Important Announcement from CAS Iberia
To Our Sword Community Friends and Supporters
CAS Iberia is sad to announce that the original CAS Hanwei factory has closed. We want to maintain a posture of clarity and openness about this issue and process. We have expected this to happen for some time, and we have taken steps to minimize its impact. We would like to take some time to clarify exactly what is happening, and what our plans are for the future.
What Happened and Why?
The factory producing our CAS Hanwei products was facing many challenges and, unfortunately, was unable to remain open. Since the well-deserved retirement of Paul Chen well over a decade ago and the factory fire of 2011, the facility never fully recovered. Then as with a lot of businesses, the financial instability from COVID-19 hit the factory very hard. Additional complications, such as government regulations, the war in Ukraine impacting steel supplies, and global supply chain disruptions have further compounded an already bad situation. Many factors aligned to create the perfect storm, leaving the factory with no reasonable path forward. In December, the factory sent us their final shipment and officially closed their doors.
What Happens Next?
We are moving forward with manufacturing the CAS Hanwei brand of products. Fortunately, the CAS Iberia family has Frenchie Jin with the Dragon King forge in Dalian, China, to continue manufacturing the brand. Frenchie was the original engineer behind the designing and manufacturing of most of the CAS Hanwei products. He worked alongside Paul Chen from the inception of the factory three decades ago, until his departure from the company shortly after Paul retired.
Frenchie’s team, which includes many skilled artisans from the original CAS Hanwei factory, will ensure the legacy continues. Their commitment to quality control processes and superior manufacturing systems solidifies our partnership with them. This is the most logical path for CAS Iberia and the CAS Hanwei brand to follow, and we are excited about the future.
What Can You Expect from the New CAS Hanwei Production Versions?
The first thing you can expect is immediate improvements and minor changes. As sad as it makes us that the original factory has closed, CAS Hanwei and Paul Chen's legacy will live on. We will be able to introduce new products in the future once we’ve retooled the primary products. Minor improvements will be made to select models that have needed fixes for the last several years. The original factory set the bar for quality, and we are now granted the chance to raise that bar even higher.
When Can We Expect These New CAS Hanwei Products?
If everything goes according to schedule, we hope to have the first of these products by late Summer. We will keep you updated through our newsletters as new products are added back to the line.
What Happens in the Meantime?
We have a good amount of CAS Hanwei products currently in stock, and the last container is on its way, arriving mid to late February. This affords us time to work on the transition to the new forge. Unfortunately, some intricately made items, like rapiers and basket-hilt swords, will take time to retool. Similar sword designs should progress more quickly. Sadly, some products will be discontinued, though this is still being determined as we implement our production plans.
2025 and Beyond
The year 2025 marks the 40th anniversary for CAS Iberia, and we are thankful to celebrate this milestone. Although the news about our CAS Hanwei factory closing is not how we would have preferred to start 2025, we believe this marks the beginning of a new season. Our team will remain steadfast in our commitment to our customers, the quality of our products, and the integrity of our brands. CAS Hanwei swords will continue to be made in Dalian, China, and we will strive to provide you with the best we have to offer.
Contact Us
If you have any questions that were not answered in this message, please feel free to reach out to us. We will do our best to answer them with the information we have.
CAS Iberia, Inc.
650 Industrial Blvd
Sale Creek, TN 37373 USA
800.635.9366
423.332.7248 (fax)
info@casiberia.com