RIP Omas

[writingrav]

According to an article tonight on Peneconomics Omas is laying off their staff and preparing to close down and enter bankruptcy. Sad.

[KBeezie]

And this was on Instagram earlier at Omas Official.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BB-MXwNgtP2/

[migo984]

I read that technically it's a voluntary liquidation, rather than bankruptcy, as according to its published accounts, the company has been covering its debts? Whichever is the case, it's very sad.

[DASEFnib]

I read that technically it's a voluntary liquidation, rather than bankruptcy, as according to its published accounts, the company has been covering its debts? Whichever is the case, it's very sad.

The report I read on FPN states it IS a voluntary liquidation....no debts to speak of....
But it STILL doesn't take the sting out of it!!
People now unemployed....and what appears to be the demise of a hallmark pen company...!!
I now find myself pondering a search for what would be (for me) a "one-and-only" Omas...if only for posterity's sake.....

Always try to get the dibs....on fountain pens with EF nibs!!

[fountainpagan]

Such a shame to have let such a brand fall apart like that.

DASEnib, I would advise you to look for a pen that is previous of 1990.

[jvlgato]

Very sad.

I just posted in a second thread of the same topic. Would it perhaps be useful for a mod to combine the two?

[Pelikan-Vera]

Very sad here too and to top it they have my 360 that went in for repair.....I guess that I will never see it again.....sigh. Vera

[Miss Fountain Pen]

Very sad here too and to top it they have my 360 that went in for repair.....I guess that I will never see it again.....sigh. Vera

Didn't it say somewhere that they were still honoring warranties for another six months? So they should repair your pen and send it back to you. And even if they weren't honoring warranties anymore, I can't imagine that they'd just keep people's pens. They'd send them back, I'm sure, just unrepaired.

[fountainpenkid]

I am very saddened by this, and I've only owned one OMAS (a Paragon Italia '90). They combined delicate design, writing performance, celluloids and piston filling in a way unlike any other manufacturer. I will now put a modern OMAS at the top of my list (to hell with my 'set college collection' idea!).

[fqgouvea]

I am also sad and annoyed at the news. There was this dream of visiting Bologna and buying one on site...

I guess I need to save up and try to get one while I still can!


Fernando Gouvêa -- fqgouvea@roadrunner.com

[KBeezie]

I am also sad and annoyed at the news. There was this dream of visiting Bologna and buying one on site...

I guess I need to save up and try to get one while I still can!


Fernando Gouvêa -- fqgouvea@roadrunner.com

Did they have something on site in Bologna despite not being Italian since 2000?

[ubremin]

Maybe this could be the start of a new Omas? My speculation is that the chinese owner wanted to sell off Omas Co, but couldn't find a buyer.
Then a voluntary liqiduation is an alternative.
This would create an opprtunity for a group of new owners (maybe including current management) to step in, at a lower price.
I would assume the real value of Omas is its staff and their skills. Maybe some patents and unique materials too.

sad news indeed (owner of 4 Omas pens, one just returned from Bologna after at repair).

[TSherbs]

They have to find a way to sell more pens, or it is likely gone for good.

[migo984]

Maybe this could be the start of a new Omas? My speculation is that the chinese owner wanted to sell off Omas Co, but couldn't find a buyer.
Then a voluntary liqiduation is an alternative.
This would create an opprtunity for a group of new owners (maybe including current management) to step in, at a lower price.
I would assume the real value of Omas is its staff and their skills. Maybe some patents and unique materials too.

sad news indeed (owner of 4 Omas pens, one just returned from Bologna after at repair).

I understand a management buy-out proposal was turned down by the owners.

[KBeezie]

Maybe this could be the start of a new Omas? My speculation is that the chinese owner wanted to sell off Omas Co, but couldn't find a buyer.
Then a voluntary liqiduation is an alternative.
This would create an opprtunity for a group of new owners (maybe including current management) to step in, at a lower price.
I would assume the real value of Omas is its staff and their skills. Maybe some patents and unique materials too.

sad news indeed (owner of 4 Omas pens, one just returned from Bologna after at repair).

I understand a management buy-out proposal was turned down by the owners.

The buy-out price probably wasn't higher than what they could get liquidizing, since it seems like they went this route because corruption crackdown in China has cut into their profits significantly.

[fqgouvea]

I am also sad and annoyed at the news. There was this dream of visiting Bologna and buying one on site...

I guess I need to save up and try to get one while I still can!


Fernando Gouvêa -- fqgouvea@roadrunner.com

Did they have something on site in Bologna despite not being Italian since 2000?

Yes, though the stories told by the Chinese execs suggest they didn't feel very welcome there.


Fernando Gouvêa -- fqgouvea@roadrunner.com

[tandaina]

I am also sad and annoyed at the news. There was this dream of visiting Bologna and buying one on site...

I guess I need to save up and try to get one while I still can!


Fernando Gouvêa -- fqgouvea@roadrunner.com

Did they have something on site in Bologna despite not being Italian since 2000?

Yes, though the stories told by the Chinese execs suggest they didn't feel very welcome there.


Fernando Gouvêa -- fqgouvea@roadrunner.com

So were they manufacturing in China?? I assumed due to the prices that they were making the pens in Italy!

[fqgouvea]

They were still manufacturing in Italy, but run by the Chinese.


Fernando Gouvêa -- fqgouvea@roadrunner.com

[bluesea]

They were still manufacturing in Italy, but run by the Chinese.


Fernando Gouvêa -- fqgouvea@roadrunner.com

Run by the Chinese, or owned by the Chinese?

[KBeezie]

They were still manufacturing in Italy, but run by the Chinese.


Fernando Gouvêa -- fqgouvea@roadrunner.com

Run by the Chinese, or owned by the Chinese?

Owned (90%) by Xinyu Hengdeli Group (Hong Kong) and 10% by LVMH (France) (since late 2007, it was 100% by LVMH from 2000 to 2007).