plawa - the Company
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plawa – A traditional company on its way into the future
“To never stop moving forward – rather, to always continue to surprise you with new ideas and new products, that is what motivates us”
plawa-feinwerktechnik GmbH & Co.KG, of Uhingen, Germany, has manufactured and imported consumer goods, and exports them to wholesalers and retailers around the globe, and has done so for over 40 years. We provide a broad spectrum of high-quality products, from the areas of digital electronics and photo-technology. The focus of our product range is on digital photography and on photographic accessories.
From its very beginnings, plawa has developed into an internationally successful company, thanks to a positive blend of consciousness for tradition, decisive decision-making, and a spirit of innovation. plawa began in 1969 as a manufacturer of film rolls and slide frames. The decision was made in the 1990s to make the move into consumer electronics. In 2000, the first plawa-manufactured digital camera was introduced at the Photokina trade show: the Spypen. A successful camera series, with a multitude of follow-on models developed from that beginning. In 2000, plawa acquired the rights to the limited sales of Polaroid digital cameras for the entire German-speaking region, as well as other European countries. The company has been the licensee and manufacturer of digital AgfaPhoto Photo and video cameras since 2006. plawa has sold photo and video accessories under the brand UNOMAT, beginning in 2008. Beginning in August 2009, plawa has had the exclusive distribution rights for photography products for the Polaroid brand.
The company is well on its way to being a consumer electronics company of the future. In order to continue to promote that development, the areas of international sales, marketing, quality assurance, and service are being expanded, at the Uhingen location. In 2008, a new service center was set up and made operational. In the same year, plawa photo.digital (HK) Limited in Hong Kong was founded, as a 100% subsidiary of plawa. The Hong Kong location will steer sales in Asia and Oceania, as well as service for international customers.
Market overview
plawa gains the rights to AgfaPhoto
plawa has been the exclusive licensee for AgfaPhoto digital cameras and video cameras since 2006. The goal: as the world-wide designer, manufacturer, and distributor of AgfaPhoto cameras, to meet the needs of our customers by providing good design, excellent technology, high quality, and good service, as well as ease of use.
“With plawa, we have found a new licensee that has the product and market competencies in the important digital camera product area, required to be successful in this aggressive and extremely fast-moving market... plawa has many decades of experience in sales and manufacturing, and is a recognized force in the industry, and for that reason, is the perfect partner for us”. Dr. Frank Nellissen, Chief Executive of AgfaPhotoHolding
UNOMAT – back in the market, with plawa
In February 2008, plawa acquired the rights and patents to the internationally-renowned brand UNOMAT, after that company declared insolvency. UNOMAT manufactures high-quality accessories in the area of photography and video. That includes product areas such as: lamps, energy, stands and tripods, and bags for hobby photographers and professional photographers.
Polaroid – exclusive distributor
Beginning in August 2009, plawa is taking on the exclusive distribution of photography products of the Polaroid brand. The distribution contract covers all products from the area of digital and analog photography. That includes digital cameras, digital photo frames, digital printers, digital and analog instant cameras, and analog film. The distribution area covers Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Netzerlands, Turkey, Russia, and other East European countries.