EU-based chemistry producers

[DeletedAcct1]

Hi folks,
I'm evaluating switching to chemistry that is manufactured only in the EU.
What's available currenly?

 

[Paul Howell]

Foma sell a line of chemistry, pretty sure Foma either makes or obtains from E.U companies. There is Bellini and ADOX, Harman may have some of it branded chemistry made in the E.U not too sure. All Kodak chemistry is made in the U.S.

 

[lamerko]

The former chemical unit of ORWO - CALBE in Germany still exists and produces photographic chemicals.

 

[halfaman]

Main brands in no particular order are Belini, Foma, Adox and Ilford. Only Bellini and Adox have color chemistry. Jobo color chemistry is made in Japan.

 

[lamerko]

Calbe also have color chemistry. I even suspect that they produce the chemistry of some of the brands already mentioned.

 

[koraks]

chemistry

What kind of chemistry?

Off the bat - @ADOX Fotoimpex and Bellini come to mind.

 

[DeletedAcct1]

Ilford outsources all the powder chemistry to a USA-based producer so I should avoid all Ilford powder chemistry (including id-11 which is the developer I use exclusively).
Calbe is nowhere to be found in any Eu photo stores.
Bellini doesn't have a powder id-11 clone.
So what it's left is Adox and Foma.

What kind of chemistry?

developer, fixer, stop, selenium toning and wetting agent.

 

[koraks]

OK, so B&W.

developer, fixer, stop, selenium toning and wetting agent.

I'd consider ADOX for the developer if you prefer something ID11/D76-ish. All the rest you can get from ADOX and/or Bellini and probably some others, too.

 

[gary mulder]

I would not be surmised if 90% of all photochemistry the ingredients are made in China or India.

 

[sednoid]

Fuji Hunt C41 stuff is made in Belgium if that counts.

 

[John Wiegerink]

I would not be surmised if 90% of all photochemistry the ingredients are made in China or India.

Very true! If we only knew for sure.
If I were the OP I would think of just mixing my own ID-11. Otherwise, I would lean toward Adox chemistry. I have used several of their developers that I can't mix myself and have found them to be excellent.

 

[koraks]

I would not be surmised if 90% of all photochemistry the ingredients are made in China or India.

For sure.

Fuji Hunt C41 stuff is made in Belgium if that counts.

The critical component CD4 is made in China though. This is presently the only global source. I expect the same is true for many other critical ingredients.

 

[Film-Niko]

Hi folks,
I'm evaluating switching to chemistry that is manufactured only in the EU.
What's available currenly?

Germany:
- Adox
- Calbe
- Moersch
- SPUR

Adox and Calbe (which was a spin-off of the former original ORWO photo chemistry production) are producing both BW and color development photo chemistry. And both companies are meanwhile filling the gaps created by the Tetenal bankrupcy. Both companies are coming with excellent Tetenal replacement products.
Calbe is also very active in delivering to professional photo labs (bulk products). The former Tetenal CEO is now working for Calbe, too.

Moersch and SPUR have focussed exclusively on photo chemistry for BW.

Belgium:
- Fuji Hunt (they are the biggest producer of color photo chemicals globally). They are also doing OEM production for others (looks like the liquid developers of Ilford Photo are now made by them, after the Tetenal market exit)

Italy:
- Bellini (producing both for end consumers and in bulk for labs)

Czech:
- Foma (BW only).

These manufacturers from the EU could serve the whole world if needed.

 

[Film-Niko]

Germany:
- Adox
- Calbe
- Moersch
- SPUR

Adox and Calbe (which was a spin-off of the former original ORWO photo chemistry production) are producing both BW and color development photo chemistry. And both companies are meanwhile filling the gaps created by the Tetenal bankrupcy. Both companies are coming with excellent Tetenal replacement products.
Calbe is also very active in delivering to professional photo labs (bulk products). The former Tetenal CEO is now working for Calbe, too.

Moersch and SPUR have focussed exclusively on photo chemistry for BW.

Belgium:
- Fuji Hunt (they are the biggest producer of color photo chemicals globally). They are also doing OEM production for others (looks like the liquid developers of Ilford Photo are now made by them, after the Tetenal market exit)

Italy:
- Bellini (producing both for end consumers and in bulk for labs)

Czech:
- Foma (BW only).

These manufacturers from the EU could serve the whole world if needed.

Sorry, I have just forgotten the JOBO Alpha developer, which is produced in Germany, too (by chemist Klaus Wehner for JOBO).
The JOBO color chemistry is produced in Japan for JOBO.

 

[Film-Niko]

Calbe is nowhere to be found in any Eu photo stores.

Not correct, just two examples:
Foto Brenner is offering them:

Foto-Chemikalien

www.fotobrenner.de

And Nordfoto, too:

C-41-Prozess

C-41-Prozess

www.nordfoto.de

 

[DeletedAcct1]

Not correct, just two examples:
Foto Brenner is offering them:

Foto-Chemikalien

www.fotobrenner.de

And Nordfoto, too:

C-41-Prozess

C-41-Prozess

www.nordfoto.de

Thanks, but it's only a wetting agent and a wash accelerator.
I'd like to stick with only a manufacturer, so it seems Adox of Foma is the way to go.
What about Amaloco?
Is EU-based?

 

[Film-Niko]

Thanks, but it's only a wetting agent and a wash accelerator.

No, it is also their C-41 chemistry.

And Nordfoto (see my link above) is offering their whole line.

I'd like to stick with only a manufacturer, so it seems Adox of Foma is the way to go.
What about Amaloco?
Is EU-based?

After Amaloco stopped their production in the Netherlands almost 20 years ago, the brand was bought by German retail company Phototec. Phototec was later bought by Nordfoto. The Amaloco branded chemistry was produced by Tetenal at that time.
I don't know who is producing it now, but Calbe and Fuji Hunt are realistic possibilities.

 

[koraks]

Calbe and Fuji Hunt are realistic possibilities.

The Amaloco website suggests it's made in Germany, so that would rule out Hunt.

 

[DeletedAcct1]

No, it is also their C-41 chemistry.

And Nordfoto (see my link above) is offering their whole line.



After Amaloco stopped their production in the Netherlands almost 20 years ago, the brand was bought by German retail company Phototec. Phototec was later bought by Nordfoto. The Amaloco branded chemistry was produced by Tetenal at that time.
I don't know who is producing it now, but Calbe and Fuji Hunt are realistic possibilities.

I'm not interested in color chemistry.
I send out the color films to a lab when I have to (maybe 1 roll in a year)...

 

[Film-Niko]

The Amaloco website suggests it's made in Germany, so that would rule out Hunt.

Yes, but it could also simply be that the website has not been updated. The Amaloco brand is a very small side operation of Nordfoto, nothing of high priority.
Nevertheless I think that the likelyness that Calbe is producing it for Nordfoto is higher. Because Calbe is quite active in filling the former gaps of Tetenal.

 

[FotoD]

Ilford outsources all the powder chemistry to a USA-based producer so I should avoid all Ilford powder chemistry (including id-11 which is the developer I use exclusively).
Calbe is nowhere to be found in any Eu photo stores.
Bellini doesn't have a powder id-11 clone.
So what it's left is Adox and Foma.


developer, fixer, stop, selenium toning and wetting agent.

If you're talking BW chemistry don't forget Moersch, Bergger, Bellini, Spur and Compard.

And you have Rollei Colorchem C41. At least it used to be made by Calbe.

'd like to stick with only a manufacturer, so it seems Adox of Foma is the way to go.

Actually just Adox then. Foma don't make any selenium toner.

 

[Film-Niko]

If you're talking BW chemistry don't forget Moersch, Bergger, Bellini, Spur and Compard.

Bergger and Compard don't produce anything by themselves. Bergger chemistry has been produced so far by Moersch and Tetenal for Bergger.
Compard is doing only bottling business. They buy from photo chemistry manufacturers their existing products in bulk.

 

[DeletedAcct1]

Actually just Adox then. Foma don't make any selenium toner.

Correct!

 

[Samu]

Foma sell a line of chemistry, pretty sure Foma either makes or obtains from E.U companies. There is Bellini and ADOX, Harman may have some of it branded chemistry made in the E.U not too sure. All Kodak chemistry is made in the U.S.

ADOX makes some of its chemistry in Switzerland, which is not a member state of the EU, and their RA-4 chemistry was made in China at least 2 years ago. Most of their products are made in Germany though. Foma , as far as I know, is making everything in Czech Republic,, which is an EU member state. Many of the products sold as Ilford are actually made in the EU. To my knowing, liquid chemistry is EU made, while their powders are all made in the USA. This is a black and white forum, nit the biggest manufacturer of photochemistry is actually Fuji Hunt, based in Belgium. They make only color products mainly for professional use. Also, Calbe is based in Germany, and produces their chemistry in site, in Calbe near Leipzig.

 

[koraks]

their RA-4 chemistry was made in China at least 2 years ago

Really? I expected they made it themselves. You're sure you're not referring to the CD-3 color developer? Because that most definitely comes from China alright.

They make only color products mainly for professional use.

No, they make a variety of products. B&W stuff too, and likely a lot of stuff that's not really photo related to begin with.

Company profile | FUJIFILM Belgium NV

www.fujifilm.com

Products for the photo imaging, medical imaging and graphic arts (pre-press) industries and various industrial markets. OEM blending, filling & assembly for third parties.