Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/11/29

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: [Leica] Re: Country of Origin
From: Hans-Peter.Lammerich@t-online.de
Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2000 00:44:26 +0100
References: <200011291916.LAA25764@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>

According to OECD guidelines a "Made in Germany" stamp requires that 60%
of the product's value-added (including marketing, r&d, management
overheads) is from Germany. Same for Canada. So I believe Leica has
organised the making of the M6 in a way that this 60% threshold is
maintained.

In general I would say that "Made in Germany" has lost the magic it
earned since the late 19th century and until the early  post-war era. In
the good old days, the big names of the German industry had a loyal
labour force with good salaries, generous fringe benefits and pension
schemes. Quality targets determined cost and prices. 

Today the same German companies own factories abroad, outsource to local
and foreign subcontractors, cut benefits and pension schemes to compete
wuth international cost. Marketing determines prices, production cost
have to follow. Compare a current Mercedes A with a current Skoda you
see what I mean.

But in the good old days only a minority in Germany, like in Portugal
today, could afford a new Volkswagen, even less a Mercedes or Leica. 
After all I would say a Leica "Made in Portugal" has lost less
subjective built quality against a 1950s M3 than a current Mercedes
"Made in Stuttgart" against a 1980s Mercedes.

Hans-Peter