Klarinet Archive - Posting 000152.txt from 2003/03

From: "Lacy, Edwin" <el2@-----.edu>
Subj: [kl] More corporate shenanigans in the instrument manufacturing world
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2003 12:02:56 -0500

As of a couple of months ago, there is a new mega-corporation in the =
music world called "Conn-Selmer, Inc."=A0 This is true - I didn't make =
it up.=A0 The unlikely merger between these two former competitors means =
that one corporate entity owns and controls the brand names Armstrong, =
Artley, Bach, Benge, Buescher, Conn, Emerson, Glaesel, King, Ludwig, =
Musser, Scherl & Roth, and Selmer.=A0 Further, not mentioned on this =
list are other brand names that previously have disappeared in earlier =
buy-outs and takeovers by some of the above, including Linton, Lesher, =
White, and Cleveland.=A0 But, that doesn't even tell the whole story.=A0 =
Amazingly, the corporate entity under which this company operates is =
called "Steinway, Inc."=A0 That's right; the so-called "parent" is the =
Steinway piano company.=A0 Note also that all the names on the list of =
brands are also the names of formerly independent companies, some of =
whom at one time competed with each other.=A0=20

This seems to continue the trend toward larger and larger =
corporations.=A0 If the trend continues to its logical conclusion, there =
eventually would be only one company in the entire musical world, and =
perhaps even further in the future, only one corporation of any kind - =
and its name will probably be "Walmart."

A couple of things we can be certain of - this decision was not made in =
an instrument manufacturing plant or by musicians, but rather in some =
plush corporate offices, likely in New York City, and it has nothing to =
do with trying to ensure quality in the manufacture of musical =
instruments or service to musicians.=A0 What it is all about is the =
almighty dollar.=A0 Decision-making in the future is not going to be =
based on the needs of musicians, but on the needs of the managers and =
corporate executives.

Competition among musical instrument manufacturers was in the best =
interest of musicians.=A0 Companies used to try to improve their =
profitability by making better and therefore more desirable instruments; =
now they try to improve profitability by cutting costs.=A0 This has led =
to moving=A0manufacturing facilities=A0to other countries, =
out-sourcing=A0to=A0suppliers who have no clue as to what making a =
musical instrument is about, and reducing payroll costs by laying off =
skilled workers,=A0all ultimately resulting=A0in worsening quality.

There may be some good to come of all of this.=A0 This will probably =
ensure the success small, specialty manufacturers, sometimes called =
"one-man shops" - although they can have more than one employee, =
sometimes quite a few.

Except for the information about the corporate merger itself,=A0the =
above=A0consists only of my opinions, based on my interpretation of =
events.=A0 Others may disagree, and that is their right.

Ed Lacy
University of Evansville

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