Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/04/07

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To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: Leica/Leitz
From: Marc James Small <msmall@roanoke.infi.net>
Date: Sun, 07 Apr 1996 13:01:59 -0400
Cc: jbieleck@northland.lib.mi.us

Leitz was almost forced into bankruptcy a quarter-century ago by several
developments, one of these being the intensive development required for the
Leicaflex and another being the marketplace failure of the M5.  They were
bailed out by the Swiss topographical and industrial photography firm, Wild,
who gradually bought out the Leitz family holdings until, by the mid-1980's,
the firm was entirely in Wild's hands.  Wild was then taken over by
Cambridge PLC, a British firm, who allowed the Leica management to purchase
the Leica camera and binocular part of the business in the early 1990's.
There are thus two Leica concerns today, one handling cameras, binoculars,
slide projectors, and enlargers, and the other microscopes and industrial
optics. 

Both firms, however, market under the same corporate umbrella and
co-ordinate developments and research to reduce duplication and
inefficiencies in production.

Marc
msmall@roanoke.infi.net  FAX:  +540/343-7315
Cha robh bas fir gun ghras fir!


Replies: Reply from Wolfgang Sachse <sachse@msc.cornell.edu> (Re: Leica/Leitz...)