Shanghai Harmonica Plant

[Thomas_B._Colvin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

     >  He said harmonica production this year was expected to climb to 
     eight million...
     
     That's a remarkable production run.  Hohner in its heyday during the 
     30s and 40s produced only 9 or 10 million a year.  In recent years, I 
     understand that Hohner has been producing about 1 million harmonicas a 
     year (although I heard a rumor at SPAH that the 1993 production was up 
     to 1.7 million) -- I think this is world-wide sales figures, but it 
     may just be US sales.
     
     Five minutes after I read this posting, I happened just by chance to 
     receive a phone call from Beijing from a good friend who runs the 
     Reuters TV bureau in China.  He knew about this story, since it was 
     written by a Reuters journalist based in Shanghai.  My TV friend is 
     thinking of doing a video piece about the harmonica plant.  If he 
     does, he has promised to ask some of the questions I told him I would 
     fax to him later this week.  So...if anyone has questions, post them 
     and I will forward them to Beijing.  Maybe we can get some answers 
     back.
     
     Tomcat