“Copag will show in Las Vegas its traditional cardboard cards and also 100% plastic”

What are your expectations for G2E 2011?
G2E is always the event in which all the companies launch new products and then keep on presenting them in SAGSE Buenos Aires or in ICE London, so in Las Vegas we always receive customers from all parts of the world, including Latin Americans. We are sure that this year we will have an excellent show and many visitors, too.
 
What will the participation of the company consist of?
Copag will be presenting its traditional cardboard cards and also 100% plastic, with a very successful participation in the American market. As you know, we are providers of the main poker tournaments worldwide. The cardboard cards have three finish options that attend perfectly the preferences of our customers, according to the type of table games, security cameras and systems of card shufflers they have in their casinos.

We will be bringing our new collection of products with all the security systems we have, on top of cards with ultraviolet, RFID and printed codes, may be visible or invisible, for the new online gaming systems available in the market.

In this event we also received the visit of hundreds of American poker rooms that are Copag customers, coordinated by our office Copag USA in Florida, as well as of our distributors of the American domestic market. Las Vegas is a great event and the city invites everyone to this occasion.

Do you think the change of date and venue will be beneficial?
The change of date is very positive for us because it spaces out a bit the schedule of dates of the shows in Las Vegas, Buenos Aires and London, which we consider the main trade events. And this year we will experiment the structure of the venue for the first time, but the most important thing is that everything is well organized and indicated, and G2E organizers will surely do it.

How do you evaluate this year a global level?
Positively, once that several markets that came with economic problems, such as Asia and US, experienced a recovery. Europe is still a bit slow, without any new project, but, on the other hand, we have had an excellent result in Latin America, where Copag is absolute leader and has been working strongly for years. We started working strongly in the African market also, so we are very optimistic and with lots of queries and development of projects.

Which has been the performance of the target markets of your company?
Our target markets continue being Latin America, US, Europe and Africa. US and Europe are a bit slow, although there was an improvement compared to 2010. Specially in Mexico, we have agreed very good business and others are being produced at the moment. Copag proposal is leader in providing cards to each request, and continues in medium and long-term projects with our customers, in a way that we could offer them customized products, adapted to the commercial practices that best suit their needs. That’s why we have so many customers that keep on being faithful to us for so long.

How does the economic crisis in US and Europe affect the gaming industry?
It affects, more than anything, in terms of investments and new projects, a cut in the expenses in general, etc. That’s what has to be done in any industry in an important economic situation, as we have been passing in recent years. But our type of product-cards-does not require big investments. It is a top-level product in a casino and the change of cards in tables is crucial due to a security issue. That’s why we keep on working in medium and long-term commercial proposals with our customers, so that we can support them and maintain the change of cards in the tables with the necessary frequence in each country.

Which are the perspectives for 2012?
We are planning the consolidation of the business in several important groups in which we have been working, and surely the expansion of the business in Mexico, not only in live table games but also in the cards used in slots combined with readers of real cards.