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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
official Hohner press release
official Hohner press release
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kudzurunner
3676 posts
Nov 28, 2012
10:32 AM
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Since I'm an official Hohner endorser and since a Hohner ad on the homepage helps subsidize this website, I'm happy to oblige my patron and post the following corporate press release, as they've (without pressure) asked me to do. Hopefully something here will be of interest:
Matth. Hohner AG Press Release:
Hohner Group continues growth in fiscal year 2011/2012
Business Development
During the fiscal year ending March 31, 2012, while the global economy and music industry grew by approximately 3%, sales growth of the HOHNER Group´s international brands posted a 5% increase to 67.2 m€ versus prior year results of 63.9 m€. This sales increase was driven by growth in North America (+9.7%), Asia (+21.9%), and South and Central America (+34.4%) partially offset by a 4.5 % decline in sales to Europe, the company’s largest market.
As a result of the positive sales improvement as well as effective cost management, the HOHNER Group improved its net income performance by 83.2% to 2.7 million Euro in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2012 compared to 1.5 million Euro in the prior fiscal year. Notwithstanding improved net income, the HOHNER Group reported no operating cash flow for fiscal year ending March 31, 2012. This is primarily due to investments in inventories necessary to fuel the growth of stringed instruments.
As a result of the overall improved profitability of the company, the Supervisory Board and the Management Board are proposing a dividend payment for the fiscal year 2011/2012 of 11 cents per share.
Renewed Marketing Focus
The HOHNER Group continues to improve product and brand positioning in key retail stores worldwide. Significant investments have been and continue to be made for point of purchase merchandise displays, self-selective packaging, and promotional materials designed to emotionally stimulate consumers in retail environments. The company is adopting continues to adapt technologies such as QR codes and tag readers allowing consumers to use smart phones to garner information or incentives about a product while they are shopping.
For its customers who increasingly look to the web and social media for information about music, musicians and instruments, in the coming year, the HOHNER Group will launch a new series of websites showcasing its corporate and brand identities. These sites will be filled with audio, video, images, and informational content regarding music, musicians, instruments and the stories related to them. The sites will be interconnected with popular social media outlets and dealer networks.
[second half to follow.......]
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kudzurunner
3677 posts
Nov 28, 2012
10:32 AM
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........
Innovative Products for musicians
The HOHNER Group continues to connect its research and development efforts to music, musicians, enthusiasts and developing children in order to fulfill their needs.
For professional musicians playing tejano, norteno and conjunto music in Mexico and the US, Hohner introduced the new Anacleto Collection of professional accordions by garnering advice from noted artists such as Jorge Hernandez of Los Tigres del Norte), Ramon Ayala and Juan Villarreal (La Cachorros de Juan Villarreal) and the members of Las Tucanes de Tijuana.
Hohner has released the John Lennon Signature Harmonica in cooperation with Yoko Ono to pay tribute to one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century. John Lennon began playing the harmonica when he was a child in Liverpool and inspired a whole new generation of harmonica players.
The FlexRack, a new harmonica holder with three dimensions of adjustability was developed in association with Steve Baker, Joe Filisko, and Howard Levy.
SONOR introduced the “Perfect Balance” drum pedal inspired by Jojo Mayer. The pedal enables a perfect and harmonic interaction of the movement of the foot and the flexible part of the pedal and has a unique folding and clamping mechanism. SONOR has also introduced the Mikkey Dee Signature Snare Drum to pay homage to the drummer for Rock’n Roll’s loudest live band, Motörhead.
99th Shareholder Meeting of Matth. Hohner AG
The 99th Shareholder Meeting of Matth. Hohner AG took place on 27 November 2012 in the Dr.-Ernst-Hohner Concert Hall in Trossingen.
For further information please see the annual report 2011/2012 (end of fiscal year 31.03.2012) and the website www.hohner.eu.
Matth. Hohner AG
Management Board
About Matth. Hohner AG:
Enjoy Music – Play Hohner. As one of the worldwide leading manufacturers of musical instruments since 1857, Matth. Hohner AG and its affiliated have been focused on enhancing the joy of making music. Today, the Hohner Group employs about 340 employees in the German production and development plants of Hohner Musikinstrumente GmbH & Co. KG in Trossingen and SONOR GmbH & Co. KG in Bad Berleburg as well as in the distribution companies in the USA, France and Switzerland. In more than 85 countries worldwide the Group distributes products under many brand names in the segments harmonicas, accordions, recorders, melodicas, guitars and ukuleles and as well drums, percussion instruments, Concert & Marching drums and Orff instruments.
With best Regards
Dr. Christof Niederwieser
- Head of Brand & Business Development -
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shanester
542 posts
Nov 28, 2012
10:37 AM
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Well that's good news. Yay Hohner! Sounds like their corporate structure is evolving well.
Now if my financal recovery could parallel that!
Work is coming in and I just got my first invitation to record for $, and that will be on a self "optimized" Hohner Special20!
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Shane,
"The Possum Whisperer"
Shane's Cloud
1shanester
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jiceblues
110 posts
Nov 28, 2012
11:47 AM
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Yes ! HOHNER could do an "optimized" SP20 ( it's a dream ) and people could find spare reedplates at the local store...(another dream...)
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shanester
543 posts
Nov 28, 2012
12:14 PM
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Those dreams could come true jiceblues. In a way they are already in that Hohner is granting the distinction "authorized customizer" to some harp techs, you just can't buy them off the shelf at a brick and mortar yet!
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Shane,
"The Possum Whisperer"
Shane's Cloud
1shanester
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jiceblues
111 posts
Nov 28, 2012
1:20 PM
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Lol , i meant : a local music store ."authorized customizers" are there , it's a good thing , but their harps are quite expensive .HOHNER could make a " super SP20" with a bigger comb , rounded corners , more rounded covers ( like the BH) for better ergonomy and stainless steel screws .It would be nice , but i suppose that a lot of people (90% , maybe ) woudn't buy them because of an increasing price .Though , i guess it would be cheaper than a custom harp...
I'm not in the strategy of HOHNER ...
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eharp
2030 posts
Nov 28, 2012
3:01 PM
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so the profits are higher after HOW MANY recent price increases?
now i'm not saying the increases werent due or the harps are too expensive, just that before the celebration begins we should weigh all the possible reasons for the company making more money.
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Tuckster
1193 posts
Nov 28, 2012
3:10 PM
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I used to buy reedplates for my MS series rather than replace the whole harp. Now they're raising reedplates to a staggering $47! I now can buy a new harp cheaper than the reedplates! What kind of strategy is that?
I haven't sampled enough to really know,but the last few Hohners I've bought seem better than in the past. I hope that means Hohner is noticing the competition.
I was surprised Europe is their #1 customer.
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Frank
1504 posts
Nov 28, 2012
3:45 PM
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I was only able to glance at that press release, my eyes started glazing over - In a nutshell...can anyone prioritize the moral of the story, a big heartfelt thank you for obliging or at least trying to!
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jiceblues
112 posts
Nov 29, 2012
2:51 AM
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I agree with TUCKSTER , the late SP20's and BH's i bought seem to be better than 20 years ago .
And please , Mr HOHNER , make me a "super SP20" !
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ElkRiverHarmonicas
1421 posts
Nov 30, 2012
8:34 AM
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There is a very interesting fact buried in there, that Europe is Hohner's largest market. The United States has been the world's largest harmonica market since the late 19th Century. I don't know what to make of it, but that's interesting.
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David
____________________
At the time of his birth, it was widely accepted that no one man could play that much music so well or raise that much hell. He proved them all wrong.
R.I.P. H. Cecil Payne
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David
Elk River Harmonicas
 
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