we have the right controls and checks in place to deliver products and solutions that exceed European requirements and expectations.
What sort of projects does your team work on in the Philippines?
RH: One day, the team will be creating IP (intellectual property) characters from Disney or Warner Brothers, and the next they’ll be completing a wholesale order for a seasonal event like Halloween. And then of course, we have custom-designed projects that are really works of art – a great example of this is The Winter Unicorn, which is one of the highlights of our Enchanted Forest.
There’s never a dull moment, I can promise you that!
And what’s the future for MK Themed Attractions in the Philippines?
RH: Rapid growth. We’ve recently won a number of projects in the Philippines with clients like Eastwood City and City of Dreams, Manila, and we expect to increase our clients locally and across the region. Our worldwide business is also expanding on all fronts. The only way is up.
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For more information about MK Themed Attractions, visit www.mkthemedattractions.com.