[Leica] Panasonic takeover

[mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)]

I don't see Dr. Andreas Kaufmann selling his beloved Leica company to
Panasonic. I think he's having too much fun with it himself.

I think if Panasonic was thinking of buying the company (Leica) at this
early point they wound have have had the time or inclination to formulate or
release its involved plans on how to run it like they have done here.  This
is way too much too soon. So this sounds like a geek with a lot of time on
his hands who'd love the price of an M to became a bit more "reasonable".
And then we have them buy into what sure reads like the rest of his favorite
technologies. I say "his" because this is for sure a testosterone fueled
wish system.


On 4/1/15 10:21 PM, "Howard Cummer" <cummer at netvigator.com> wrote:

> Hi Luggers,
> 
> Got this in from a Malaysian friend who works in high tech in Georgetown
> Penang, Malaysia.
> 
> I think it is an April Fool joke but there is enough reality in it that 
> there
> may be some truth behind it;
> 
> On March 26th  Panasonic stock jumped 5.7% to 1,614 yen, the highest since
> November 2008, after the company said it was ready to spend 1 trillion yen
> (US$
> 8 billion) on acquisitions over the next four years. So far, the Japanese
> company is planning to joint venture in Tesla?s Gigafactory for the 
> production
> of lithium car batteries. They have announced a US$286 million investment 
> in a
> solar powered power plant in the Northern Corridor Economic Region of West
> Malaysia that has the highest levels of solar irradiation on the Peninsula.
>  
> Among smaller value investments, Panasonic is rumoured to be in private
> discussions with Blackstone to buy the venture company?s 44% share of 
> Leica.
> When asked, Panasonic would not confirm or deny offering ACM
> Projektentwicklung GmbH (Andreas Kaufmann?s holding company) an undisclosed
> premium for enough of its 51% in order to take control of the Leica Camera
> company. If successful in its acquisition of majority control, Panasonic 
> plans
> to limit digital M camera production in Germany and move new lines to 
> Japan.
> There, in addition to some digital M production, a new line of digital EVF
> cameras would be produced with M mount AF lenses based on Panasonic?s 
> advanced
> AF technology.
> M Lens design and production for manual lenses would remain in Germany. The
> new M EVF camera / AF lens line would draw on the superior lens design
> expertise from Germany and be manufactured exclusively in Japan. This would
> allow the latest Japanese technology to be introduced to the Leica digital
> lineup and stringent Japanese quality control standards would be applied.
> These details were provided by a source close to Panasonic who did not 
> want to
> be identified due to the sensitivity and timing of on-going discussions.
> 
> What do you all think?
> 
> Howard.
>  
> 
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-- 
Mark William Rabiner
Photographer
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lugalrabs/