Coinslot June 14- June 20, 2013 7
Vending‘ has crept up’ on redemption specialist
REDEMPTION
The recent Park Avenue Open Day gave UDC an opportunity to speak to people in relaxed circumstances. Coinslot spoke to chairman Derek Horwood about the direction in which UDC is heading in 2013.
DC’ s chairman Derek Hor- pointed to the enor-
Uwood
mous Big Monster Drop from Florida-based Benchmark Games and the Fresh Cotton Candy Factory, manufactured in South East Asia, as two of the firm’ s major pieces for 2013, with the latter showing breathtaking returns on a number of Bourne Leisure sites in the UK. While a specialist in redemption since 1990, the latter product represents not so much a change in direction for the Park Avenuebased outfit, but an additional string to its bow.
Horwood stated:“ We can meet and greet customers and show them new models. Obviously, we’ d like to write plenty of orders on the back of it, as it does show off the equipment to its best advantage.”
While demonstrating the Fresh Cotton Candy Factory’ s‘ candy floss in one minute’ vending machine, Horwood
explained that an eye for a good product coupled with a desire to keep ahead of the game has helped UDC survive some of coin-op’ s leaner times while other companies have fallen by the wayside, including some of those which were positioned on the same Brent Crescent industrial estate which Horwood once referred to as“ Coin machine alley”. He told Coinslot:“ I don’ t think the UK was quite ready for redemption back in 1990, but we were at the vanguard then and we’ re always on the look-out for new, innovative redemption pieces. Exhibiting at Dubai and Mumbai has helped us gain a reputation on the world stage too.”
It was an ex-showman, Freddie Bailey, who sent Horwood a newspaper clipping of a popular US-based redemption machine, who convinced UDC that redemption was the way forward.
Horwood added:“ We watch the market to see where it’ s
going and we try to influence it where we can. I’ m not blinkered- I’ ve been impressed by products distributed by other firms, but we’ re having good reports from our games all over the UK so I’ m happy about that.”
UDC’ s chairman said that 2013 would be a‘ year of consolidation’ for his firm.“ We’ ll push the products we have, give customers support and help customers tweak their purchases to give them the best crack of the whip. We’ ll always stand by them and help them out wherever we can.”
With products such as Blue Blazes, which spits out tickets every time a player releases a ball into the circular playfield, and the world famous Slam-A-Winner, UDC is well positioned to keep a firm grip on the UK redemption sector. Horwood concluded:“ With the Candy Crane as well as the candy floss machine, vending has crept up on us somewhat, but as far as I’ m concerned if a product is good enough there’ s always room for some more.”
Exclusively from Whitehouse Leisure
I Speak Furbish
6 Assorted Colours
Bag Clips
Don’ t miss your chance to profit from one of the most popular toys of the decade
Set to be the number 1“ must have” Christmas toy for 2 consecutive years
AVAILABLE IN EITHER SUPERSOFT GIFT QUALITY WITH BEADS OR VELBOA PLUSH
ORDER YOUR STOCKS NOW
Point of sale available with all crane orders. www. whitehouseleisure. co. uk
Wilson House, Bentalls, Pipps Hill, Basildon, Essex SS14 3BX, England Telephone: + 44( 0) 1268 274284 Fax: + 44( 0) 1268 274285 E-Mail: sales @ whitehouseleisure. co. uk