Blue Cavern

Here is the link to the website of the Tunisian factory, which painted the figures by Schleich.

About an article in a German newspaper I came up with the name of this company. It has very interesting information as the project plan. You can see how long it takes from idea to delivery.
The pictures are very interesting.

The site manager called Volker Kasten. The company is owned by the brothers Paul and Marc Kraut. You can see Marc Kraut under "Kontakt".

His brother Paul Kraut is also managing director of the Schleich GmbH.

In the video of DW TV, you can see the Tunisian company Natasha Plast. You can see Volker Kasten, when reporting to Paul Kraut in Schleich's headquarters in Herlikofen.

http://www.nataschaplast.com/

Really good and interesting info Benny! Thanks!

Lia

So, does this mean the smurfs are now made in Tunesia, even though Schleich still marks them as made in Germany?

I really liked the little step by step guide how they paint the smurfs

Hi

Maybe it's cheaper to make the smurfs there ?!??!!

Tintin

As we have seen in the TV clip of DW TV, Schleich produces some of the raws in Herlikofen, Germany.

Then they are packed in large cartons and shipped to China or Tunisia.

There they are painted, as there would be too expensive in Europe.

Then they are packed again and come back to Herlikofen, Germany for the final inspection and then to the central warehouse.

Maybe they will be sent directly from China or Tunisia in the whole world?!

Hi Benny

There they are painted, as there would be too expensive in Europe.

Expensive ???? I would do it for free......................and keep some rohling in my pockets

Tintin

Expensive ???? I would do it for free......................and keep some rohling in my pockets

Tintin

Hi Frank,

Hehe

Unfortunately, this is the bitter truth right?

Why paint the Schleich GmbH her Smurfs in Asia?

Let's make no mistake about it!

Great website

I really liked the little step by step guide how they paint the smurfs

Me too

As a hobby painter of wargames figures I'm always interested to see how toys & figures are painted.

It also says that they have a 30-year history.

That goes very well with that these smurfs were the first ones painted in Tunesia. And also the first variations of these smurfs sold in 1982.

Susanne Hegele at Schleich international sales department once answeded like this:

"The answer is quite simple. It has to do with the capacity - we have factories in Germany, Tunisia, Portugal and China - and of course it has also to do with the craft power is too expensive in Germany. All animals are hand painted and it simply can not be made in Germany anymore.
The most significant stages - sculpting, mold making and quality control - all made ​​in Germany, and therefore we consider our China-made characters never the less as German products. "

I know that US law allows companies to mark something "made in USA" if just the smallest thing on it was made in the USA and everything else was done overseas.

I guess, European law is the same. Kind of a shame though..imagine how many variations we might have if they listed the country that the smurf was made in like they used to 30 years ago...even if they just use different paint dots.

But now when they have started marking some animals "made in Tunesia" we can hope to get smurfs with that marking also.

This is a new marking, with both datemarking and addressmarking.

Thanks for posting it, Benny. I never expected that the smurfs are still painted in Tunesia these days!!!

I really liked the little step by step guide how they paint the smurfs

So did I.

But now when they have started marking some animals "made in Tunesia" we can hope to get smurfs with that marking also.

This is a new marking, with both datemarking and addressmarking.

Now that would be great.