A New Piano Brand? Yes, Really!

When I attended the Nordic Piano Meeting in beautiful Arvika, Sweden, I came across something I hadn’t expected: a brand-new piano made in Poland, carrying a new name — Alaudis.

At a time when news from the piano industry seems dominated by factory closures, reduced production and rising costs, launching an entirely new piano brand in Europe sounds almost counterintuitive. Naturally, I wanted to know more.

I approached the people behind the project, and their story turned out to be an interesting one.

From restoring pianos to building their own

Alaudis is the new venture of SAP Renovation, a well-known name in the piano restoration business. According to the company, its team of 77 employees has restored more than 14,000 pianos over the years.

Poland has developed considerable expertise in piano restoration, particularly following the closure of the Calisia factory. Instruments from around the world are sent to Polish specialists to be restored, giving them a new lease of life.

But SAP Renovation had a different ambition: after working on thousands of instruments from various manufacturers, why not use all that experience to build a piano of their own?

When I asked the owner why the company had decided to start manufacturing in today’s challenging market, his answer was simple. It had been a long-held dream, and after years of working with different piano designs and learning what makes them tick, creating their own instrument felt like a natural next step.

There was another motivation, too: the desire to give Poland a piano brand of its own again. An ambitious goal, certainly, but one that deserves encouragement.

A lark with a musical future

The name Alaudis takes its inspiration from the lark, a bird known for its song. A fitting choice for a piano brand — and a little poetry never hurts in a business built around music.

The company is also paying close attention to materials and component quality. Most components are European, and the aim is clearly not to compete in the low-cost, low-quality segment. SAP Renovation manufactures its own action while using components from the respected German supplier Renner.

First impressions in Arvika

At the meeting in Sweden, I had the opportunity to try Alaudis’s first instrument, a medium-sized grand piano. It is still a prototype, designed to help the team gather feedback and identify improvements for the next version.

The company says the next instrument will be even better. And while a prototype is always a work in progress, my own first impression was positive. I liked what I experienced, and I believe the project is heading in the right direction.

The next model is already in production: a longer concert grand. That will be an important next step for this young brand.

A little good news for the piano world

Will Alaudis become an established name on the international piano scene? It is too early to tell. Building a successful piano brand takes time, consistency and instruments that can speak for themselves.

Still, in an industry that often seems to be moving towards contraction, seeing a new European manufacturer take shape is genuinely encouraging.

We will be following Alaudis’s progress with interest. If the team invites our magazine to visit its facilities in Poland, I will gladly take the opportunity to see how these instruments are made and bring you more photographs and first-hand insights.

For now, I wish our Polish friends every success. Powodzenia, Alaudis!