Nikolaus Wilhelm Schimmel’s succession to the company’s leadership in 1961 saw the traditions of this fine German house pass on seamlessly to the third generation. A new factory was built in 1966 and a decision was taken to erect a new plant containing a concert hall and exhibition area; this grand project was finally completed in 1980. In that year, Schimmel made 10,000 pianos in its new facility, 1,000 of which bore a names Erard, Gaveau, or Pleyel (which they made under license between 1970 and 1993).
In tradition to its emphasis on quality or traditional skills, Schimmel has continued to innovate, and in 2001 premiered a sophisticated new range of pianos to delight players and piano technicians alike. Schimmel is now in bankruptcy.
Dates and serial numbers when the pianos were manufactured
| 1894 | 1000 |
| 1900 | 3500 |
| 1910 | 9000 |
| 1921 | 13900 |
| 1930 | 19350 |
| 1940 | 22100 |
| 1950 | 22900 |
| 1960 | 50000 |
| 1970 | 118200 |
| 1980 | 292000 |
| 1990 | 319400 |
| 2000 | 330000 |
