An update on my post from last week - it is now official: the lighting manufacturer Bowens is going out of business. In a statement today the parent company Aurelius Group confirmed the news:
Aurelius said the decision was due to the “the far-reaching changes affecting its market, including new, considerably less expensive products by Chinese manufacturers, product innovations by competitors, and the changed buying behavior of professional photographers, who are now only willing to invest in new equipment if the investment guarantees additional income.” (via PDN)