Old News. But it is a good reminder for HK consumers that Schimmel & Seiler had gone bankrupt previously

Schimmel 財務危機
  • Wilhelm Schimmel Pianofortefabrik 於 1885 年在萊比錫創立,逐漸成為德國最具代表性的鋼琴製造商之一。
  • 至 2000 年代中期,Schimmel 年產量約 10,000 架鋼琴,被視為德國最大的鋼琴製造商。
  • 然而,2008 年全球金融危機 對奢侈品市場造成嚴重衝擊。全球鋼琴銷售急遽下滑,尤其是 美國市場,而美國正是 Schimmel 最大的出口地。
  • 2009 年,由於銷售額下跌約 40%Schimmel 申請 自主管理破產程序(德國的一種破產保護形式)。

重整與復甦
  • 透過破產保護,Schimmel 得以在繼續生產的同時,重整債務與營運
  • 2010 年 3 月,公司成功走出破產程序,與債權人達成協議並精簡營運架構。
  • 此後,Schimmel 將重心轉向 亞洲市場,特別是 中國,因其已成為全球最大的鋼琴市場。
與珠江鋼琴的合作
  • 2016 年Schimmel珠江鋼琴集團(全球最大鋼琴製造商)建立戰略合作關係。
  • 珠江鋼琴成為 控股股東,而 Schimmel 家族則保留 10% 股份
  • 此合作為 Schimmel 帶來財務穩定,並擴展其在亞洲的市場影響力。
意義
  • 這次破產是 Schimmel轉捩點:公司透過重整得以存續,並在與珠江鋼琴的合作下獲得長期穩定。
  • 如今,Schimmel 仍是備受尊敬的德國品牌,在 傳統工藝全球化生產 之間取得平衡,以保持競爭力。
Schimmel2009 年因全球經濟衰退而申請破產,並於 2010 年成功重整。隨後在 2016 年與珠江鋼琴合作,確保了長遠的生存與發展,同時保留了德國高端製造的傳統。
Reference:
Wilhelm Schimmel@Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Schimmel

Seiler 在出售前的困境
  • Seiler Pianofortefabrik GmbH 創立於 1849 年,曾是東歐最大的鋼琴製造商之一。
  • 二戰後,公司失去位於西里西亞的原廠,被迫遷至德國。
  • 至 2000 年代初期,雖然 Seiler 仍以精湛工藝聞名,但財務狀況日益惡化:
    • 德國本地生產成本高昂。
    • 面臨來自亞洲製造商(YamahaKawai 及中國品牌)的激烈競爭。
    • SteinwayBechsteinBösendorfer 等國際名牌相比,全球知名度有限。
  • 這些壓力導致公司陷入嚴重財務困境,並於 2000 年代中期進入破產程序。

 

Samick 的收購
  • 2008 年,韓國 Samick Musical Instrument Co. 收購了陷入破產的 Seiler。
  • Samick 投入約 **58 億韓元(約合 430 萬美元)**完成收購。
  • 此舉使 Seiler 得以繼續在德國 Kitzingen 工廠生產,保留其德國製高端系列。
收購後的產品架構
  • Seiler SE 系列:仍於德國手工製造,維持品牌的高端地位。
  • **Eduard Seiler(中階系列)**與 Johannes Seiler(入門系列):由德國設計,但在 Samick 印尼工廠生產,以降低成本並擴大市場。
  • 透過此分層策略,Samick 既能保留 Seiler 的傳統工藝,又能將其設計推廣至更廣泛的消費群體。
影響
  • Samick 而言,收購 Seiler 提供了一個享有盛譽的歐洲品牌,補足其大規模量產的定位。
  • Seiler 而言,這代表了生存機會——既能延續德國高端鋼琴的製造傳統,又能透過 Samick 的全球銷售網絡觸及新客群。
  • 如今,Seiler 每年產量約 1,000 架,遠低於 Samick 的規模,但仍保持其精品德國鋼琴的聲譽。
Seiler 因財務壓力與全球競爭而陷入破產,最終於 2008 年由 Samick 收購。這項合作既保留了 Seiler 的德國工藝傳統,也透過 Samick 的大規模製造與行銷網絡,拓展了品牌的市場層次。

 

Reference:
Seiler Pianofortefabrik GmbH@Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seiler_Pianofortefabrik_GmbH
Samick Musical Instrument Company Acquires German Piano Company Seiler – https://www.chosun.com/english/industry-en/2008/11/09/PCP4XIZ7NED55SRHLOT6PZG4QU/

Germany’s great piano makers the latest victims of downturn
Published: 27 Sep 2009 15:04 CET
Germany’s prestigious piano makers have emerged as the latest industry to be battered by the global recession as worldwide sales of the instrument plummet.
Two famous firms have gone into bankruptcy while others are struggling to stay afloat.
“The whole industry is affected,” said Burkhard Stein, the chairman of the National Piano Makers’ Association (BK)
Although domestic sales have remained stable, German firms are at risk because most of their pianos are sold overseas, where orders have fallen by as much as two-thirds.
This has dragged German firms’ sales down by about 35 percent.
Even Germany’s biggest piano maker, the prestigious firm Wilhelm Schimmel Pianofortefabrik, based in Brunswick, has suffered a slump of 40 percent.
This forced the firm, which was founded in Leipzig in 1885 and had sales of €23.8 million in 2008, to declare bankruptcy at the end of July.
Schimmel had primarily served the US market. Two thirds of its sales were lost because of the recession.
Under a deal with its administrator, a small number of Schimmel’s 144 employees face redundancy, and the rest salary cuts.
“In order to lower costs, the hours of work will be extended, but we have signed a workplace guarantee,“ said chief executive Hannes Schimmel-Vogel.
Another firm, the Bavaria-based Seiler, filed for bankruptcy last year, the trade association said. A Korean firm has since taken a share in the company.
The firm Leipziger Pianoforte has had to halt production completely.
All other firms – there are 12 in Germany – should be able to scrape through the crisis, Stein said.
Among them are such luminaries as Grotrian Steinweg in Brunswick, C. Bechstein from Berlin and Steinway in Hamburg.
“Worldwide about 450,000 pianos are made each year – by now about 280,000 of them in China,” said Stein.
In Germany, production is relatively modest. About 12,000 pianos leave German workshops each year.
“But the German instruments are of the highest class. They are counted around the world as top quality,” Stein said.

 

From:

http://www.thelocal.de


湯 先生/ Mr. Tong
英國註冊鋼琴技師 / Registered Piano Technician (MPTA)

 

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