Helen Fletcher caught up with Steven Tan of Universal Space at the recent EAG Expo to discuss ongoing expansion plans for 2011
Universal Space has established itself as one of the leading manufacturers in the coin-op amusement industry.
Starting life as a small company in 1993, the last 17 years of hard work, innovation and technology have allowed it to evolve from a small-scale factory to a corporate organisation, branching out into four distinct departments comprising of manufacturing, design, sales and operation.
Specialising in quality redemption games, children’s rides, prize machines and selective arcade games, UNIS’ designers, developers and engineers are constantly evaluating and creating new ways to make its product better and to attain the highest standards possible.
The manufacturer’s success in the highly competitive coin-op amusement industry can partly be attributed to its long-standing commitment in establishing international collaborations. Over the years it has developed strong partnerships with renowned companies such as Sega, Namco, Taito and Konami, as well Global VR, Betson, Benchmark, Family Fun and Bromley, to name but a few.
Thanks to hard work and determination, UNIS has also been able to invest in its other offices in Canada and Hong Kong- taking it forward into a new era of the amusement industry. It is now focusing its attention on the market in China, which remains relatively untouched in comparison with some of the more mature markets such as the UK and US.
Speaking with InterGame at the recent EAG Expo, held at the London Docklands, Steven Tan of Universal Space said: "The global recession brought with it many changes to the amusement industry, some negative. However, some areas did see growth - China being one of them. Some of the major players in the industry have even seen some extreme growth in China, as it is still considered quite a new market when you compare it to markets such as the UK and US."
While China will feature heavily in UNIS’ ongoing 2011 plans, having established a strong foundation in the market, innovation will also remain a strong focus for the manufacturer, which constantly strives to find product that will appeal to a worldwide market. "When you’re developing a new product you have to consider all points," said Tan. "From the software, to the design of the cabinet - will it appeal to a wide audience and is it strong enough to compete in the more mature markets where the highest standard is demanded?
"Too many manufacturers out there do not focus their attention on perfecting their services in one area - they try to be a distributor rather than develop their own products. At UNIS we continue to focus our attention on research and development of new product - we’re a manufacturer and we don’t try to be anything other than this. Trying to manufacture and distribute product is the wrong way to evolve as a company in my opinion - focus your attention on one area and this will translate into sales."
UNIS used the EAG Expo to launch a range of new products for the international amusement market. New titles include Platinum Heights - a redemption game, featuring multicolour LED lights, an intuitive progressive point system and fast ticket payout; Extreme Hoops - a new generation of hoop games, which improves on previous designs and is ideal for hosting basketball tournaments, while promoting repeat play among players; Waterpark Splash - a video-water interactive redemption game featuring new technology and six mini games; and Bed Monster 2, which features improved game play and service features as well as a simple recycling water mechanism.
