[rollei_list] Re: Karl Heitz, RIP (Query: Mechanical Cameras)
- From: Jerry Lehrer <jerryleh@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 13:37:43 -0700
Bob,
Wasn't TAG a very wealthy company called Techniques Avant Garde,
who owned Heuer? They sponsored Porsche Formula 1 racing engines.
Jerry
Bob Shell wrote:
> On Tuesday, April 12, 2005, at 12:25 PM, Douglas Shea wrote:
>
> > Sad to read that he was treated poorly by both Alpa and Gitzo; Alpa's
> > demise
> > was certainly no fault of Karls'. Interesting that in spite of these
> > difficulties that he ended up with all of the excess parts and
> > inventory
> > (thank god).
>
> This was in the late 70s. Some ex-Berkey Photo people got up with
> Pignons S.A. and convinced them Karl was a slacker and they could sell
> a lot more. They came up with some slick advertising, and ran it a few
> times. Their company was called TAG, The Alpa Group. It was during
> this time that the Japanese "Alpa" cameras came along. They were
> nothing but Chinon Memotron cameras with different top covers and the
> Alpa name on them, and they did not sell. A bit over a year and TAG
> was gone in a bankruptcy, and Alpa was twisting in the wind. Karl took
> them back, but the writing was on the wall, and they went out of
> business. I don't know if Karl bought parts and such at the bankruptcy
> auction in Switzerland.
>
> What happened with Gitzo was a bit different. Gitzo was on the verge
> of bankruptcy in Paris due to poor management. Lino Manfrotto bought
> the company, put in good management, and made it into a profitable
> concern again. Since Lino was already tight with Bogen Photo, it was
> only natural that he would move distribution to them. But it was a
> blow to Karl, since Gitzo was his main business.
>
> Bob
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