Ilford Imaging is dead, long live Ilford Photo! A management buyout has saved the rump of the company, but with a job reduction of 50% to 380. The new unit will continue to produce film (hurray) and develop paper/inkjet products in conjunction with the Swiss facility.
For further info, see:http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/story/0,3604,1419677,00.html
Go to the Ilford website (www.ilford.com). Click on press releases. The Feb.21st press release published there gives a optimistic outlook on Ilford's future as a manufacturer of B&W photo products. It looks like Ilford will be around for a while longer thanks to our loyal support during their financial crisis.
I wonder when we will have the final word about discontinued products, after all the predictions which have been made.
There was an Ilford press release on the Shutterbug web site that stated that all black and white film and paper products "except SFX" would continue in production, although there would be some fine tuning (which I would take to mean changes in packaging and sizes), and that chemical production would be outsourced to another company. OK - that was the plan last week, but plans change.
Keep in mind that in the business world, the "final word" is subject to reinterpretation as time goes by. Business is dynamic and responds to market conditions, labor and materials constraints, and perhaps even the phase of the moon. Don't expect a formal announcement that locks in a set of products forever.
Their only product which really matters is Ilfochrome. It is unique, while the rest of their stuff has equivilant (if not identical) competition mainly with Kodak products. I hope to heck that it will still be made.
Wilhelm (Sarasota)
Nonsense,
what is the Kodak equivalent to 5x7" HP5+?
I bet that they still don't make 11 x 14 film available in the U.K., after all they only make it here to ship abroad.Thank goodness for Bregger.
If Ilford as a company are too thick to supply the home market with our requirements how can they expect to inspire loyalty. I'll probably bring this up with their reps at Focus again this year but I expect to get an insulting answer as I have in previous years after all the shower of nerds they usually have available there only want to talk about digital, I doubt if any of them could focus a field camera (in fact I doubt if they could open one).
I feel better for that.
"Nonsense, what is the Kodak equivalent to 5x7" HP5+?"
5x7 320TXP? I get EI 500 using Xtol 1:3 in a Jobo Expert drum.
This is good news under any circumstances. We can expect changes, but having their products available at all is our good fortune. I will support them.
Bill, have you ever used ILFORD GALERIE b+w paper???
Toyo 45 CF | Sinar P | Sinar F2
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