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Guess what: Honma is really a Chinese company now


Moecat

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http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/03/03/2010030300836.html

 

Honma brand golf clubs are so popular in Korea that some say the Japanese company makes most of its money from Korean golfers. The company is known for its high-end handmade clubs, with a complete set costing up to W35 million (US$1=W1,154). But the famed Japanese brand is now under the umbrella of Marlion Holdings Ltd., a holding company backed by Chinese firms. Honma had fallen on tough times at home and filed for bankruptcy as the number of golfers in Japan shrank due to the low birth rate and aging population.

 

Several other Japanese companies have become the targets of Chinese corporate hunters. In January, China's Ningbo Yunsheng acquired Nikko Electric Industry, a Japanese auto parts maker that was established in 1933. Ningbo Yunsheng started off making music boxes, but expanded into the automotive components industry and needed Nikko's technology to improve product quality.

 

Ningbo Yunsheng acquired 80 percent of Nikko's shares and dispatched five of its executives to the Japanese parts maker. But all of them are in absentee positions and have no direct say in management affairs. Nikko's management team remained and all 200 of its workers kept their jobs. Ningbo Yunsheng said it was not concerned with Nikko's poor business performance and was not interested in stock dividends or investment returns -- it only wanted to tap into Nikko's know-how to boost the quality of its own goods.

 

There are reportedly some 70,000 small and mid-sized manufacturers on the auction block in Japan as for various reasons they cannot hand family businesses down to children or face financial difficulties. The field is ripe for Chinese investors to pick. Last year, Chinese businesses spent 28.5 billion yen (W370 billion) to buy up Japanese companies, a four-fold increase from 2008. There are rising fears in Japan that Chinese companies may only be interested in acquiring corporate secrets.

 

At the end of last year, Korean companies deposited a record W215 trillion (US$1=W1,154) into bank accounts. Because of the weak won and low interest rates, their profits have surged, but economic uncertainties have deterred them from investing their money into new ventures. They may have good reason to take a wait-and-see attitude toward investments, but it is frustrating that so much money is inactive. And it is all the more frustrating to watch Chinese competitors use their money to buy Japanese corporate gems to obtain valuable technology.

 

By Chosun Ilbo columnist Kim Ki-cheon

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We have a large Korean population where I live and they play a ton of golf and most of their bags are filled with Honma clubs.

 

 

 

 

 

3JACK

Author of Pro Golf Synopsis. The Moneyball approach to golf strategy and analysis.Driver: Wishon 919THI, 10° loft, UST Mamiya VTS Red 7x, 44-3/8” long, 2,825 kg/cm^2 MOIGONZO WOOD: confidential2-Hybrid: Mizuno Fli-HiCLK, 17° loft, 40-7/8" KBS Tour Hybrid shaft (stiff)3-Hybrid: Mizuno Fli-HiCLK, 20° loft, 40" KBS Tour Hybrid shaft (stiff)4-6 iron: Wishon 575MMC (CB)7-PW: Wishon 575MMC (MB)SW: Edel Golf driver grind, 52° loft, 16° bounce, Nippon WV 125 shaft.LW: Edel Golf Digger Grind, 60° loft, 27° bounce, Nippon WV 125 ShaftPutter: Edel Golf Columbia Custom Made, 35" long, 72° lie angle, 3° loft. Ball: Titleist Pro V1xGrips: PURE Grips P2 Wrap (red)Shoes: FootJoy Dry-Joy (black, size 14)3Jack's Golf Blog - http://3jack.blogspot.com

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But the famed Japanese brand (Honnma) is now under the umbrella of Marlion Holdings Ltd., a holding company backed by Chinese firms

 

Moe, you're surprised...?

 

15 years ago I had a very, very wealthy financially involved customer. Way back then his wife told me to be very concerned about the Chinese and their involvement in our economy.

 

Like it or not, since both Russia and China have recently discovered the values of Capitalism the tenor of the world economy has greatly changed.

 

rob

 

ps - you and I have actually danced around this same thing with the forging thread.

I Can't Help It If I'm Lucky...

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But the famed Japanese brand (Honnma) is now under the umbrella of Marlion Holdings Ltd., a holding company backed by Chinese firms

 

Moe, you're surprised...?

 

15 years ago I had a very, very wealthy financially involved customer. Way back then his wife told me to be very concerned about the Chinese and their involvement in our economy.

 

Like it or not, since both Russia and China have recently discovered the values of Capitalism the tenor of the world economy has greatly changed.

 

rob

 

ps - you and I have actually danced around this same thing with the forging thread.

 

Hi Rob, no I'm not surprised about what's reported in the article. Just thought it interesting to share with others, that's all :)

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Well either way surprised or not Thanks for sharing Moecat! I enjoyed the read.

 

Tim

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Moe, trust you did not understand my reply...and you didn't :)

 

We're living in a rapidly shifting economic time and what we were comfortable with unfortunately is no longer the economic model.

 

As long as the Chinese can have workers who view $1.00 an hour as an economic boon we have to resign ourselves to the fact that they are going to dominate the world markets.

 

rob :)

I Can't Help It If I'm Lucky...

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Can the quality survive? I became aware of Honma after I found a Sinker putter in a thrift store. What an amazing cast putter.

They had a booth at the big Golf Expo in Sac last Spring. Seems like amazing equipment. The inheritance law seems terrible.

Outsourcing is the norm I guess

Volvo Intorqueo

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I guess I'm a little surprised but the China market is exploding and the Japan market is imploding. So it makes sense.

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This is really too bad if the quality of the Honma name is diminished.

I just thought that I would share the Honma putter that I picked up in a thrift store.

It is much nicer than the $2 I paid for it. :blink:

 

The last picture shows what it looked like when I found it... Epoxy used to add the graphite shaft may have been excessive.

[sorry about the huge picture.]

IMG_3905.jpg

IMG_3903.jpg

IMG_3907.jpg

IMG_3802.jpg

Volvo Intorqueo

All the cool kids follow me on twitter: @GolfspyDave

If you are not a cool kid, following me on twitter will make you cool...

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Nice pick up Mr Thrifty.

 

This is really too bad if the quality of the Honma name is diminished.

I just thought that I would share the Honma putter that I picked up in a thrift store.

It is much nicer than the $2 I paid for it. :blink:

 

The last picture shows what it looked like when I found it... Epoxy used to add the graphite shaft may have been excessive.

[sorry about the huge picture.]

#TruthDigest
 

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Is it made of manganese bronze, like the old Ansers?

My understanding is that it is MnBr. Lamont helped me learn about the putter after I found it. He said that it was cast and of a quality similar to Ping. Retail was about $200. I had never heard of Honma prior to finding it.

I had it cleaned up and reshafted locally. Great feel, if it was a bit heavier it would probably find bag time.

Volvo Intorqueo

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If you are not a cool kid, following me on twitter will make you cool...

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Can the quality survive?

 

I don't pretend to know much about Honma's line of clubs, but I do know from friends in the golfing industry that one or more of the foundries in Guangdong province (where I spend a lot of my time) have been producing heads for Honma for a number of years now. Unless the new ownership changes the existing production process, there isn't any reason why the quality level can't remain the same.

______

Dave

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This is really too bad if the quality of the Honma name is diminished.

I just thought that I would share the Honma putter that I picked up in a thrift store.

It is much nicer than the $2 I paid for it. :D

 

The last picture shows what it looked like when I found it... Epoxy used to add the graphite shaft may have been excessive.

[sorry about the huge picture.]

 

 

Looks more like contact cement. Nice find. Looks in a lot better condition than the putter I'm bagging.

 

 

Shambles

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Looks more like contact cement. Nice find. Looks in a lot better condition than the putter I'm bagging.

 

 

Shambles

Maybe. It was so bad. the graphite shaft that was stuffed in the hosel looked like is had gone through a pencil sharpener first. Then the goop to hold it in.

Very sweet now...

Volvo Intorqueo

All the cool kids follow me on twitter: @GolfspyDave

If you are not a cool kid, following me on twitter will make you cool...

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  • 2 weeks later...

I don't pretend to know much about Honma's line of clubs, but I do know from friends in the golfing industry that one or more of the foundries in Guangdong province (where I spend a lot of my time) have been producing heads for Honma for a number of years now. Unless the new ownership changes the existing production process, there isn't any reason why the quality level can't remain the same.

 

That's with the assumption of integrity. China has not shown much of that lately.

 

 

Shambles

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