A Short Story About Why I Think Arista RA-4 Chemicals Are Kodak

[jgwetworth]

My Father had been working for Qualex (A subsidiary of Kodak) Since 96" And had worked his way up to a managerial position and was transferred to the complex in Stone Mountain, GA around 2006. Occasionally he would take me into work when my mother would be working late or for lunch during this time I was pretty much free to roam the building messing with things I shouldn't Have and going through the giant wheeled bins of prints ready to be sent out to customers and intake bins full of envelopes containing rolls of film, As well as looking at the giant automated sorting machinery, but I Digress. Out of all the things I can remember of that building was its smell. So unique and interesting. A Smell I can't describe yet will never forget. Well, A few weeks ago I was mixing some RA-4 Chem from Arista and threw it in my roller transport processor to my surprise I had an instant rush of nostalgia and melancholy feelings from those days and what triggered this? The smell of Arista RA-4 Is exactly that of the Qualex Lab I Remember so fondly.

In Conclusion This is why I am fairly sure Arista RA-4 Is of Kodak Origins.

 

[AgX]

Perhaps a competing company that is marketing chemistries of low odor should think over their strategy again...

 

[DREW WILEY]

The Kodak products are allegedly made by Champion under licensing contract, and none of this is
exactly a trade secret. I buy Kodak brand RA/RT for its reliability. Someone would have to do
careful parallel testing to see if these are in fact identical formulas, unless someone at Freestyle
actually knows and are not guessing themselves.

 

[James in GA]

Kodak needs cash , a new lable on the same box .
I would do it.

 

[AgX]

Kodak sold that business over 6 years ago.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Why should it not smell similar if it is made up of the same or similar chemicals?

Cinnamon is packed by many companies, but smells the same! Right?

PE

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

Why should it not smell similar if it is made up of the same or similar chemicals?


PE

My thoughts exactly.

 

[perkeleellinen]

Kodak RA4 dev smells exactly the same a the brand of nappy (diaper) wipes we use on our boy.

 

[MartinP]

Kodak RA4 dev smells exactly the same a the brand of nappy (diaper) wipes we use on our boy.

Errrrrm . . . before or after use ???

 

[amac212]

Kodak RA4 dev smells exactly the same a the brand of nappy (diaper) wipes we use on our boy.

Kodak is making diaper wipes now?

 

[kb3lms]

FWIW, a few weeks ago I received my order of C-41 LORR "LU" developer/replenisher 5 liter size and the box says "Made in China," "Kodak (Wuxi) Limted." I also ordered RA-4 RA/RT and that still says Made in USA, Kodak etc. However all of the C-41 related stuff I got (fixer, final rinse) has this Made in China, Kodak (Wuxi) Limited. Everything was ordered from Unique Photo in NJ and dates on all the boxes and bottles are current.

I'll have to check the exact wording on the box since I am at work right now. So maybe Champion is no longer the only vendor or the whole operation is moving overseas.

BTW, anyone know what the "LU" designation is? "Low Use" maybe?

Kodak is making diaper wipes now?

Well, they are looking for new markets, right?

-- Jason

 

[perkeleellinen]

The most recent Kodak RA4 stuff I've ordered was made in China. Prior to that it was made in France.

 

[henry finley]

Think about it for a second;the Computer put the nails in Kodak's coffin, sure enough. But what if Kodak was running full-tilt like in the 20th century? It couldn't. The environmentalist left would have chased them out. Think what if Apple was manufacturing all that in California? How long would THAT go on, before the greenies ran them off?
For photographers today, these supplies are practically black-market, take what you can find. Looks like China is our friend, sad as it may be.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Henry;

Environmental laws and taxes take a big toll on EK, and actually caused them to reformulate almost ll films and papers starting in the mid '60s. In fact, this is the root of C41, E6 and RA4.

PE

 

[henry finley]

Henry;

Environmental laws and taxes take a big toll on EK, and actually caused them to reformulate almost ll films and papers starting in the mid '60s. In fact, this is the root of C41, E6 and RA4.

PE

Photo Engineer in Rochester New York. Wow. Wonder if you work for Kodak. If you were in Binghamton New York, (wherever THAT is), I suppose I'd guess you were from Ansco. Seriously--they don't let just any dummy do what you do. I HATE to see your company crash and burn like this. Regards.

 

[henry finley]

Henry;

Environmental laws and taxes take a big toll on EK, and actually caused them to reformulate almost ll films and papers starting in the mid '60s. In fact, this is the root of C41, E6 and RA4.

PE

Asking that this post be allowed to stand by the owners of the site, I seriously wonder what Kodak's future could be by relocating down here to North or South Carolina, and get away from all that liberalism and tax, backbiters of the green crowd, and all the rest that happens to the blue states. We'd be GLAD to have you, and I think your company could come up for air from your drowners. It doesn't have to be this way. Phil Mickleson should just leave California. Just leave, take your tools and dies with you, and come down here. You don't have to stay there and put up with that foolishness. It is not my desire to have this come off as a political rant, but I simply see no redeeming qualities of the so-called blue states. They've KILLED themselves with tax, regulation, and social policy. The Fort Mill SC area is a place your quality of living for your people you bring down with you--they'd be happy comfortable campers. And your company could get some breathing room on the political foolishness up there. Who am I? nobody. Just a 1-man printer, nobody special.
Some people are lucky and survive cancer; Kodak can too. Regards

 

[Photo Engineer]

Henry;

You are too new to know the back story. I suggest that you look it up.

PE

 

[henry finley]

Probably right. The whole story is more complicated, surely, than what I can conceive. I suppose I would be the boy who simply sees the emperor doesn't have on any clothes.
But Kodak wouldn't be the only company that walked away from the headaches and came down here and rejuvenated their strength. And I'm bound not to let any more of my Kodak favorites bite the dust if I can help it. It's heartbreaking.

 

[eddie]

It is not my desire to have this come off as a political rant....

Coulda fooled me.

 

[henry finley]

Coulda fooled me.

Well I hope my regard and respect was gleaned. When I talk to a highly educated and trained technician from a big Northern company like that--he's a few cuts above my own background. Can't say I didn't at least try. I looked up EKDKQ before I first spoke up, and was sickened to see the great Eastman Company had come to this. An over-the-counter penny stock with no future. Heartbreaking.

 

[eddie]

Environmental regulations didn't do Kodak in. Poor management did.

 

[henry finley]

In an attempt to make a graceful exit as a perceived troll by now; I tussled all day as to whether to back up the truck and shoot the wad on AAPL. It's at very tasty-looking levels this week. And I could not get out of my mind Eastman Kodak. Two companies from different eras, but very much alike in many ways. And for some reason, seeing Apple at 439 from it's high of 700, I was still cooled at the idea of buying any. I can't and would not buy any EK now. But I sure hope they can catch their breath. Those are some sharp people who knew what quality-control was.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Henry;

The Kodak facility here has over 100 years of environmental burden, most of it from an era when we poured bad chemistry out the window (so to speak). Kodak cannot quit the site without a huge cleanup before they go, or they pass the burden on to new owners.

Then, there is the cost of moving machines that are calibrated in microns and embedded in special mounts to prevent vibration. Moving these to a new and environmentally controlled facility would have to be paid back by the market which is uncertain to say the least.

And this brings up the real problem. Bad management. Perez was determined to get into the home printer market. He could not compete against his former company, HP. In fact, their current industrial printers are the favorites of many printing concerns, but if they don't fix the dye set, they may fail there too.

Their current dye set is quite poor and has a Metameric shift. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metamerism_(color))

PE

 

[henry finley]

Thank you Photo Engineer. I'm a small printer with 34 years in that business, and a childhood and youth of photography before that. That said, I am not worthy to converse with one of your education and training. Sad to say, but any color photography I do these days is to have the camera store develop and scan, and I print on my Konica C500. Quite a step back from the days of Beseler drums and chemistry, or Kodak, Unicolor, or Cibachrome.
I see Kodak as a company stuck in a blue state on steroids, with those cannibals eating them alive. That is my perception of the state of affairs in America today.
As far as management, I'll bet there's a lot of political correctness in that, and not a lot of business sense. This Perez clown and his team are selling off the china and the furniture, while Kodak burns around it. All those expensive micro-fixtures embedded in concrete aren't going to be much good when the final death-knell comes.
Thank you for speaking to me. Considering your training, I am indeed honored. I've gotten to speak with one of the Ampex guys and buy from his private stock, and a guy from Hickok Electrical Instrument Co. These guys are something else. Now, Eastman Kodak. Regards.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Henry, while I appreciate your comments, I think everyone here has something of value to add to APUG. Don't undrrate your experinece nor overrate mine.

Best wishes.

PE