Klarinet Archive - Posting 000369.txt from 1996/08

From: Claudia Zornow <claudia@-----.COM>
Subj: Buffet factory
Date: Mon, 12 Aug 1996 14:19:17 -0400

Jim Lytthans wrote about the Buffet factory tour:

> We were then greeted by a gentleman from Holland, who served as one
> of the offical factory spokesperson, and taken on a quite thorough tour
> of the works...

Actually he was from Belgium, a nice fellow named Werner. He was from
their Marketing department and said he was the one who gave tours
because he could speak English (as well as several other languages).
He said he enjoyed his job at Buffet because he is a working musician
and they let him "flex" his schedule around rehearsals and gigs. His
instrument: bass trombone!

> ...Claudia's comment concerning OSHA (for Luuk van Buul's
> information: OSHA stands for Occupational Health and Safety
> Administration, a Government agency that oversees workplace safety) was
> in jest, but with some substance.

My comment was not meant in jest at all. The factory was cramped to
the degree where an emergency evacuation might have been difficult.
There didn't seem to be much safety equipment about, though I could
have missed it. But what shocked me the most was the machine where
a man was making metal bell rings: there were metal chips and fragments
all over the floor, and he was not wearing eye protection.

Interestingly, there were hoses and ducts everywhere used for dust
recovery; I believe that this dust goes into the Green Line clarinets.

> .... We even saw large supply of gold-plated R-13s,
> manufactured for the Korean market!

Clarification: the keys were gold-plated, not the instruments.

> To make a long story short(er), we were all very impressed with
> Buffet's level of professionalsm and gracious hospitality.

Agreed!

One more comment on the Paris ClarinetFest: Ricardo Morales was there
but did not perform; apparently he had not been invited by the organizers,
and was there in his role as LeBlanc representative. I, and doubtless
many others, was thoroughly disappointed. I may have to go to the
conference in Lubbock just to hear him! It sounds as though the
Texans will put on a great conference.

Claudia