Inside Asian Gaming

INSIDE ASIAN GAMING | April 2012 32 USPC T he United States Playing Card Company (USPC) produces the world’s most recognised brands of playing cards, including Bee®, Bicycle® and Congress®. The company is proud of its manufacturing heritage, dating back to 1885, but recognises the need to marry the values and traditions of its founders with the latest technology. While USPC’s primary competitor in supplying cards to the Asian casino industry prides itself on its labour intensive production process, USPC believes its ownmore highly automated process offers greater security and reliability. USPC cites as its other strengths a reliable supply line through controlling manufacturing facilities on two distant continents (including a facility in Spain run by its sister company, Fournier), and the support of large and well-endowed parent company, the Jarden Corporation. Inside Asian Gaming spoke to Scott Madding, USPC’s Director, Global Casino Sales, about the company’s value proposition and plans for Asia. IAG : Can you explain the key differences between the various brands of playing cards supplied by USPC? Scott Madding: For over 125 years, The United States Playing Card Company has been the leader in production and distribution of premium playing cards. Well-known and reputable brands such as BEE®, BICYCLE®, KEM®, ARISTOCRAT®, AVIATOR®, FOURNIER®, and HOYLE® are the results of our passion. Each brand has unique differences in card stocks, artwork and geographic preference. How are USPC cards different from those of other manufacturers? Unlike other manufacturers, our attention to detail even starts with the card stock. Making our own playing card stock provides us an unprecedented amount of control to make secure playing cards that we can customize for our customers’ unique and varied climates. Our finishes also help differentiate our products. Our proprietary Cambric® Finish combines our exclusive card stock with proprietary coatings and embossing rollers. We apply the Cambric® Finish after the printing process which allows the feel and durability of USPC cards to stand out, and maximise performance whether hand- or machine-shuffled. USPC paper casino cards are made in the USA from materials found and or made in the USA. Our supply chain is unaffected by overseas supply risks—from geopolitical concerns to currency fluctuations. Our USA-based suppliers provide us with a stable, predictable supply chain. Additionally, our materials and processes are green—our paper is derived from trees grown in environmentally managed forests and does not contain any plasticizers. Using water based inks and coatings combined with our new state of the art manufacturing equipment minimise consumption and waste. Something not everyone is aware of is USPC also supplies dice. What are the key differences between your dice and those supplied by other manufacturers? Our attention to detail and quality-assurance process is second to none. We deliver precision, razor edge dice for superior balance and weight distribution. What advantages can casino operators gain from working with USPC? Our state-of-the-art facility has the latest in card printing and finishing technology. We are dedicated to meeting customer requirements and providing high- quality products. We listen and work with our customers to provide them meaningful solutions with the goal to increase play time and decrease operating costs while keeping the player experience in mind. Certified random—USPC preshuffle production line Well Stocked The United States Playing Card Company is well-positioned to gain ground in Asia, says Scott Madding, the company’s Director, Global Casino Sales