CyberGraphics now represents Ilford in the Japanese market

firecracker · Feb 29, 2008

Or it's just that its official distributor Chugai in Japan is quiting the deal.

For those who live in Japan and use Ilford products, see the latest newsletter (in Japanese):

http://www.chugai-photo.co.jp/cgi-local/output.cgi?type=body&id=282

What it says is that Chugai is ending the service; as all the remaining stock goes out, that will be it. It doesn't say how soon or anything, but maybe it's good for at least a few months, I'm guessing.

arigram · Feb 29, 2008

I guess they might be dividing the world between Ilford and Fujifilm:
"You good chaps take the East and we will take the West. Cheerio!"

argus · Feb 29, 2008

firecracker said:
Or it's just that its official distributor Chugai in Japan is quiting the deal.

For those who live in Japan and use Ilford products, see the latest newsletter (in Japanese):

http://www.chugai-photo.co.jp/cgi-local/output.cgi?type=body&id=282

What it says is that Chugai is ending the service; as all the remaining stock goes out, that will be it. It doesn't say how soon or anything, but maybe it's good for at least a few months, I'm guessing.

Chances are that there will be a new distributor for Japan. I bet Simon will tune in on this thread soon.

G

Alex Bishop-Thorpe · Mar 1, 2008

I was ratting through the Ilford paper catalogue recently, and there are a fair few sizes listed as "Japan Only', so this is surprising. I suppose you can still buy from across the pacific though.

firecracker · Mar 1, 2008

I checked Ilford/Herman Technology's site, but there's no mention about this. So, the only source of the information has been from Chugai at this point, at least to me.

What I don't understand is, why there was no advanced notice from either side to their customers.

In the newsletter, which I posted above, Chugai says briefly, their cancellation is due to the fact Herman Tech wanted Chugai to carry Herman Tech' own brand digital products (inkjet) alongside with Ilford darkroom supplies, but since Chugai had been "committed" to selling Ilford brand digital products (inkjet), Chugai had to decide to withdraw from carrying Ilford darkroom supplies and stick with the Ilford digital stuff only.

Well, I'll wait to find out what is really happening.

coriana6jp · Mar 1, 2008

firecracker said:
I checked Ilford/Herman Technology's site, but there's no mention about this. So, the only source of the information has been from Chugai at this point, at least to me.

What I don't understand is, why there was no advanced notice from either side to their customers.

In the newsletter, which I posted above, Chugai says briefly, their cancellation is due to the fact Herman Tech wanted Chugai to carry Herman Tech' own brand digital products (inkjet) alongside with Ilford darkroom supplies, but since Chugai had been "committed" to selling Ilford brand digital products (inkjet), Chugai had to decide to withdraw from carrying Ilford darkroom supplies and stick with the Ilford digital stuff only.

Well, I'll wait to find out what is really happening.

Hi Firecracker!

Thanks for posting this. This just stinks, I use mostly Ilford film and now it will have to be all done by mail order. I have had nothing but bad luck with Chugai, they have never been responsive to any question or request that I have had. I hope Ilford is able to find a new dealer here, I would hate to lose them.

Gary

PHOTOTONE · Mar 2, 2008

Oh come on. Harmon will surely set up a new distribution deal with someone else. It is just the current distributor that is dropping Harmon products.

firecracker · Mar 2, 2008

PHOTOTONE said:
Oh come on. Harmon will surely set up a new distribution deal with someone else. It is just the current distributor that is dropping Harmon products.

Without any advanced notice. That's great. The strange thing is that's what Chugai is saying of Herman Tech, so Chugai had to drop the deal.

Meanwhile, just about a month ago, there's an Ilford product recall announced by Chugai. It was the fogging problem on the paper. So, in the middle of doing this, Chugai drops out and Herman Tech isn't saying anything about their stuff.

That's a bit too much for me. And I'm right now holding off the next purchase of Ilford photo chemicals...

IloveTLRs · Mar 2, 2008

I can't say I'm surprised. ¥550 for a roll of film when Kodak & Fuji are both ¥300. With the amount of film I shoot, it makes a difference. Ilford could try to be a little bit more competitive when it comes to pricing.

Ian Grant · Mar 2, 2008

One major problem when outside most of Europe or North America is your dependant on the importer/distributor, they set the prices and they don't always stock / import the full range of Ilford products.

If the prices are that much higher than equivalent Fuji/Kodak products then there's something wrong, probably with the distributor. Maybe you'll get a new distributor in the near future.

Ian

Kent10D · Mar 2, 2008

A bit more info.

Hi guys,

I'm a long-time lurker and first-time poster who lives in Yokohama, Japan.

I was a bit alarmed by this news, so I read the Chugai release carefully and here's my understanding.

As you know, Harman (UK) took over the B&W film and chemical part of Ilford in 2006. Ilford Imaging (Swiss) still produces inkjet papers. Harman also produces it's own line of inkjet papers. Until now Chugai has been handling both the Ilford Imaging inkjet papers and the B&W stuff from Harman. What this means is that basically Chugai is distributing products from competing companies. Harman wants a distributor that can handle it's B&W films and chemicals as well as it's inkjet papers. Chugai obviously can't do that as long as they're handling Ilford Imaging products, which they say they will continue to do.

So, although this is not spelled out in the release, it seems that Harman has found someone else to handle their entire line in Japan, and has somewhat unceremoniously pulled the rug out from under Chugai's feet. Chugai are calling it an "unexpected and one-sided notice from Harman." Sounds like a bit of bad blood.

So that seems to be it. As long as the new distributor, whoever that might be, does their job I think (hope) we're safe.

Cheers,

Kent.

Kevin Caulfield · Mar 2, 2008

Welcome, Kent, and thanks for the info. Maybe you could introduce yourself in the "Introduce Yourself to the APUG Community" forum.

Photo Engineer · Mar 2, 2008

My Japanese is faltering due to disuse, but it also seems to say something about the Swiss papers and inkjet. Can you enlighten us on that? And, does it say anything about Ilfochrome?

PE

gr82bart · Mar 2, 2008

OK people, why don't we let the two businesses work it out first. Many APUGers like to fill in the blanks with information they think they know, when they know nothing at all.

Regards, Art

Photo Engineer · Mar 2, 2008

I should have read Kent's post. I missed the second page.

Thanks.

PE

IloveTLRs · Mar 2, 2008

I don't see any mention of Ilfordchrome in the notice.

firecracker · Mar 3, 2008

Kent10D said:
Hi guys,

I'm a long-time lurker and first-time poster who lives in Yokohama, Japan.

I was a bit alarmed by this news, so I read the Chugai release carefully and here's my understanding.

As you know, Harman (UK) took over the B&W film and chemical part of Ilford in 2006. Ilford Imaging (Swiss) still produces inkjet papers. Harman also produces it's own line of inkjet papers. Until now Chugai has been handling both the Ilford Imaging inkjet papers and the B&W stuff from Harman. What this means is that basically Chugai is distributing products from competing companies. Harman wants a distributor that can handle it's B&W films and chemicals as well as it's inkjet papers. Chugai obviously can't do that as long as they're handling Ilford Imaging products, which they say they will continue to do.

So, although this is not spelled out in the release, it seems that Harman has found someone else to handle their entire line in Japan, and has somewhat unceremoniously pulled the rug out from under Chugai's feet. Chugai are calling it an "unexpected and one-sided notice from Harman." Sounds like a bit of bad blood.

So that seems to be it. As long as the new distributor, whoever that might be, does their job I think (hope) we're safe.

Cheers,

Kent.

Hi. Thanks for joinning in and welcome here.

Your translation is it and so accurate, but I don't know about your interpretation on what the newsletter says. It seems too much of mind reading. If Harman Tech has already found the new distributor, don't you think they would have made an announcement by now?

The thing is, Chugai was producing Ilford/Harman photo chemicals under their license in the Japanese market and now that's expired. Chugai is (or was really) a photo chemical producing company, not just an imported-goods carrier.

Fortunately for us film users there are alernatives provided by Fuji and Kodak at this point, but we don't know when these other companies stop producing what they've been producing. Also liquid chemicals are getting harder to transport especially from abroad, and that's what I'm worried about. And I just don't wanna burn extra amiunt of fuel if I don't have to.

Anyway it's not the right time of the year because you know students are right now busy finishing their projects before graduation in this month. Or maybe they are already done. I don't know.

firecracker · Mar 3, 2008

And about Chugai's inkjet business, they are not only selling Ilford Imaging inkjet stuff but also the stuff by Jetgraph, which they fund. So, I can understand they can't possibly have three different brands in the same competition...

Kent10D · Mar 3, 2008

firecracker said:
Your translation is it and so accurate, but I don't know about your interpretation on what the newsletter says. It seems too much of mind reading. If Harman Tech has already found the new distributor, don't you think they would have made an announcement by now?

Hi Firecracker,

No mind reading (other than the part about there being "bad blood"), that's just what the release means, albeit significantly rearranged and slightly annotated to make sense in English. I spoke with one of my contacts at Yodobashi today (for those not in the know, Yodobashi is a major camera store chain here in Japan), and he basically confirmed my interpretation. But it seems that the details are not finalized, and that's why there has been no announcement from Harman thus far. He even told me the name of the company that would probably be taking over the Harman dealership ... which I promptly forgot while purchasing a new scanner. Anyway, there is already a candidate to take over the Harman dealership, so I'm not too worried.

Cheers again ... gotta finish setting up this scanner.

Kent.

firecracker · Mar 3, 2008

Kent10D said:
Hi Firecracker,

No mind reading (other than the part about there being "bad blood"), that's just what the release means, albeit significantly rearranged and slightly annotated to make sense in English. I spoke with one of my contacts at Yodobashi today (for those not in the know, Yodobashi is a major camera store chain here in Japan), and he basically confirmed my interpretation. But it seems that the details are not finalized, and that's why there has been no announcement from Harman thus far. He even told me the name of the company that would probably be taking over the Harman dealership ... which I promptly forgot while purchasing a new scanner. Anyway, there is already a candidate to take over the Harman dealership, so I'm not too worried.

Cheers again ... gotta finish setting up this scanner.

Kent.

Alright. I feel somewhat relieved. But let me guess the potential candidate:
Cybergraphics/Oriental? It looks like they have been carrying the same (perhaps OEM) products. Oriental has a series of photo chemicals that look pretty similar to the ones produced by Chugai under Ilford/Harman's license. The VC filters also look very identical between these two companies.

Okay, I'll stop here. And I'll just wait and see what name we will hear. I just hope the new distributor if there is will be a better one than Chugai in terms of the pricing and the selection of the products!

Ian Grant · Mar 3, 2008

Check the Ilford site, the link doesn't work yet but it is Cyber Graphics.

Cyber Graphics Corporation
1-8-11 Kandanishiki-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 101-0054, Japan
Tel 00 81 50 5533 3301
Fax 00 81 3 5283 6568

Website http://www.ilfordphoto.jp

Ian

Kent10D · Mar 3, 2008

firecracker said:
But let me guess the potential candidate:
Cybergraphics/Oriental?

That was it!
At least I think that was it. Sounds right.

Good guess.

Kent.

firecracker · Mar 3, 2008

Thanks Ian. That really says it. Gee I wonder if Chugai's name was ever really there before...

Kent, see the post above by Ian. I guess that's the official confirmation.

Bob F. · Mar 3, 2008

Ian Grant said:
Check the Ilford site, the link doesn't work yet but it is Cyber Graphics.

Cyber Graphics Corporation
1-8-11 Kandanishiki-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 101-0054, Japan
Tel 00 81 50 5533 3301
Fax 00 81 3 5283 6568

Website http://www.ilfordphoto.jp

Ian

And who owns the domain ilfordphoto.jp - none other than Cyber Graphics...

And Simon hasn't even had time to have his morning cuppa yet... Lol!

Cheers, Bob.

Ian Grant · Mar 3, 2008

It will be interesting to see what the link between Ilford and CyberGraphics (Oriental) really is. The thread title is almost certainly the opposite of what is actually happening

Ilford changed the link to the new Japanese distributor as soon as they started work this morning . . . . .

Ian

CyberGraphics now represents Ilford in the Japanese market

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