Lange watches company shuts down for a short time | Sächsische.de
Good news from the watch industry. At Glashütte’s largest watch factory, Lange Uhren GmbH, work for a short period has gradually come to an end in recent weeks. “As of April 1, the entire company will be back in its normal rhythm,” says company spokesperson Arnd Einhorn when asked by Sächsische.de.
The industry was going through a hard time. The first coronavirus lockdown in the spring of 2020 resulted in a significant drop, according to Einhorn. Most of the points of sale worldwide are temporarily closed. Markets have recovered continuously since the summer of 2020. “Today we are seeing a great deal of global interest and demand for our watches,” says Einhorn. Complex watches and new products that were introduced last year despite Corona are especially in demand.
At Grossmann, too, there is more interest
The situation is somewhat different with other watch manufacturers: also at the Grossmann plant, you can feel “positive development in the Asian region, the market is slowly and steadily recovering”. The situation in the Middle East and America is similar. “In Europe, on the other hand, a reluctance can be seen,” says company spokeswoman Sandra Burns. This is definitely due to the outbreak of the Corona pandemic and preventive measures. “Of course, the positive impacts also affect our company,” says Burns. However, there is little time to work for the company. “Nevertheless, we are reacting flexibly to market conditions here,” says Burns.
Nomos: Markets are recovering in Israel and South Korea
Also in Nomos Glashütte, there is more demand from China. “Yes, it started again there,” says company spokesman Florian Langenbucher. “Unlike in the past, the Chinese are now buying more in their home markets and no longer while traveling in Europe.” But markets are also recovering in Israel, South Korea, Gibraltar and New Zealand. “In many places, there is a small boom after the opening of stores – for example in our region in Switzerland,” the spokesperson explains. His company expects life to return to normal in the US soon.
Nomos Glashütte is taking advantage of global developments, but still uses the working tool for a short time. But this will be less, especially now before the Geneva Watch Show. Some teams are working a lot, but: “We are in the middle of the third wave of the virus, and we have not yet reached a normal situation, and neither is the retail business.”
Muhl: “We continue to drive on the horizon.”
For competitor Mühle, the situation has not changed significantly compared to January. “Since the pandemic will definitely remain with us until the summer of 2021, we will continue to drive in plain sight and implement our projects with insight,” says company spokesperson Holger Hillenbrand. This is mainly because Germany is the most important market for Mohli. “The situation in overseas markets affects us less,” Hillenbrand said.
Other Glashütte companies have not commented on the current situation or have not responded to inquiries.