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HI-
I found this interesting in the latest ITEA Journal:

"Changes in the management team of German B&S Group"--"The German-based brass-wind instrument maker B&S GmbH changes its management team. Gerhard A. Meinl, who created today's B&S-Group shortly after the German reunification in 1990 and who belongs to a seventh generation instrument dynasty, will continue to run the company as CEO with its locations in Germany, USA and China..."

A China location for B&S? Very interesting...
mark

Will be interested to hear more about this [grumble grumble grumble...]

Anyone would be fool to think that everything German was made in Germany. ... Just as much as everything American is made in America.

Heck... 25 years ago there was a sporting goods manufacturer here in Evansville, Indiana that was repackaging Asian sports equipment into Wilson and Spaulding boxes.

We're involved in an International economy.

Can anyone post the full article?

First of all, B&S has a "location" in the USA. What's that? Tubadome?

B&S has a "location" in China. Is it a retail store (in one of the most populated areas of the world)?

People posting on this thread jump to the conclusion that it's a presence at a factory. OK, I'll bite. Is this where B&S student line french horns are made? ... And?... What company that markets student line instruments DOESN'T have a presence in China? Even Shires, a small high-quality brass factory, has student line instruments built for them in China. Is that a negative or is it a positive? Seems like their best workers, at their home factory, are focused on building their finest professional instruments.

If the article has information about B&S presence in China that is actually "very interesting", please let us know.

Aren't Accent student line instruments a division of B&S?

I could see this thread going sour in the matter of a click of a mouse...
But I hope it the best!

Porkins wrote:Even Shires, a small high-quality brass factory, has student line instruments built for them in China.

Shires does not have a student line. That's a completely separate company who has hired Steve Shires to consult on their design and manufacturing and is also paying him to use his name on the product.

bbocaner wrote:

Porkins wrote:Even Shires, a small high-quality brass factory, has student line instruments built for them in China.

Shires does not have a student line. That's a completely separate company who has hired Steve Shires to consult on their design and manufacturing and is also paying him to use his name on the product.

Yes, "Eastman by Shires". From everything I've read, that horn is made in China to Steve's specs, but equipped with an American built (Shires) Thayer valve. So, more than just consulting going on. A cooperative effort between an American and Chinese company... and both names on the bell.

Back on topic... My point was that many major instrument companies have a presence in China, sometimes significant, and that nothing negative about B&S or Gerhard Meinl should automatically be read into the quote by the OP.

I like my tubas like I like my women -- German! (Yes, my wife's family, both sides, is German. )

bloke wrote:Is someone implying that instruments are shipped from Florida to China to eastern Germany and then - from there - throughout the world...??

Yep, That is why they are so expensive. Shipping. It will get you everytime.

DP wrote:

TubaTinker wrote:Anyone would be fool to think that everything German was made in Germany. ... Just as much as everything American is made in America.

We're involved in an International economy.

Pretty damn harsh Dan! you've made my iggie list with that careless remark

That wasn't a careless remark... and certainly not just an opinion. It's a reality. Having spent over 30 years in manufacturing... I've seen it increasing over all that time. German and American businessmen aren't dummies. They are going to buy from wherever they can get the desired product for the amount they are willing to pay. Doesn't matter much to me as long as the quality is there and I can get replacement parts.

The only exceptions that I know of in the US market are Kanstul, who makes his own components and instruments (actually exporting components to some other manufacturers), and the Blessing company of Elkhart, Indiana, who has brought all of their manufacturing back home to the US.

Can anyone post this article? I don't like to speculate without having read the source material.