Mixing it with the 'big three' in Germany is Austria-based Apex Gaming. Challenging the established Gauselmann, Lowen and Bally Wulff on their home territory saw Apex chief Johannes Weissengruber take a 250sq.m stand at the IMA show.
With the principals in Germany running multigame platforms for their AWPs, and either leasing or selling the base machine, and then leasing the software, Weissengruber has very fixed ideas to the contrary.
"I am only selling the machine and selling the programs, with regular updates," he said. "This is what most of the operators in Germany want; this is the traditional way of doing business in Germany."
His first-time showing at IMA, with machines built in his Czech Republic factory, did not go unnoticed by German operators. "There has been an unprecedented response," he said. The new Apex machine has 25 games available, all based on the latest 4.0 technology.
"If it were not for the fact that the games are held up in the testing process, we would have sold the first 2,000 units at the show itself," he said. "As it is, we expect to have made a strong impact on the market in Germany within a few months of approval being granted."
The Apex range may be handled in Germany by a network of distributors. Weissengruber said that ‘five or six’ dealers had made approaches to the company to handle the equipment. However, Apex is ready to set up a string of depots for its own distribution if necessary. "I would prefer to work through dealers - we have to get the product out there quickly."
