Playing card manufacturer Cartamundi and gaming equipment supplier Asia Pioneer Entertainment Holdings Limited (APE) have established a manufacturing operation in Macau, introducing locally produced Bee playing cards for distribution to gaming markets across the Asia-Pacific region and internationally.
The facility, officially opened on Tuesday, is the result of a joint venture between Belgium-headquartered Cartamundi, a seventh-generation family-owned company and one of the world’s largest playing card manufacturers, and APE, a supplier of gaming equipment and solutions across Asia.
The development marks a shift in the production and distribution of Bee playing cards, which had previously been imported into Asian markets for more than a century. Selected decks will now carry the “Made in Macau” label.
Herman Ng, CEO and Executive Director of APE, said: “For more than a century, Bee cards were imported into Asia. Today, these internationally recognized products are being manufactured here in Macau. The playing cards produced here in Macau will be distributed across the globe, demonstrating the strength and uncompromising quality of the ‘Macau Standard.’”
The manufacturing operation incorporates automation, robotics and artificial intelligence-assisted quality control systems. It also features integrated track-and-trace technology and supply chain authentication mechanisms intended to strengthen product security and traceability.
According to BEE Macau, the facility also incorporates sustainability measures aimed at reducing the environmental impact of playing card manufacturing, including packaging solutions designed to address environmental considerations.
The establishment of the facility followed five years of planning, technology development, testing and pilot production, according to the company.
Cartamundi Group CEO Stefaan Merckx said: “Cartamundi is Latin for ‘cards for the world.’ That idea has guided us from the beginning: combining global expertise with strong local partnerships. By bringing advanced manufacturing capabilities closer to customers in Macau and across Asia-Pacific, we can serve them with the speed, quality, security and reliability they expect from us.”
The facility is intended to supply gaming operators in Macau and the Asia-Pacific market, with production, security controls and supply chain verification integrated into a single manufacturing operation.
Bee Macau Chairman Jason Pearce said the investment was also driven by changing requirements among gaming industry customers. “The industry asked for higher standards in security, traceability and environmental responsibility,” he said.