Kodak announces film price increase

[MIke Sherck]

Seen here: today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=industryNews&storyid=2006-04-17T160110Z_01_WEN4650_RTRIDST_0_INDUSTRY-KODAK-DC.XML

Kodak has announced price increases of from 3% to 17%. Sorry, no data on what films got what increases. Everyone run around in circles and scream like little girls! I can take a laid-back approach since I bought what is likely to be half of my summer's supply of sheet film a couple of weeks ago. Whew!

[Donald Brewster]

At least they are still making it!

[Christopher Perez]

As long as they continue to produce TMax100 in Readyloads, I don't care all that much. I'll pay what I need to.

Of course, if things get really silly at Kodak (as if they already haven't?) I'll cut over to Fuji Quickloads.

[Ted Harris]

Laughing cause we all love to hate Kodak so much. I don't recall any similar noise when Fuji raised their prices by about the same maount some 3-4 months ago.

[Oren Grad]

Here's the press release.

[Al D]

Well, with the dollar starting to slip a bit again vs. the Euro and UK Pound, a price increase from Ilford won't be far behind.

It's also worth noting that raw materials for just about everything you need for silver-based photographic materials (including paper pulp, thermosetting plastics, etc.) are going crazy right now. So I'd get used to these sorts of announcements.

[Randy Becker]

With far too many years of photo-retail under my belt than I care to think about, I will say that Kodak has raised their prices EVERY YEAR like clockwork. We used to wait for the new pages around March 26th I think and then again in November. I admit I haven't read their press release but this is not news to me at all.

Best to all,
Randy

[Scott Knowles]

Interesting. Just thinking out loud. Several possibilities are: one, Kodak is judging the market to find the price their film is still marketable and profitable; two, Kodak is simply pushing the envelope to find the price few will pay and thus justify the discontinuation of film altogether; three, the combination where they're finding what film to continue what the market (us) will pay and still make it profitable; and four, they're trying to eitehr spinoff or find buyers for the film production and need to determine what market is there for the prospective buyer. It's likely in a few years they may only market the LF film but at a high price, knowing they have a known (captive) market. The key is that film and chemicals are still marketable with a profit, it's just not where the bigger market is going. And companies are trying to find what market is left for the next few years. It's possible that only one name film/chemical company will be left but with a good customer base because they've gotten the cross-over customers from the discontinued film companies. It will be interesting to watch.

[GPS]

They are just trying to get money from shrinking market so that they could keep the profitable margin.

[steve_782]

Silver prices are now at $13.50 / ounce. Up from about $7.50 a year ago. I like conspiracy theories, profiteering, etc. as much as the next guy, but if raw materials go up - you have to raise your price.