Covid-19: Ilford factory in Mobberley shutting down for now

[jp]

The batch number has nothing to do with the price B&H paid unless they somehow bought that entire batch, which is unlikely. It's determined by the manufacturer's distribution arrangement. None of us know the actual costs or profit margins unless we work for one of the above. But supply and demand no doubt factors in.

If we must speculate... Could well be that a batch had to be imported while the dollar was down: https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/GBPU.../?p=GBPUSD%3DX

[Bob Salomon]

If we must speculate... Could well be that a batch had to be imported while the dollar was down: https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/GBPU.../?p=GBPUSD%3DX

Importers usually buy futures when the exchange rate is in their favor and pay for purchases from those futures. It evens out exchange rate fluctuations so costs of purchases remain stable in their favor. The larger the importer the more in futures they can buy.

[Duolab123]

Could be that B&H isn't the only place to buy film.

[Drew Wiley]

I was about to note the same thing, Bob. The imported German machinery lines I sold were currency buffered for three years at a time. The notable exception, in this case Japanese, was the line of Nikon survey instruments. Unlike their cameras, this constituted a separate US division run differently, with no regard for currency fluctuations. It was an utter bellyflop despite the high product quality. Nobody was going to pay double just for the brand name; there we other excellent choices.

[Roger Thoms]

I own a Nikon builders level, don’t recall what I paid for it but it must have been reasonable at the time. Must have caught it when currency fluctuations were favorable. I am very pleased with the quality, it’s always a pleasure to use the instrument.

Roger