Graupner/SJ GmbH to close down
German company goes into administration
The Graupner in Kirchheim unter Teck, Germany announced that it is closing down after 89 years. The company founded by Johannes Graupner in 1930 was part of the model industry since the beginning, survived the World War II, then the Cold War, but it could not survive the falling of RC model industry.
The Graupner was founded by Johannes Graupner in 1930 in Stuttgart. Two years later the entire company moved into Kirchheim unter Teck, where it was operating until now. The company was one of the leading companies within the Radio Controlled model industry until the past decade. The Graupner transmitters were industry standards, and the company was one of the leaders in the RC equipment market. They produced many scale models, boats, gliders, landscape materials. The company released its first radio in 1954.
The founder, Johannes Graupner passed away in 1953, his son Hans Graupner has been continuing the business. The company became one of the leaders in Radio Controlled technologies, produced models, RC accessories, chargers, and it constructed many legendary transmitters.
When the 2.4 GHz digital transmission technology entered the RC world in the second half of the early 2000s, the Graupner GmbH reacted too slowly, didn't keep up with its competitors, and lost its leadership. The Asian dominance and the copycat companies didn't help Graupner's positions in the market either. The company went bankrupted in 2012.
The South Korean SJ Ltd took over the company with its all patents, brands and products, the original company became distributor of its own brand under the control of its parent company. The SJ Ltd has changed its name, and became Graupner Co. Ltd. The German original firm got renamed to Graupner/SJ GmbH.
The Graupner brand could not return into the market, even so, they were represented by famous pilots. One of these pilots was Simone Zunterer in Germany.
The South Korean company could not reform the production either, and it's closing its production facility in Shenzen, China, all development, production will be continuing in South-Korea, near to Seoul. In addition, the company cancels the distribution chain as well, and focuses on direct trading, which makes the German predecessor's future insufficient.
After 89 years in the model industry, the Graupner in Kirchheim unter Teck shuts down.
