Curtis is a small frame company based in the UK. In my travels I remember seeing quite a few Curtis frames at the trails. Their clame to fame is that they make high quality dirt jumping hardtails, with each frame being handmade in the UK.
This year the guys at Curtis have decided to switch things up and introduce a frame called the MX24. This is essentially a Japanese made version of their popular, but handmade and pricey SX24. The MX24 hits a lower pricepoint but does not skimp on quality.
In order to build an exact replica of their handmades frames Curtis actually sent an SX24 over to their factory in Japan so they could make a perfect duplicate. This seems to be the latest trend for MTB hardtail companies. Not long after introducing the Mob, Black Market created a high quality version at a lower price called the Riot. This was accomplished by shifting production out of the US (and in Curtis' case, out of the UK) to an overseas factory.
This is not always easy though. Pretty much anyone can get a frame produced in a factory in Taiwan and slap their sticker on it. Actually getting a rideable frame is another story, much less getting a frame that matches the quality of something handmade.
With all this said check out these shots of the new Curtis MX24. Head on over to the Curtis website for all the info.