Klarinet Archive - Posting 000447.txt from 2005/04

From: Andrew Grenci <agrenci@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Latest Clarinet Gossip - Buffet Sold Again????
Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 16:51:12 -0400

Thanks Tom. Interesting bits of info.

Andy

Andrew Grenci
Bass Clarinet, U.S. Coast Guard Band
New Haven Symphony Orchestra

On Apr 29, 2005, at 9:44 AM, Tom.Henson@-----.com wrote:

> I received a flyer in the mail yesterday from Lisa Argiris. Yes, she is
> alive and well, but according to the flyer, had to sell International
> Musical Suppliers due to a divorce last December. Many of you are
> aware that
> she is no longer affiliate with them and may have wondered what
> happened.
>
> Her flyer advises that she is now able to spend more time doing what
> she
> loves, which is performing, and she has opened up a new musical venture
> called "Lisa's Clarinet Shop". She will now specialize exclusively in
> hand
> picking clarinets for those interested in paying a little extra for her
> service. She also offers the ability to hand pick your Buffet clarinet
> at
> the factory warehouse in Sun valley, California.
>
> Now for the bombshell, she talks about the well known sale of Leblanc
> to
> Selmer USA, but goes on to say that Buffet has been sold again. As you
> know,
> The Music Group bought Buffet from Boosey and Hawkes, along with other
> companies affiliated with Buffet, a few years back. They then sold
> Rico to
> D'Addario, who up until then was the sole distributor in the USA for
> Vandoren products. She says that D'Addario has severed all ties with
> Vandoren and are going their own way now that they have Rico, and plan
> to
> compete directly against Vandoren. She does not mention who the new
> Vandoren
> distributor is for Vandoren in the USA. I also have to wonder about
> Buffet's
> USA office/warehouse being in Sun Valley in what is the main Rico
> headquarters. I have a feeling that they may eventually move to another
> location now that they no longer own Rico.
>
> Lisa says that the investment group that bought Buffet had a ""sole
> focus on
> profit and not the production of products". She claims that this has
> had a
> disastrous affect of their ability to produce some of their products
> as they
> started to focus mainly on marketing the R-13 clarinet. She also says
> that
> Buffet has now been purchased by a newly formed "French group which
> contains
> remnants of former ownership" and hopefully this will allow a return to
> product focus.
>
> This would be quite some news, and I have been unable to verify any of
> this
> doing Google searches, so if anyone out there has any more information
> or
> can corroborate this I would be interested.
>
> Lisa also says that now that Selmer USA has bought Leblanc, that this
> will
> not bode well for their relationship with Selmer Paris. Selmer USA has
> an
> exclusive agreement to be the sole distributor for Selmer Paris
> instruments
> in the USA which is their biggest market. Now that they are competing
> directly against them with the Leblanc clarinets, one has to wonder
> that
> having complete control over the USA distribution of Selmer Paris
> clarinets
> how this will all wash out. Do I sense a conflict of interest here?
> She says
> that this will surely result in some sparks flying. I also have a
> feeling
> that Selmer USA will be able to put quite a bit of pressure on Selmer
> Paris,
> possibly with a goal in mind of eventually buying them up as well.
>
> Tom Henson
>
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