PhotoBite has heard compelling evidence suggesting that the British lighting company, Bowens, has now entered into liquidation, serving a huge blow to the UK photographic industry and leaving a big question mark above the trusted brand

The GEMINI 400RX from Bowens

It was a little over a year ago that Bowens [along with parent company, retail chain Calumet] was bought out by the investment firm Aurelius and it seemed odd to many when the Bowens brand pulled out of their slot at the Photography Show at the NEC in Birmingham last year, at the very last minute. Eyebrows were raised, but the company suggested that their reasons were down to the fact that the new Generation X lights weren’t quite ready to show.

The news of Bowens entering into liquidation is fresh and unverified, currently, although PhotoBite has it in strong authority to be true and we will endeavour to seek official news as it breaks.

Established in 1928 in London, England, the [then named] Bowens Camera Service Company, the company started out as a UK-based camera repair operation. They went on to manufacture flash bulbs in 1947, and from 1950 the firm made its very own studio flash systems. In 1963, the name Bowens International Ltd. was registered.

Since the buyout of the Bowens brand and the retail arm, Calumet, Aurelius has gone on to buy WEX Photographic, with which they plan to merge with Calumet.

More news here as it breaks…