Corsair CEO: 'It won't be business as usual, because the current situation is not what we would like'

We reported earlier this year on Corsair’s plan to buy Endor AG, the owners of sim racing specialist Fanatec. The deal looked less certain when Endor filed for bankruptcy in July. However, the deal went through and Fanatec now belongs to Corsair. This includes its debts and manufacturing problems, as well as a number of unhappy customers. Corsair's CEO admits, however, that "it won't be business as usual, because the current situation is not what we'd like."

Andy Paul, Corsair’s chief executive officer made the comment in an interview with The Drive. He also pointed out that work was already underway to resolve the issue. Fanatec customers complained that the support was limited. For example, they only had eight hours of support per day.

Corsair says that it will take some months to establish a 24/7 global customer service, but once it is completed it should prevent the recurrence of incidents like untrackable orders which plagued Fanatec during and after Covid's lockdown periods.

Andy Paul also wants to improve the manufacturing process, as Fanatec took months to complete certain orders. Paul noted that the cost situation was actually quite good because the factories in China were not full or busy.

This comment raises an important question. Why did it take so long for orders? It seems that the company didn't possess the infrastructure to handle so many orders, and that it would sell items that were not in stock.

Corsair, a much bigger operation with a vast portfolio of PC Hardware and Accessories, has a better understanding of managing large orders and inventories.

"We have large factories that produce a lot." We'll be able tune up the entire supply chain and maintain our competitiveness."

It also has a strong presence in the retail sector. Fanatec sold its products only directly, while Corsair hardware is available in stores and online from all the major retailers. This should make it easier to find the Fanatec wheel systems you want, and you may even get to try them out before buying.

Paul did mention that this would only be the case for lower-priced products. "We'll try to bring down some of the costs with our supply chain, so we can run some of lower-end products via retail... I think the high-end gear like the $1,000 wheel and pedals will either stay direct-to consumer or [get sold through] very, very specialist retailers."

It's great to know that Fanatec's products will continue to be available, regardless of what you think about Corsair's acquisition. Logitech dominates the racing wheel market, but there are many vendors in the more expensive niches. Any competition will be good for consumers.

You won't have to wait for months to get your new wheel, only to discover that it's not in stock.