Leblanc (musical instrument manufacturer)
Leblanc, Inc. was a musical instrument manufacturer based in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
The company was sold on 1 August 2004 to Steinway Musical Instruments, followed by closure of the Kenosha facility and the movement of their French operation to the US. Leblanc has now ceased to exist as an independent operation and has become a brand of Conn-Selmer along with their many other brands.
History
Léon Leblanc (1900–2000) and Vito Pascucci (1922–2003) founded the G. Leblanc Corporation in Kenosha, Wisconsin in 1946.[1] The American company was set up to import woodwind instruments made in France by G. Leblanc Cie.
G. Leblanc Cie. was a French company founded by Georges Leblanc late in the 19th century, in La Couture-Boussey. In 1904 the company acquired Noblet, the oldest instrument manufacturer in France.
Beginning in 1951, the American Leblanc firm went on to manufacture student instruments under the Vito brand, named after founder Vito Pascucci.
Leblanc's French clarinet plant was sold to the Buffet Group in 2008 [2]
Acquisition of other instrument companies
Leblanc broadened its product line further with the acquisition of several other companies: The Frank Holton Company (manufacturer of brass instruments) in 1964; the Bublitz Case Company manufacturer of musical instrument cases in 1966; the Woodwind Company (manufacturer of woodwind mouthpieces) in 1968; and the Martin Band Instrument Company (manufacturer of brass instruments and saxophones) in 1971.
Since 1981 Leblanc has been the exclusive marketer and distributor of Yanagisawa saxophones in the United States and Canada.
In 1989 the American Leblanc firm acquired majority interest in G. Leblanc Cie. and took over its management. 2004 saw the firm sold to Conn-Selmer, a division of Steinway Musical Instruments, by its chairman, president and CEO, Leon Pascucci, son of founder, Vito.
Brands
Holton (brass instruments) Martin (jazz trombone) Leblanc (woodwinds) Vito (student brass and woodwinds) Woodwind (accessories)
Current product
Leblanc brand is currently manufacturing one model of Bb Clarinet, and intermediate model named the L210. It was designed in collaboration with Leblanc artist Julian Bliss. They also manufacture a plastic Alto, Bass, Contra Alto, and Contrabass clarinet and a wooden Bass Clarinet.
References
- ↑ Reminiscence by Dr. Pascucci June 1, 2009
- ↑ Buffet Group acquires B&H
- "History" page from the Leblanc web site. Retrieved 17 August 2006.