Sabian Timeline

1968: Meductic, New Brunswick, Canada becomes home of a new Zildjian factory - AZCO¹ (A. Zildjian COmpany). This new factory costs $180,000, and measures 6,000 square feet. Capital budget is $200,000.³ They produce the AZCO series there, beginning March 1,¹ and projects the first cymbals will ship on May 15.² The company starts with 7 workers.³ Zildjian initially expects as many as 20 employees to be on staff by Spring, but this doesn't come to fruition. Cymbal blanks are shipped to Meductic from the company's factory in the U.S.A. An expansion of the AZCO facility is announced, where blanks will start being produced in late 1968 or early 1969.³ (An article from 1971 mentions an expansion worth $80,000 will take place later that year. It is unknown whether this is another expansion, or that the aforementioned one didn't take place. This article also mentions that blanks are still being imported from the U.S.A.)⁵

This N.B. location is chosen for a few of reasons: Robert "Bob" Zildjian is familiar with the area from many hunting and fishing trips over a 20 year time period. One-third of the capital cost is being underwritten by the Canadian federal government under the designated area program. Tariffs go down from 17.5% to 15% on materials imported to Canada from the U.S.A., positively impacting the profit margin. Also, moving Canadian-produced goods among Commonwealth countries have lower tariffs than goods made in the U.S.A. ²

Avedis Zildjian is against building a second Zildjian factory. But Bob ensures him it will be successful, and if it isn't, he will buy it for $100,000.¹⁴
1972: Azco Ltd. employs between 12-15 people. It puts about $12,000 to $15,000 a month into the local economy.⁴

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  1973 AZCO ad (The Telegraph-Journal)

1975: K. Zildjian series starts production in Meductic.
1977: Avedis Zildjian appoints oldest son, Armand, as the new President of the Avedis Zildjian Cymbal Company.
1979: Avedis Zildjian dies. Also this year, the Istanbul factory closed, Gabe Zilcan moves to Canada to work at AZCO. Zilcan oversees production and quality control for Sabian later on.⁶
1981: Armand and Robert Zildjian clash over control of the Zildjian Co. Armand buys out Robert's interests in Zildjian, while Robert receives the subsidiairies in Canada and Switzerland.¹¹ (Some sources say Robert got the Meductic factory in the agreement, while one says he bought it for $100,000, as per the 1968 agreement with Avedis.)¹⁵ On December 31, Robert takes over the facility in Meductic. He rebrands it - Sabian - from letters of his children's names: SAlly, Wilson (BIll), and ANdy.¹⁵
1982: 1st availability (except the U.S.A.) The first two lines are AA and HH. There are 38 workers in Meductic, along with another 10 in England, 14 in Italy, and 3 in Switzerland. Sabian's facility has the ability to store 60,000 cymbals, but hasn't been able to hold an inventory above 25,000, With U.S. sales prohibited until the following year, the company works hard to expand in Europe and Japan.⁸

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  Oct. '82 ad "NOT AVAILABLE IN U.S.A"

1983: 1st U.S.A. industry appearance at Summer NAMM that year. Sales for the year - 80,000.¹³

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  Jan. '83 ad "NOW AVAILABLE IN U.S.A"

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  1983 magazine ad

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  1983 ad

1984: Sabian's revenue is $2 million (Canadian).¹²
1985: Acquired the Charles Alden Music Company, Inc of Walpole, Massachusetts, for the purpose of distribution.
1986: Sabian entered into a partnership with Hohner Inc., for the purpose of distributing their products. Sonor's products were to be distributed as well. The new group was known as H.S.S. - Hohner Sonor Sabian. In addition, products by Vic Firth, Calato, Pro-Mark, and Remo were to be included in the distribution agreement. Sabian's founder receives the first ever "Business of the Year" award from the Carleton Regional Development Commission (New Brunswick). Bob Zildjian's wife, Willi, is presented a bouquet of roses.⁷
1987: Revenues are 5 million dollars, and about a 25% market share.¹⁰
1988: H.S.S. completed expansion of its warehouse facility in Ashland, Virginia, U.S.A..
1989: Sales are about 200,000 a year at this point, making Sabian the no. 2 cymbal manufacturer in the world. 65 employees are in Meductic, working 5 days a week, 2 shifts a day. There are other roughly 15 people in sales offices in North America and Europe.⁹ Andy Zildjian promoted to the position of Manager of Sales, Promotion, and Artist Relations at the company's USA (East Coast) office/depot in Hanover, Massachusets, U.S.A.. New office facility opens next to the factory.
1994: Sabian's payroll includes 80 people, with close to 50 employed at the Meductic factory. The remainder of employees are in service offices in Massachusetts, Los Angeles, and Europe, as well as Asia.¹³ 1996: Sabian's worth is an estimated 50 million (U.S.) Dollars wholesale, with about $20 million in sales annually. ¹² 2013 Robert "Bob" / "R.Z." Zildjian passes away on March 28, at the age of 89, at his home in Brunswick, Maine.
2015 Sabian begins direct distribution to the United States.<sup211

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Sources:
¹ Frank Withers, "Cymbal Plant Nearly Ready", The Daily Gleaner, February 16, 1968, pg. 1
² "Beat of the Beatles sounds sweet success: U.S. cymbal maker opening plant in N.B.", The Globe and Mail, April 5, 1968, pg. 19
³ "Meductic Cymbal Firm Announces Expansion", The Daily Gleaner, December 12, 1968, pg. 3
⁴ "Cymbal Manufacturer Bolsters Meductic Economy", The Telegraph-Journal and The Evening Times-Globe", February 20, 1972, pg. 33
⁵ "N.B. Cymbal Factory Important Musicians Throughout World", The Moncton Transcript, January 11, 1971, pg. 19
⁶ Mark Tunney, "Will Lionel Ritchie Play Meductic? - Top Musicians Line Up To Visit N.B. Cymbal Plant", The Telegraph-Journal, May 17, 1986, pg.34
⁷ Betty Pratt, "Carleton Development Commission Meets - Sabian Ltd. Named Business Of Year", The Daily Gleaner, May 29, 1986, pg.8
⁸ "Ringo Starr taps on cymbals made in N.B.", The Expositor, September 17, 1982, pg.39
⁹ Steve McLeod, "N.B. cymbal factory a magnet for musicians", The Telegraph-Journal, December 22, 1989, pg. 12
¹⁰ Davis Bushnell, "Zildjian: the ring of history", The Boston Globe, February 29, 1988, pg. 21
¹¹ "Heirs End Cymbal Company Feud", The Blade, December 13, 1981, pg. 21
¹² Gayle McDonald, "Managing", The Globe and Mail, April 15, 1996, pg. B8
¹³ Allison Finnamore, "Sabian Hits Right Note", The Daily Gleaner, October 25, 1994, pg. 41
¹⁴ Michael Woloschuk, "The Great Family Secret", The New Brunswick Reader, June 27, 1996, pg. 11
¹⁵ Michael Woloschuk, "The Great Family Secret", The New Brunswick Reader, June 27, 1996, pg. 12

²¹ The Daily Gleaner Staff, "Sabian LTD. to sell its cymbals directly to the U.S.", The Daily Gleaner, March 12, 2015, pg. D4