SAMICK

Made by: Samick Musical Instrument Mfg. Co. Ltd., Inchon, South Korea;
and Bogor, West Java, Indonesia

In 1958 Hyo Ick Lee established the Samick Instrument Music Co. in Inchon, Korea. He began as a piano distributor, and by 1960 began building his own upright pianos under the name Horugel. Samick worked on the expansion of his production and facilities and shipped several pianos to Hong in 1964, becoming the first Korean piano exporter. In the early 1970s, he introduced the Samick brand, using that name exclusively by 1973.

Over the next 30 years Samick continued to expand and improve, producing upright pianos, grand pianos and digital pianos and opening more cost efficient plants in Indonesia and China.
By 1989 Samick established Samick USA in the City of Industry, California. In 1995, Samick opened a factory in Indonesia for the production of pianos and guitars. By 1997, production of pianos in the USA moved to Indonesia.

In 2002 Samick and C. Bechstein, a major European piano manufacturer, each acquired a financial interest in the other and agreed to cooperate on technical issues and marketing.
In 2004 Samick reorganized as Samick Music Corp. (SMC). Names used on pianos made by Samick have included: Kohler & Campbell, Conover Cable, Otto Altenburg, Ottostein, Charles Albrecht, Schultz & Sons, Schafer & Sons (for the Colton Piano & Organ Co. from 1974-1989), Howard (grands for Baldwin in the 1980s), Wurlitzer (grands for Baldwin starting in 1996), Willis and Sons, Horugel, Stegler, Wesberg, Story & Clark grands, Schubert, Schumann, Alex Steinbach, Hazelton Bros., Hyundai/Maeari, DH Baldwin, Bernhard Steiner, Grinnell Bros., C. Bechstein (as of 2002), Wm. Knabe, Sohmer & Co. (as of 2003 when Samick Korea was reorganized), Remington and Pramberger (as of 2005).

In 2008 Samick acquired the German brand, Seiler, for distribution in North America as well. They built warehousing and offices in Tennessee, assembling certain Knabe and Pramberger grand piano lines there using parts from Korea, Indonesia and other countries. While Samick says it will continue to make some pianos in Korea, it is gradually moving most of its production to Indonesia. Samick has become one of the world’s largest piano manufacturers.

Official Website: www.smcmusic.com