Military replica maker eyes global markets

Dongguan Maisiweite Technology Co, a Chinese miniature model manufacturer with a two-decade operating history, is expanding its industrial footprint into full-scale, exhibition-grade military replicas.

The strategic pivot is capturing up to 100 million yuan ($13.8 million) in peak annual revenue while integrating the firm into high-budget Western entertainment supply chains.

The manufacturing enterprise, which operates a 60,000-square-meter production complex in Guangdong province, confirmed it has secured a preliminary cooperation intention with an unnamed Dutch film production company.

Under the upcoming framework, the firm will serve as the primary prop contractor to manufacture 1:1 scale tank and aircraft replicas for a large-scale historical war film scheduled to begin principal photography in 2027.

The entry into heavy film prop manufacturing represents a deliberate structural expansion from the company's core business model. For 20 years, Maisiweite focused almost exclusively on zinc-alloy miniature collectibles before establishing a dedicated heavy-industrial workshop to assemble steel-framed replicas of active-service global military hardware.

"We are tracking robust domestic market demand driven by accelerating national patriotic education and national defense awareness campaigns across all tiers of Chinese cities, from first-tier municipalities to fifth-tier localities," said Cui Hansheng, founder and CEO of Maisiweite Technology.

"Concurrently, our offshore market footprint is gradually expanding. We anticipate that both domestic and overseas demand for precise military models will maintain an upward growth trajectory over the coming fiscal periods."

According to internal corporate indicators, the newly formed full-scale replica division generates a baseline annual turnover ranging from 20 million to 30 million yuan ($2.76 million to $4.14 million). However, during peak domestic procurement cycles, this single segment has demonstrated the capacity to scale to between 60 million and 100 million yuan.

By comparison, the company's legacy miniature model division maintains a highly stable, non-cyclical annual turnover of approximately 60 million yuan. These miniature lines export to more than 30 countries, with domestic sales commanding a dominant 60 to 70 percent share of China's internal collector market.

To sustain this dual-track output, Maisiweite employs a specialized workforce of over 100 industrial laborers.

The full-scale replica workshop occupies exactly half of the company's total footprint — 30,000 sq m — and utilizes 80 dedicated assembly workers to handle the heavy fabrication required for oversized projects.

The 1:1 catalog features advanced, high-profile global defense hardware.

Domestically deployed equipment options feature China's J-20 and J-10C fighter jets, as well as missile vehicles, tactical rocket launchers, and heavy field howitzers. The international lineup includes Russia's T-14 Armata and Germany's Leopard 2A7 main battle tank.

The industrial specifications for these full-scale replicas match actual military dimensions.

A standard 1:1 main battle tank model reaches approximately 10 meters in length by 3 to 4 meters in width, requiring a parking and display footprint of roughly 40 sq m.

Fabricated primarily from high-grade structural steel with specialized cast aluminum accessories, a finished tank model weighs between 600 and 700 kilograms and requires the manual installation of 30 to 40 different screw specifications.

Production turnaround from initial components to final paint application averages one to two months per unit.

The company's transition into large-scale fabrication was originally triggered by a high-value commission from a domestic museum client seeking exhibition-grade precision.

"The client approached us with straightforward parameters," said Liao Zhiling, deputy general manager of Maisiweite Technology.

"They stated that if we could craft an ultra-realistic, full-scale replica convincing enough to pass the scrutiny of defense professionals, they would purchase each unit for a flat rate of one million yuan. That definitive commercial incentive prompted our founder to establish the heavy production line immediately."

Despite the high revenue potential per unit, management acknowledged that current sales volume for the 1:1 line remains low, tracking in single-digit growth percentages.

The primary barrier to market penetration is the premium cost structure.

"We estimate that high unit prices currently deter roughly 97 percent of potential private customers," Cui said. "Nevertheless, as our automated production lines become more sophisticated and mature, manufacturing overhead will drop significantly. Lower retail prices will inevitably unlock promising volume sales prospects."

To increase marketability, the company's engineering division is running pilot research programs to integrate functional internal combustion engines directly into the steel chassis. The planned technical upgrade will enable the replicas to move and steer autonomously.

Xie Ruiqi contributed to this story.

zhengcaixiong@chinadaily.com.cn