Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
Aeolian Co. Purchases Neponset, Mass.,
Plant of the Hallet & Davis Piano Co.
Adds to Former Concern's Facilities a Plant With Annual Production of 15,000 Instruments—
Hallet & Davis Concentrating Production in Factories at Worcester, Mass.
HP H E important announcement was made this
•*• week of the purchase by the Aeolian Co. of
the great modern piano factory of the Hallet
& Davis Piano Co. at Neponset, Mass., the
papers covering the transfer having been exe-
cuted last week, although the actual delivery of
the premises to the new owners will not be
made until some time in the early part of 1926.
Coming on top of the various other important
announcements that have emanated from the
headquarters of the Aeolian Co. within recent
months, the purchase of a plant has aroused
much interest in the trade generally. The fact
that it adds to the company's facilities a plant
capable of producing something over 15,000
pianos annually serves to make the Aeolian Co.
one of the largest builders of pianos in the
United States, and through its foreign plants
one of the largest in the world.
The Hallet & Davis plant at Neponset, Mass.,
W. H. Alfring, vice president and general
manager of the Aeolian Co., confirming the an-
nouncement, says: "Our purchase of this
modern Hallet & Davis piano building factory,
perhaps the largest unit in America, is in line
with the Aeolian Co.'s policy to provide
extensions to its production facilities
apace with the rapidly increasing demand
for the Duo-Art reproducing piano, an
interest and public appreciation which is
world-wide.
"This purchase is indicative of the fast
increasing Aeolian business which is
known to all Duo-Art dealers, whose in-
creasing purchases have demanded that
additional building facilities be provided.
Our need for such added capacity is an
important evidence of our company's con-
fidence in the future of the piano
industry and this is perhaps its
JULY 25,
1925
velopment and sale of the 'Angelus' and Hallet
& Davis products."
The Aeolian Co., too, is just completing three
new buildings to its Garwood, N. J., plant, the
three adding 50,000 square feet of floor space, in-
cluding what is believed to be the largest organ-
erecting rooms in the country. Extensions cost-
ing $250,000 were built in response to an urgent
need to take care of orders in hand, while seven
new dry kilns are also now being completed.
The Aeolian factory at Meriden, Conn., where
music rolls are made, has absorbed the space
released to roll manufacture from the sale of
Hie 'Factory Office
The Naponstt factory of Hallett & Davis purchased by the Aeolian Q. j
7)eep Miter Docks~Kaponset River
is a modern daylight factory, the main building
being almost 500 feet in length by 80 feet in
width, and five stories tall. It is of re-enforced
concrete construction with large glass bays, and
in design and equipment ranks with the Aeolian
works at Hayes, England, the two representing
the highest development in piano factory layout
and construction.
The power house, concrete kilns and factory
office are in separate fire-proof buildings, with
lumber yard at extreme right. The whole tract
includes 11 acres, and the N. Y., N. H. & H. R.
R. lines are close by with double side tracks
serving the works. In addition, the plant is
located upon Neponset River with deep water
for large ships, 20 foot depth at low tide, ac-
commodating bulk shipments by vessels.
Highest
Quality
greatest significance in the transaction.
"Contracts covering the purchase have
been completed and approved by the
Aeolian directors, and we are to possess
the property early in the year to come.
This purchase extends our facilities and
capacity, for no immediate changes in
the company's American plants at Gar-
wood, N. Y., the Bronx, N. Y., Worcester,
Mass., or Meriden, Conn., are contem-
plated."
Speaking for Hallet & Davis Piano Co.,
YfT)
President C. C. Conway issued the fol-
\j\
lowing formal statement, affirming the
purchase:
"We have for some time been contemplating
the consolidation of all of our manufacturing
activities in our new factory at Worcester,
Mass., a plant ideally located and equipped.
Such concentration would improve both the
quality of our products and the service to our
dealers as well as enabling us to effect substan-
tial economies.
"These plans are now made possible through
the sale of our Neponset plant to the Aeolian
Co., although possession is not to be given
them until some time next year, which will
give us ample time to make the change without
any interruption of service to our trade.
"With this program now clearly defined and
worked out, we are better equipped to more
aggressively concentrate our efforts in the de-
the company's phonograph record business to
the Brunswick Co.
This addition to the Garwood, N. J. works,
and the purchase of the Hallet & Davis Ne-
ponset plant, extensions representing further
plant investments by the Aeolian Co. of almost
two million dollars, speak a bold word for the
piano industry at this time, a message inspir-
ing the greatest confidences. The Aeolian Co.
record volume of sales in the past eighteen
months and the unfilled orders requiring in-
creased factory capacity reflect the march of
Aeolian progress and further growth.
Tuners' Annual Meeting
Becomes Technical Forum
(Continued from page 3)
fore we can regard the tuners' attitude in the
matter as wholly satisfactory. That is to say:
we cannot expect the tuner to acquire all this
knowledge, and to go to the trouble of study
and practice to perfect himself in a new and
difficult technique, if he is not to gain any re-
ward commensurate with the effort he is being
asked to make.
That is plain language; but it might as well
be stated first as last.
The dealers have to organize themselves to
give service, but they have also to organize
their services to pay.
Highest
Quality