No more Wurlitzers

I can't see this mentioned elsewhere, but it appears Wurlitzer are pulling out of the Jukebox market. There's a German language press release on the website. Does anyone know any more about this?

Don't know anything. This website is the only one I know:

http://www.deutsche-wurlitzer.com/en

Yep- -gone !!
Ron Rich

What about Wurlitzer vending machines? Are they discontinuing those?

Here's a Google translation of the announcement on the website:

Deutsche Wurlitzer GmbH I Wurlitzerstr. 6 I 32609 Harichandan

Press release

Deutsche Wurlitzer GmbH to be rehabilitated
• Insolvency in equity management
• Business continues
• Continuation of the specialty vending machines
• Personnel adjustments unavoidable

Hüllhorst, 22 February 2013. Deutsche Wurlitzer GmbH wants to restructure through bankruptcy proceedings. The management of the German branch of the
internationally acclaimed vending machine company Bielefeld today launched at the competent local court a petition.

The operations will continue. Deutsche Wurlitzer GmbH had achieved sales amounting to EUR 10 million (2012) in previous years each because of high losses. End of January the sale of the company was by the American owner of the Gibson Guitar Corporation, Nashville, Tennessee, on a team of restoration experts. Thus, the impending closure of the company could be averted at the last minute. New Managing Director of Deutsche Wurlitzer GmbH is since 7 February 2013 Thorsten Stoermer, who said on the occasion of the insolvency petition: "we have the clear objective to reorganize the company. The insolvency proceedings is the only appropriate way to get the necessary foundations for a successful future to create. In particular the know-how in the field of vending machines we deem competitive and see clear opportunities in the European markets." The new owner has a wide experience in restructuring of companies, as well as extensive market knowledge in the area of mechanical engineering.


The analysis of entrepreneurial developments of in recent years has
shown that jukeboxes are no future opportunities for the Division. Sandra said: "you must take note, that in times of iPod and mp3 Jukebox market has become a lover market. The closure of the range of jukeboxes was also also a binding Edition of the seller, that we must meet." Currently, the company employs 136 people. Negotiations with the employee representatives on the subject of how many of the jobs can be obtained, are under way. Personnel adjustments will be unavoidable.

The bankruptcy procedure is carried out in own management. Reformed German insolvency law (ESUG) offers this possibility since March 2012 for the preliminary insolvency proceedings. This option will be exercised in the case of Deutsche Wurlitzer GmbH. Sach walter was lawyer Hans-Peter
Burghardt is judicially ordered by the law firm of LTS in Herford.

The trustee has the responsibility to safeguard the interests of all creditors in the insolvency proceedings. Performing the procedure in equity management is the ability to retain expertise in the company together with the management and to continue at least one core area.

Thanks for the posting--but IMHO, I may be able to understand it better in German--and my German, really stinks ! ( I also have problems with "English" when written by "law-lie-ers") Wonder why Gibson insisted that the Jukebox div. be closed--least that's the way I read it ?
Ron Rich

Ron Rich wrote: Wonder why Gibson insisted that the Jukebox div. be closed-

Well, if the rest of the market is anything like NYC I can understand why.

Places that earned 360+/wk for me in 1998 are less than a third of that today, and the trend -may- only recently have stabilized.

Even the 'net jukes have clearly peaked. I've seen several removed in my neighborhood on the upper east side of Manhattan.

My old retro systems are also down substantially. Pert of that is due to economy, part due to not having any recent music and part to the fact that aural-only entertainment has given way to mobile video.

Even the Ipod is somewhat passe. For teh last 3-4 years I've been seeing people viewing video on personal devices in my locations. You can D/L any vid on Youtube and most of the other sites, so why pay for music at-all. Even radio listening is declining, "cumes" are way off with those under 35, who wants to put up with a limited, burned out playlist and commercials when you can have exactly what you want -free.

It is not a pretty scene. If you are retired from the industry, consider yourself lucky.

As I've been saying to my locations " this was a hobby that turned into a business, and back into a hobby".

Rob