Leica shares
Some interesting points from a recent article on Leica Camera AG publish on mittelhessen.de (in English):
- Leica increased lens production from 63 to 120 per day. The goal fot this fiscal year is 240 lenses per day.
- Leica now has 59 store worldwide.
- Dr. Andreas Kaufmann currently owns 95% of Leica's stock and could not buy the remaining shares from their current owners.
- Leica plans to relocate from Solms to the new Leitz Park in Wetzlar in Spring of 2013 which will further increase productivity (more details will be available this fall):
Related posts:
- Leica Camera AG reports 28% sales increase in the first half of fiscal year 2011/12, sales and earnings forecast increased
- Leica Honors Film’s Woody Allen With Special Camera
- Leica Camera AG reports 8.5% sales increase for Q3 of 2011/12
- “Friends of Leica Camera AG” – an open letter from Dr. Kaufmann
- Two new Leica models between the D-Lux 4 and M8?
12 Comments
The old Leitz of Wetzlar is back! Now if only they drop those stupid special editions and focus on their product development a bit more
I wonder who are the other 5%. And why don’t they sell their shares? Devotion, nostalgia, commitment?
It’s good to hear they are finally going to get the new facility up and running, albeit a lot later than they were hoping. I was a Kaufmann fan initially, but, I’m not any longer. The whole drop the R, then the endless promises not fulfilled ‘R solution’ all so he could bring out the S – is questionable at best. But who knows? Maybe he’ll pull a rabbit out of his hat. Could care less about the Leica stores – unless that ends up being the only place you can buy them.
Here’s a question – he owns the stock/dividend? or he owns 95% of the company?
He owns 95% of the stock which is 95% of the company
Guessing he get freebies then
Thanks for the info.
So, when it gets down to the ‘nitty-gritty’ just who ends up ‘really’ calling the shots on product development and direction? There is a Board, but it sounds as though Kaufmann could have ultimate say?
not sure how much Kaufmann is involved in the decision making process or he is just an investor
They have been increasing revenues each year under the current system. It’s best not to shake things up too much when you have such a good thing going. Keep whoever is in charge in charge.
We desperatley need this increased lens production, my only concern is quality control may suffer… You are either increasing the work load on current employees or they are hiring more employees who may not have the experience for a few years… that could mean more mistakes. Of course, I think they only hire the best and obviously people who have had extensive training (and hopefully experience) in the field of optics.
As I understand it, Kaufmann ‘owns’ Leica Camera including the sport optic and cinema lens line. His wealth is from a family owned pulp/paper products company worth BL’s if my memory is correct.
They certainly need to increase lens production, and really, it’s about lens assembly as the ‘hand-made’ is mostly the assembly of the precision machined components, tolerance measurements, etc.
He has 95% already, how much more stock does he need to get things done?
I believe there is a significant factual error in your posting. You state, “Leica now has 59 store worldwide.” That suggests there are 59 corporate-owned Leica stores. I believe the accurate number is fewer than five.
The reference to 59 may suggest the number of camera store retailers that sell Leica cameras. If so, that is such a small number that I am surprised the company would publicize it.
For what it’s worth.
It appears the Leica boutique store count worldwide is indeed in the 50′s. Seperate Leica ‘dealers’ form the information I gathered are more the original retailer locations.
Too, how much more stock/ownership does he need to get things done is a great question; Kaufmann appears to have his ‘vision’ of what Leica is to be – whether it appeals to users or not.
No, they are not all Leica owned, but they sell only Leica equipment and must have certain furniture, etc. The are other dealers that sell Leica together with other brands. We are talking about 59 Leica only stores.