Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/08/31
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>From: "Doug Richardson" <doug@meditor.demon.co.uk> >Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 12:00:28 -0000 >Subject: [Leica] Was there life for Leitz after 1988? > When Solms took over what had been Ernst Leitz, was that the end of the original family-owned company? Answer :Ernst Leitz GmbH was a family business till 1974. As for many fir= ms in Germany, a universal bank (Die Deutsche Bank) was behind the staff composed by the 3 brothers : ErnstIII, Ludwig and G=FCnter Leitz.Since 19= 70 the company was in the red.A joining with the swiss company Wild Heerbrug= g was set in 1972, Wild taking 25% of the shareholder's equity. In 1974, Wi= ld took the control of Leitz with 51 %.1974 was the year of the end of the o= ld familial company. In 1988 Wild decided to cut the Ernst Leitz GmbH in two parts : equipment goods in Wetzlar, consumer goods (photo department) in a new factory.1988 is the beginning of a new era for the Leica.Without that decision, it is likely that the photo department would have been suppressed.=20 What happened to the old works at Wetzlar? Answer :they continue to make equipment goods, such as microscopes. Did most of the staff move to the new Solms plant? Answer : Yes. All the photo department move to the new plant with a new swiss director appointed by the swiss holding in order to make sweeping changes.=20 Dominique