Exclusive Breaking News: Cornell & Diehl to Merge with Laudisi

[doctorthoss]

Some things about this might be positive, others negative. I'm not sure about the new tin art, for instance, and I am VERY disappointed with the fact that they will no longer be doing straight-to-customer sales. There was a time when they would mix up a blend for you specifically, and their customer service was legendary. That those days are gone is NOT something I can celebrate. I was also very disappointed in the recent Hearth and Home merger, if for no other reason than my favorite blend has been unavailable since then. Hopefully nothing essential will change, but…we'll see.

 

[papipeguy]

I'll wait and see how this works. In my nosiness experience I can't recall when a merger was a win-win for everyone but as our former CEO once told me, "Shark do eat shark."

 

[woodsroad]

There is no free lunch.
Someone else is now doing the marketing and distribution, but it still has to be paid for. Economy of scale and efficient business practices only go so far in reducing costs. And I'm willing to bet that a good part of what is special about C&D is due to "inefficiencies" like complicated manufacturing techniques, aging tobacco, and pushing out new product because they think it will be good, not because market surveys say it will be profitable. The late, great British beer critic Michael Jackson once told me "Efficiency doesn't make good beer".
My best wishes to Craig and the rest of the C&D team, and to the the newly merged company. If anyone can make this a win-win, it will be them.
Now, everyone go and buy as much "pre-merger" C&D as possible. You can thank me later.

 

[cigrmaster]

I don't see how this won't be a good thing for both companies, sounds like a win win.

 

[tbradsim1]

I don't know about Tobbaco but when Exxon merged with Mobil it wasn't a win, win, it was more like chicken shit, chicken shit, retired soon after that. A lot of good things will go by the wayside, the efficiency boys will take over.

 

[crazypipe]

Wonderful glad to know it ::

 

[mrjerke]

Interested to see how this turns out. I will say that C&D's tin art leaves something to be desired for me. Hoping it's updated in a major way.

 

[woodsroad]

C&D's problem with their tin art is that some of it isn't readable on the retailer's shelf. You often times must pick up the can and look closely to read what is in it.
The fact that some of their art looks like it was done by a middle school art class with a 1993 version of CorelDraw, well, that's subjective.
Pease's tin art is great. I'd love to have 13" output of some of it.

 

[lordnoble]

While I am excited by this merger, I am saddened that C & D will no longer do direct-to-customer sales and custom blends for those same customers will cease. One of the great things that C & D had going for them was the customer service and that they were happy to talk to you about tobacco and would even suggest blends based on your preferences. If any part of this stellar customer service can continue with Laudisi, that will be a feather in their cap. Too often, though, mergers lose something " human" about the company being folded into the other.

I am hopeful, but cautious.
-Jason

 

[rudybaker]

For my two cents worth, I have been a distribution customer of Laudisi since they acquired Savinelli USA. They have been easy to work with from the off, and I have nothing but good to say about the level of service and the availability of product. I am based in NC and C&D blends are popular here. If past experience is any indicator, I think this will only enhance the availability of their products.

 

[escioe]

As long as the blends don't change, this will be good.
If the blends change, then we'll look at this like Orlik acquiring Dunhill, or Comoy and GBD coming together and both losing their magic.
That said, everyone involved seem like true pipe folk rather than marketeers, so I give it good odds for success.

 

[Dutch Pipe Smoker]

I exactly share the sentiments of lordnoble. Before stores like 4noggins came into being many Europeans bought their first American tobaccos directly from Cornell & Diehl because they were customer-friendly enough to take the risk for shipping across the Atlantic.

I am also a bit wary that limited edition blends from mr. Pease will only be made available at smokingpipes.com. A fine site, don't get me wrong, but they don't ship tobacco to Europe. I already grumble that I can't get Heart & Home blends because Pipes & Cigars don't ship to the old continent. But I will be pissed off when I can't get a new Pease blend because it is "exclusive" for smokingpipes.com..

 

[damnyak]

I would put money down that in the near future we will see blends coming out by the likes of a one Adam Davidson or perhaps some other well know Pipe makers that are affiliates with SP.

 

[pipestud]

I think this is an outstanding move and one I have been anticipating for quite some time as I knew of the negotiations and was rooting like crazy for it to happen. A big reason for my "cheerleading" is what the merger/acquisition will do for fans of Pease tobacco blends. I really enjoyed the posted article and hope you guys and gals caught this part of the article -
"We also spoke to Gregory Pease, Blendmeister at G.L. Pease Tobaccos, which are produced by Cornell & Diehl.

Pease asserts; "This is really exciting for me, opening the door for some wonderful new opportunities. Not only will it help expand distribution, making my blends more accessible to a wider audience, but it will also make possible some ideas that I’ve been thinking about for a long time, but just haven’t had the business resources to accomplish. I plan on creating more limited edition blends, and have some top secret new projects that I wasn’t able to do before the merger. Additionally, just having more marketing muscle behind the product is going to be good for the G. L. Pease brand overall."
So, C&D continues making its blends. Pease continues making his blends. Both get better distribution and marketing and Pease now has the creative time to unleash more limited edition blends of his as well as more time to focus on his "top secret new projects."
What's not to like about this deal?
Pipestud

 

[petes03]

Sounds like it might be a good thing! It'll be sad to see their tin art change though, as they have some of the best!

 

[tedswearingen]

arno665, we do ship tobacco to Europe. Maybe not every single country in Europe, but that's only because some countries in Europe prohibit its citizens from receiving tobacco from out of the country.

 

[pipestud]

I exactly share the sentiments of lordnoble. Before stores like 4noggins came into being many Europeans bought their first American tobaccos directly from Cornell & Diehl because they were customer-friendly enough to take the risk for shipping across the Atlantic.

I am also a bit wary that limited edition blends from mr. Pease will only be made available at smokingpipes.com. A fine site, don't get me wrong, but they don't ship tobacco to Europe. - arno

I used to ship tobacco to other countries and ran into the same problems as other vendors. I got tired of having the packages not delivered, lost in the mail, returned, etc. There were times when I shipped to Denmark and Switzerland and had packages returned. Packages sent to Italy got "lost," and one buyer did not accept his package in the UK because the Tariff was double the price of the tobacco he bought from me. I can sure see where a high volume vendor such as smokingpipes.com doesn't have the time to deal with all the international shipping problems that regularly occur.
Best,

Pipestud

 

[Dutch Pipe Smoker]

arno665, we do ship tobacco to Europe. Maybe not every single country in Europe, but that's only because some countries in Europe prohibit its citizens from receiving tobacco from out of the country.

Thanks for answering mr. Swearingen, I appreciate that! I apologize for being under the impression that you don't ship tobacco to Europe. I should have first looked closer at your website. You ship to The Netherlands.

 

[Dutch Pipe Smoker]

I used to ship tobacco to other countries and ran into the same problems as other vendors. I got tired of having the packages not delivered, lost in the mail, returned, etc. There were times when I shipped to Denmark and Switzerland and had packages returned. Packages sent to Italy got "lost," and one buyer did not accept his package in the UK because the Tariff was double the price of the tobacco he bought from me. I can sure see where a high volume vendor such as smokingpipes.com doesn't have the time to deal with all the international shipping problems that regularly occur.
Best,

Pipestud

Goodday mr. Fallon, it is too bad but understandable that you don't ship to the old continent. Although I sometimes have to grind my teeth because your site for me is like looking at candy behind a thick glass window..

 

[aristokles]

I wondered why smokingpipes.com was stocking all the C&D blends I had previously requested (and had been rejected). Now I know.
I guess direct sales from C&D will change which does concern me for those rarely stocked blends we can only get direct from Chris.