Features

Tour Pro-Ject's New Logistics Center and New Factory

Michael Fremer  |  Jun 28, 2017

After last May's High End Munich show, Pro-Ject founder and CEO Heinz Lichtenegger invited international distributors attending the show to visit the company's brand new high-tech "green" logistics center outside of Vienna. They also toured the original Pro-Ject factory in Litovel, Czech Republic as well as the brand new factory down the road.

AnalogPlanet editor Michael Fremer was invited to tag along.

As you'll see in the video, the old factory, which will remain open, is overcrowded and the new factory was needed if the company was to fulfill orders, which currently exceeds annually, 150,000 turntables.

The company currently runs 3 shifts a day, 7 days a week to keep up with turntable demand and is among if not the largest employer in Livotel. It's an incredible success story that began with a homely little turntable spotted for sale in a gas station.

You can't make up this stuff!

COMMENTS
GeorgeZ's picture
Submitted by GeorgeZ on Wed, 2017-06-28 23:54

The town is Litovel, not Livotel. Also it is the hometown of one of the classic Czech breweries (smaller one): http://www.litovel.cz/ :-)

Michael Fremer's picture
Submitted by Michael Fremer on Thu, 2017-06-29 04:07
Will fix. Thanks.
Wimbo's picture
Submitted by Wimbo on Thu, 2017-06-29 02:01

Michael. Thanks.

Jim Tavegia's picture
Submitted by Jim Tavegia on Thu, 2017-06-29 12:29

It would seem that at any price-point, Project has you covered with quality equal to anyone and superb engineering and features. They are upping the game.

cdlp4578's picture
Submitted by cdlp4578 on Thu, 2017-06-29 16:08

...did they handle it a year ago? You look at the assembly factory and they are pumping out so much volume (and so many different models) that the place is cramped. And they were machining the parts in the same building a year ago!?

Heinz's idea in 1991 might have been a risky fantasy, but the new factory is no wild guess - it's a no-brainer necessity.

Audio 1's picture
Submitted by Audio 1 on Thu, 2017-06-29 17:10

Awesome video Michael!
I always look forward to your videos and this one is another winner.
Hard to not be impressed with the Project company after this behind the scenes view.

WaltonGoggins's picture
Submitted by WaltonGoggins on Thu, 2017-06-29 21:43

It's such a shame that the hum issues of the Carbons have sullied the Pro-Ject name out there on the forums. I'm not so sure they're doing themselves any favors with the el cheapo Elemental/Primary line; the really cool looking Essential III is just so much nicer for not much more.

Speaking of the Essential, I'd sure love to see a certain vinyl guru put one through the paces and compare it to the Carbon and Orbit.....

Ortofan's picture
Submitted by Ortofan on Thu, 2017-06-29 22:01

... machining equipment to make possible a Pro-Ject turntable selling for about $400. That's in the range of the adjusted-for-inflation price of a mid-70s Pioneer PL-12D. It'd be fascinating to go back in time and see how the Pioneer factory of forty-odd years ago was equipped and staffed when they were cranking out those turntables by the container load.

Better yet, maybe MF can try to acquired a relatively mint condition PL-12D. Install on it a new entry-level cartridge, such as an OM-10 or AT-95, and then compare it with a basic Pro-Ject (or Rega) product to see how much progress has been made during the past four decades.

Michael Fremer's picture
Submitted by Michael Fremer on Sun, 2017-08-27 11:41
I owned one in the 1970s and used it for radio commercial production.
theboogeydown's picture
Submitted by theboogeydown on Sat, 2017-07-01 05:36

Traveling the world all in the name of audio bliss, pretty great Michael. Thanks for taking us with you as always.

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