After LACO had to file for insolvency on 30.06.2009 they tried hard to recover and recapitalize the company and to try to save the work places over there. Intensive negotiations with various companies have taken place. Under those inteested the KIENZLE AG turnes out to be the right partner. CEO of Lacher, Horst Günther: "Kienzle is a german enterprise and has an even longer watch making history than Laco."
The company was founded in Schwenninngen in 1822 by Johannes Schlenker. In 1883 Jakob Kienzle married into the Schlenker family and became a partner. In 1900 the production of pocket and wrist watches started solely lead by Kienzle. In 1910 the first watches for cars have been produced and Jaguar, Daimler, BMW, Volvo Audi, Renault, Ford and Opel became satisfied customers. In 1919 the company name was changed from "Schlenker & Kienzle" to "Kienzle Uhrenfabriken KG". Three years later Kienzle becam a stock company, all held by family members.
In the following decades Kienzle produced in-house movements, in 1950 the "Volksautomatik" (an affordable automatic movement) was a breakthrough. In 1964 a subsidiary company "Kienzle Zürich AG" was founded. The label "Kienzle-Swiss" was known for high-quality watches in those times. An alarmclock with the electronic movement 627 was sold all over the world. 6 million clocks left the premises. In the mid 70ties Kienzle weas the largest supplier of wirstwatches in Germany. 1987 a new building was established, the production of quartz movements began. About 300.000.000 watches have been sold by Kienzle and made Kienzle a well known brand. Since 2002 Kienzle is located in Hamburg, since 2006 Kienzle owns all trademark rights worldwide.
Due to the merge of Lacher and Kienzle all ressources and synergies in Pforzheim are now combined with a powerful distribution partner. The insolvency administrator emphasized that it had been an essential aim to save the work places in Pforzheim and to look for a fitting partner. There has been tremendous help of the solicitor's office "Dr. Clemens Ladenburger and Dr. Gunther Staib" and management consultant Wolfgang Zang".
Mr. Andreas Günther (Laco) and Mr. Ralf Estor (Kienzle AG) will join the management.
The "Kienzle Lacher Uhrenmanufaktur GmbH" will continue to produce high-quality watches under the label "Laco by Lacher". watches "Made in Germany". There are already plans to expand, this will warrant additional work places. Both Mr. Günther and Mr. Estor plan to use the synergy effects to a full extend and to represent German Watchmaking by adding a usefull range of models in the mid-prize-segment.
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