Montblanc Hamburg Factory Tour 4/Oct/2011

[2careless]

I've been away for the better part of 4 weeks in Europe and USA.
The highlight of my trip was to attend a Montblanc factory tour in Hamburg.
The factory is in a semi industrial area, just 5 minutes walk from Eidelstedt station (S3 line). There were 9 participants in the party. This was an "out-of-season" tour as they usually only open during Jun-Aug.

Perhaps it was the previous groups that were showing their videos/ photos on the Internet that the first thing we got told was - No photos please. A bit disappointed really but can't help it.

First stop was the Montblanc Academy Gallery where artworks of Montblanc sponsored artists were shown. One can also see a lot of beautiful artwork shown along the factory corridors. Montblanc is a major art sponsor, from what I was told.

Next we went to see a couple of videos about the manufacturing processes of both the nibs and their watch movements. This Hamburg factory only make the pens. The watch factory is in Switzerland.

Then we were enlightened by the multi-stage approach of nib production, all operated and performed by human. Starting with:
a. pressing of the gold roll to a small rectangle with one end thicker than the other end - the thicker end will be the nib tip.
b. press/cut the gold part in a) to a nib shaped flat piece.
c. press the print as well as rolling the nib curvy.
d. this is the fun part - welding the irridium nib to the nib. The nib tip is dipped into a welder and we can see some flash of yellow/orange light in the welder and within a second the worker can handle the joined nib.
e. another fun process - using a very thin blade the nib tip is cut to its 2 tines. The precision is superb - not much leeway for the tines to go except for the middle.
f. taping the gold nib part of the nib and expose the supposed to be silverish part of the nib for Rhodium plating. We didn't see the plating process though.
g. grinding the nib to the required point - the worker is so skilled that she just "waves" the nib onto the grinder a few times and a nib is grounded properly.
h. final check by writing with the nib using invisible ink - water hasn't got the right viscosity so they use a different mixture.

(hope I have captured what was described and shown correctly as my German is very limited.)

Then we went to see the Artisan Artelier department where all the one offs and very limited edition pens were made, e.g. Charlie Chaplin, Beijing Opera, Gaudi, Gustave Eiffel, Monaco Wedding etc. The efforts in the design/build process is enormous - lots of drawings and CAD designs before the pen is made. If anyone got the spare change, one can order a "one-off" special with them for something like 250k euros starting.

Also saw the gallery of famous people using MB pens in signatures, and I think the latest is one taken of President Obama with Chancellor Merkel.

Along the way just outside the canteen they have hung many customer feedback letters on the walls - there were about 8 of them, both positive and negative were there for all to see. They enlarged the A4 letters to A1 size. I noted that the last letter was dated Nov 2010 so I believe this initiative is continuing.

Then we had a light lunch and after lunch we were shown the Montblanc Museum.
Well, needless to say that the stuff there are all in good condition, cataloged from 1906 up to the modern ages, and I saw a most delicious green striated 144 (or 146). Also saw various safetys e.g. size 0 and size 12. Also saw various celluloid pattern pens of the 30s e.g. Malacite green, lapis blue and pearl marbled. A number of silver and gold overlay pens, as well as solid gold pens. Of course also have the latest limited editions and donation pens.

After the Museum we said goodbye to the host and we all received a bag of goodies.

It was a very positive experience and I now know a lot more about the nib manufacturing process, as well as made a few friends as well.

Here are a few pictures I took (before we were told no photos):

The factory from outside:


The 149 alike staircase:


At the reception area - the "shopping bag" is actually outside and stands approx 2.5m tall.


The Raphael at the reception:


Another Skeleton but I have not idea what it is:


Contents of the goodies bag: