piano manufacturers

[Delwin D Fandrich]

Barrie Heaton wrote:
> 
> Dear Martin,
> 
> The U.S. piano trade is not the only manufactureing base which is
> lacking in good investment in new products I was talking to the M.D. of
> Welmars last week and we were discussing this particular topic.
> 
> The problem with launching a new piano and I mean a new piano,  not
> just a new case.  It takes a lot of investment for the R&D and
> retooling of the factory,  the only Companies who have the financial
> resources to achieve this are the Far Eastern Companies with their
> devise product range to back up their long term investment.

It doesn't have to be this way. It's not an all or nothing proposition.
In my article "The Problem With Small Pianos" I'm trying to articulate
at least one alternative to starting over with a new factory. This can
be an evolutionary process. New designs can build on the old in ways
that do not require complete retooling.

The costs are not nearly as high as you might think. 

> In the U.K.
> back in the 70's Kemble made the bold move by getting in to bed with
> Yamaha, this have proved to be highly profitable for Kemble and has made
> them Europes largest manufacturer.
> 
> I believe this is the only way old established makes will be able to
> survive by co-operation between fellow manufacturers just like the
> aircraft industry.  In the U.S. you have Companies which have started
> down this road, namely the partnership between Steinways and Yung Chang
> over the Boston piano.  I can see eventually, possible twenty or thirty
> years away or even sooner.   There just being one design house, the rest
> of the manufacturers just placeing their names and finishes on the bog
> standard piano  sad but inevitable.
> 
I sincerely hope you are wrong about this. If this is what happens then
in twenty or thirty years the world-wide piano industry will be just as
thriving as the harpsichord industry is today. 

Without strong competition to drive it forward, it will die.

ddf