Another one bites the dust

[ksmattfish]

According to the rumor mill, Forte will shut down production of films and papers by the end of January.

 

[kevin_c]

See post three here:

http://www.apug.org/forums/forum172/35526-forte-stop-its-production.html

Nothing official though...

 

[Jeff Canes]

I was checking out J&C Photo yesterday about order new film. Seems they are not reopening next week, but maybe closed for 3 to 6 months more. That not a good think at all. Their Adox house brand is mostly Efke and Ilford but they did sale a lot of Foma too under the J&C name. I have never used any of their films but hopefully they will license their line out to another manufacture.

 

[terri]

I was checking out J&C Photo yesterday about order new film. Seems they are not reopening next week, but maybe closed for 3 to 6 months more.

I had heard February or March, some time back. It's an enormous move they're making, on several fronts. We just have to be patient.

The *latest* rumor about Forte is that Bergger is looking to buy them out. It's all pending and there has been no official announcement from Forte. These rumors are distressing even when I don't use the products, but it's worse when no one clearly knows anything.

Just keep buying what you can while it's out there, and use the stuff, then go buy some more. If there is one thing about the analog market we're sure of, it's the maddening way it continues to shift!

 

[ThomThomsk]

See post three here:

http://www.apug.org/forums/forum172/35526-forte-stop-its-production.html

Nothing official though...

I've been watching that thread since yesterday. Up to 119 posts at the time of writing, and increasingly angry! Now there is talk of the Forte facility being taken over by Bergger (who re-brand Forte products for the French market).

I have no connection with Ilford, but I have to say they increasingly look like the best long term bet for traditional b&w materials. I had already decided that a year ago when I really got back into film in a big way, their nicely profitable first year of post-receivership trading confirmed my view, while their investment in new products just re-confirmed it. I won't be spending my money with anyone else.

As for Kodak, they have just announced 500 redundancies at their Rochester (?) coating plant, as per this thread from someone who works there:

http://www.apug.org/forums/forum172/35466-late-breaking-kodak-news.html

 

[selmerdave]

It's worth noting that B&H is now carrying Efke films.

Dave

 

[ksmattfish]

If there is one thing about the analog market we're sure of, it's the maddening way it continues to shift!

I think it's going to look very different than today when it's finally sorted out and stabilized. Big time film manufacturing doesn't seem like a sound business plan these days.

KSmattfish's Utopian Future View: The major names in big film manufacturing either drop film or go out of business. Kodak and Fuji have some market presence as brand names, but they don't own the factories that are making their significantly slimmed down film lines. I can still get quality Tri-X in 35mm, 120, and 4x5. Smaller film manufacturers spring up; their businesses modeled to run on smaller production, profits, and demand. Instead of catering to a market that mainly used automated lab processing like big film biz, the small film biz caters to the home darkroom/art supply market. Film and papers will cost a lot more, but we have a lot of cool products to choose from, and the manufacturers respond to feedback.

KSmattfish's Terminator Future View: Everyone in big film manufacturing tumbles one by one. The smaller art supply niche manufacturers never really materialize. There is one factory left in the world making film and paper; it's probably in China. There are 4 choices of film: 100 color C41, 400 color C41, 100 BW, and 400 BW. Quality control is horrible. It's characteristics change from emulsion batch to emulsion batch. It costs 2 or 3 times as much as it does today.

 

[terri]

The major names in big film manufacturing either drop film or go out of business. Kodak and Fuji have some market presence as brand names, but they don't own the factories that are making their significantly slimmed down film lines

What?! No mention of Ilford? That'll get you killed in some circles. :razz:

I like your Utopian view the best (natch, since I use film exclusively). But I also believe it makes the most sense for the foreseeable future. The shakeouts we're witnessing now can be painful, but I do see the emergence of the smaller guys emerging to continue to meet demand and be able to make a profit. (Godspeed, J&C!)

The Terminator view I leave to a couple hundred years from now. And they said glass plates would be gone by 1950, too, I bet.

 

[mysteryscribe]

I personally have two plans. Buy all the 46mm I can find and make 127 rolls and find a chicken ranch who will sell me eggs wholesale.