<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40" xmlns:v = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:x = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:excel" xmlns:m = "http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml"><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16608" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE>  </STYLE>  <SCRIPT src="http://127.0.0.1:37935/xpopup.js" type=text/javascript></SCRIPT> </HEAD> <BODY lang=EN-US vLink=purple link=blue bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Sound more like a press release to me. </FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#ff0000>"Highly skilled craftsmen and artists were hired to ensure the highest level of excellence, and an apprenticeship program was launched to train artisans."</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Where did they find these highly skilled craftsmen and who will train the apprentices? Why did they lay off the 34 who were already trained?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"><FONT color=#ff0000>"For several years the Baldwin plant in Trumann has employed 100 highly skilled piano" </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"><FONT face=Arial>Good idea.........Lets fire the 100 highly skill piano technicians and train some new ones. WOW, why didn't I think of that!</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"><FONT face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"> <P class=MsoNormal style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"><FONT color=#ff0000>"Baldwin Piano stated that the company would continue to produce some of the world’s finest pianos with its remaining workforce of <FONT size=4><EM>dedicated </EM></FONT>craftsmen at the Trumann location."</FONT></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"></SPAN> </P> <P class=MsoNormal style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><FONT size=3>These are probably the employees that couldn't find another job. (Very sad)</FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><FONT size=3></FONT> </P> <P class=MsoNormal style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><FONT size=3>Come on give me a break............End of ranting.</FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><FONT size=3></FONT> </P> <P class=MsoNormal style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><FONT size=3>Al Guecia</FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><FONT size=3></FONT> </P> <P class=MsoNormal style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"></SPAN> </P></DIV></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=AlliedPianoCraft@hotmail.com href="mailto:AlliedPianoCraft@hotmail.com">AlliedPianoCraft</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech List</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, February 28, 2008 5:36 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Baldwin News</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'"></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV class=Section1> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><A href="http://www.trumanndemocrat.com/"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; TEXT-DECORATION: none"><IMG id=Picture_x0020_1 height=89 alt=http://images.townnews.com/trumanndemocrat.com/art/toplogo.gif src="cid:image001.gif@01C8789B.A9A0A280" width=525 border=0></SPAN></A><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> <DIV class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"> <HR style="WIDTH: 6.25in; COLOR: #a0a0a0" align=left width=600 noShade SIZE=4> </SPAN></DIV> <TABLE class=MsoNormalTable style="WIDTH: 431.25pt" cellPadding=0 width=575 border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt"> <P class=MsoNormal style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Baldwin Piano lays off 34 employees</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal><I><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">By Ruth Ann Estes, Democrat news staff</SPAN></I><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">In an effort to streamline its operations, Baldwin Piano, Inc. of Trumann laid off 34 employees last week. The company made the announcement of the job cuts on Monday, Jan. 28.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Baldwin Piano has been in Trumann for over 30 year building pianos for the United States market. Baldwin was acquired by Gibson Guitar Corporation in 2001.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">The local staff changes came about because of the piano company’s decision to have the Trumann operation now focus solely on the prestigious Baldwin Custom line of American made pianos, according to Baldwin.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Employees who were let go in the reorganization of the Trumann operation received a severance package including six weeks salary and insurance coverage.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Information released last week by the company said that Baldwin’s decision to concentrate on the new Baldwin Custom House line resulted in reorganization at the Trumann plant “resulting in a reduction in workforce of 34 people.”<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">In August, 2007 the company announced the addition of the new line to its inventory. The Trumann plant would build innovative and creative hand-built, limited edition design pianos.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">The Baldwin Custom House line features both Gallery and Exotica Collections and targets high end customers. The company actually created a new category of pianos. The pianos are a type of interior decorating for the customer who wants what no one else has, according to the company’s promotional material.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Each piano in the new Baldwin Custom House design will be hand-signed and hand-numbered. Company executives described the line as an innovative and creative approach to hand-built, limited edition pianos with innovative new design techniques.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Enhancements have been made to both vertical and grand product line pianos. The focus of the line will be the finest quality and artistic flavor available to create a fine piece of art. Highly skilled craftsmen and artists were hired to ensure the highest level of excellence, and an apprenticeship program was launched to train artisans.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Customers can buy their personal piece of art, one executive said when describing the new line. Promotional material described the new line as changing the face of the traditional piano with the launch of two collections, Gallery and Exotic. The line offers customers an opportunity to purchase a grand or upright piano to match the interior of a special room. Customers can also order grand pianos which are an individual work of art.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">For several years the Baldwin plant in Trumann has employed 100 highly skilled piano craftsmen who turned out approximately 500 grand pianos a year. And of those 500 pianos, half of them were custom made.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Baldwin Piano stated that the company would continue to produce some of the world’s finest pianos with its remaining workforce of dedicated craftsmen at the Trumann location.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Every Baldwin piano is still U.S. made today. Baldwin is one of only two companies still producing pianos in the United States. All pianos produced locally are made from parts constructed and assembled in the Trumann plant.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Companies such as Hamilton and Wurlitzer in the U.S. import many of their models from overseas while all Baldwin pianos are strictly made in the United States.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">The average price of one of the pianos in the new Custom House line is $60,000. Prices for the new models begin at $50,000 and can reach $150,000.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Baldwin is one of the oldest piano manufacturers in the America. D.H. Baldwin, a former music teacher, opened his first store in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1862.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Dubbed “America’s Favorite Piano,” Baldwin Piano won international awards at the turn of the 20th century. By the end of the century, the company had grown to be the largest American piano maker.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> <P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal> <P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'"></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P><o:p><FONT size=3></FONT> </o:p><BR> <P></P></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>