STG closes Mac Baren and Sutliff

[sablebrush52]

Never seen anything to substantiate this. Not saying there weren't periods. But would be news to the folks who show up to work every day at the St Andrews Road factory. Possible they have at times finished stummels from other sources.

Back in 1928, Barling attempted to amend the Merchandise Marks Act revised 1926, so that only pipes fully made in England could be stamped as such. Dunhill led the charge to stop the amendment, saying that it would be a “disaster” were it to pass.
Why? Because they and others bought stummels to finish and mount. It was common practice. But, the cachet of “made in England” mattered, and losing the ability to apply that stamp meant lower profits. Dunhill and the others won that battle. To this day, made in England doesn’t guarantee that the pipe was made in England.
The Paris factory isn’t a secret. You’ll find Dunhills with a “Paris” stamp on the shank.
The business about outsourcing to Italy was a secret, one divulged to me by a salesman at the Dunhill store in Beverly Hills back in the early 90’s. It was also interesting to note that the staff wasn’t enthusiastic about the quality of the pipes they were selling.

 

[sablebrush52]

From the UK government's Company House website, there is a Dunhill Tobacco of London Limited. DUNHILL TOBACCO OF LONDON LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK - https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/02863410. The company's Annual Report from 2023 states that it "owns the Dunhill tobacco trademark, which it licenses to members of the British American Tobacco plc ("BAT") group" worldwide. It also states that the company is a wholly owned subsidiary of BAT. So, today. BAT owns the mark for tobacco and no one else. Per Dunhill Tobacco of London Limited's Report, it's trademarks and licenses are valued at £100 million. Profit in 2023, was £24 million, up from £17 million in 2022. Note that this is for licensing alone, not the manufacture and sale of tobacco. This is a spit in the bucket for BAT, whose net income is in the billions. Nonetheless, and quite simply, the company isn't "distancing" the "Dunhill" mark from tobacco.

This would have been later than the record I used, which covered the period from the 70’s thru the 90’s. Interesting to know.

 

[karam]

if there is money to be made.

Is there, though? I have long heard that tobacco has very tight margins. I imagine, and could be wrong, that pipe tobacco brings a small profit to dedicated manufacturers, so basically it’s a case of maintaining the production and brand for the hell/love of it.

 

[sablebrush52]

Is there, though? I have long heard that tobacco has very tight margins. I imagine, and could be wrong, that pipe tobacco brings a small profit to dedicated manufacturers, so basically it’s a case of maintaining the production and brand for the hell/love of it.

Since I can’t reveal sources, all I can say is that the price we pay is significantly greater than the cost.

 

[karam]

Since I can’t reveal sources, all I can say is that the price we pay is significantly greater than the cost.

The key is what happens between field and shop is what I've heard. A pipe tobacco blender I knew once told me it cost them $40/kilo for whole leaf Latakia, that's below peanuts indeed considering how many tins can this kilo be used for (estimate using 20-35%% Lat in an English blend means 250-400x50g tins sold for $15-20).

There are so many middlemen and levies along the way that what is actually a dirt cheap product allows precious little margin for anyone once it's actually bought by a consumer. Kiosk owner in Greece told me their margin on cigarettes is 2-5% which essentially losing them money in shelf space, yet they can't afford to take cigs off the shelf because it's what generates a ton of footfall.

Frankly I'm more than happy to pay a big margin, considering I get immense enjoyment for as little as $1/smoke. I've long felt that pipe smoking is TOO enjoyable for being this cheap, I'd want pipe tobacco manufacturers to remain in business for as long as possible

 

[telescopes]

I received a shipment of Sutliff tobaccos yesterday from Pipesandcigars. I was able to blend another pound of an English blend I refer to as 73s. It has become one of my favorites - but unfortunately, I have a few other favorites to blend and store as well. In the next few weeks I hope to increase my cellar by another year or two supply of tobacco. Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.

 

[JOHN72]

It was inevitable news. I don't know what the secretary general of NATO would think of this.

 

[Speak Easy]

Bruce Weaver was a Dunhill collector. He told me there was a time when Canadian produced Dunhills were a thing as well.

 

[pylorns]

On July 1st, 2024 Scandinavian Tobacco Group announced the acquisition of the Mac Baren Tobacco Company and Sutliff Tobacco Company.
In North America, we will bring our passion for the pipe tobacco category together to refine our combined product offerings and make it easier to serve you.
Within the next six months, you will be able to order products from both portfolios from a single point of contact and receive them via a combined shipment from a single distribution center.
For now, it is business as usual. You will continue to order Sutliff products from my team, and STG products from your current representative. We will provide further updates as we complete the unification of the two companies.
As always, thank you for your partnership, and we look forward to improving our service to you in the future.
Sincerely,
Jeremy McKenna

 

[pappymac]

Long ago and far away, Dunhill outsourced part of its production to other makers, most likely St. Claude, and it established a factory in Paris, France. More recently they were supposedly outsourcing some production to Italy.
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose/By any other name would smell as sweet.”

When doing research on a Salmon & Gluckstein pipe hallmarked for 1896, I remember reading something about them getting pipes from St. Claude and that they also provided unfinished pipes to Dunhill until Dunhill started buying directly from St. Claude.

It left me with the impression that in the early days Dunhill was just doing the finished work on the stummels.

Never seen anything to substantiate this. Not saying there weren't periods. But would be news to the folks who show up to work every day at the St Andrews Road factory. Possible they have at times finished stummels from other sources.

I THINK they were outsourcing before the St. Andrews Road factory was established.
I'm going to have to dig around to see if I can find my old research.

 

[ziv]

Over time the Mac Baren and Sutliff facilities will close, that is correct. The brand portfolios of Scandinavian Tobacco Group (“STG”) and Mac Baren / Sutliff will be combined and simplified. This is to ease the way of doing business for our customers: one point of contact, one order, one shipment, and one invoice. This will take time, though and no decisions have yet been taken on specifics. When we come to this point: clear communication will go out to our customers.

STG Closing Sutliff's Cigar Distribution Service

As expected, Sutliff's cigar distribution business will not be part of STG's future plans. It will close at the end of the year.

halfwheel.com

 

[Pipke]

Thank-you @pylorns and @ziv.

 

[FLDRD]

Smokingpipes has 15% off Mac Baren starting today.

 

[ThermionicScott]

Smokingpipes has 15% off Mac Baren starting today.

I bet they’re regretting scheduling that sale now!

 

[FLDRD]

I bet they’re regretting scheduling that sale now!

Maybe not. Panic buying is good for the seller, right?
Just read above that the blends will still "be available"... after all is said and done.

 

[telescopes]

If anything can be made of the above announcements, it may be that many of the tobaccos made by the two factories shutting down will still exist - but nothing is known of whether they will in essence continue to be the same tobaccos. How frustrating.

 

[Terry Lennox]

You have to love SP running the Mac Baren sale AFTER many did some panic buying. Oh well...

 

[ThermionicScott]

Maybe not. Panic buying is good for the seller, right?
Just read above that the blends will still "be available"... after all is said and done.

It seemed like the panic buying had already started, but now SP isn't getting full price for it.

 

[fireground_piper]

I'd have to believe their Christmas crawls are planned out on the promotions calendars way in advance.

 

[vosBghos]

View attachment 346998

You don't have anything to worry about with C&D in fact you might have noticed Laudisi labels on a lot of your favorite K&K now just K blends if anything C&D will be picking up the slack and yes those blends have and will be changed some more dramatically than others.