The sad news is now official. PDN has managed to confirm a report initially published by DIY Photography, claiming that UK-based lighting company Bowens had entered liquidation and was going out of business.
The 94-year-old company was scooped up by investment company Aurelius Group last year along with photography retailer Calumet. But while Aurelius commitment to Calumet continues, the company has decided that Bowens will not be able to overcome the challenges the lighting market faces.
In a statement, Aurelius Group told PDN the decision was due to, "the far-reaching changes affecting its market, including new, considerably less expensive products by Chinese manufacturers, product innovations by competitors, and the changed buying behavior of professional photographers, who are now only willing to invest in new equipment if the investment guarantees additional income. ”
According to Aurelius' CEO, Calumet will continue to service Bowens products in Europe, and the company is "working on" figuring out service for Bowens products globally. No word yet what this will look like, but in the US, Bowens products were distributed by Manfrotto.
. dpreview.com2017-7-21 17:42
