Forte stop it's production

[patrickjames]

There is also Efke as a 4th "survivor", and Fuji makes paper, too. Still, this is sad news.

I thought Fuji was going to stop making paper this spring. (?)

Patrick

 

[Photo Engineer]

I would expect other companies like Forte to drop out of the B&W paper or film arena within the next year or so. This is all connected to the 'sudden drop' in film sales that I noted elsewhere. It takes a while to circulate and for the effects to be seen, but it is there and the ripples are expanding.

PE

 

[Bob F.]

I thought Fuji was going to stop making paper this spring. (?)

Patrick

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[Ole]

I for one will try to make room in my fridge for a few thousand sheets of Fortezo Museum.

I can do without the film (even if they were the only ones who managed to make a true 24x30cm film, and not 9.5x12"), but that paper will be sorely missed.

 

[MMfoto]

Anyone know if Forte has a hand in Silver supreme and COT 320 production?

 

[uraniumnitrate]

I for one will try to make room in my fridge for a few thousand sheets of Fortezo Museum.

I can do without the film (even if they were the only ones who managed to make a true 24x30cm film, and not 9.5x12"), but that paper will be sorely missed.

Very wise desision as Bromofort and Fortezo are the finest photographic paper available today with many possibilities. It seem that many people un noticed this fact sadly and only use Polywarmtone Just a tip, get some Ivory too!!!!

Fortes graded papers really lift up your print into a different class.

 

[George Papantoniou]

I am sorry to read all the above (because I believe - I cannot force myself to be optimistic - that since the owners want to sell the site, there is no hope for the Forte plant to continue producing)... I will miss Fortezo, too.

I would like to comment on the Ilford quarrel, because I think some of you are unfair, especially this mysterious German guy from Sweden with the exclamation marks. Ilford makes (and I know they made since 1985 when I started using them) some of the best quality film and paper products you can find. The films are just perfect, they don't lack ANY shadow detail as so wrongly stated (if someone knows how to expose them and develop them correctly, of course) and the quality control they have is just without fault.
Their papers are perfect, in the sense that they produce excellent straight results with the best Highlight-shadow balance and contrast range that will fit most negatives. This company's products only problem is that they are manufactured in a way as to insure their stability and constant characteristics by engineering them with lots of additives (stabilisers, conditoners - I am not sure about the names of the additives, I am just making them up) that render them less "exciting" (that is, prone to changes when used in different, more "creative" ways) than other, less "modern" products, as the ones that were manufactured by Forte. In a few words, Ilford papers won't change their look so wildly when processed in different chemicals or in different ways and will not tone or lith print so eagerly, so won't satisfy the taste of photographers that want to play in the darkroom with their toys (solutions). Ilford Warmtone is supposed to be better at that (although it's not as good as the real old-type papers are).

Kentmere products (like Kentona, for example) are not like that. They are better toys for us kids who like to play with solutions. I hope Kentmere buys the Forte recipes, as well as Bergger does some kind of deal with Kenmere to start making their papers for them. I think this will be the best solution to the problem of the closing down of the Forte plant...

 

[uraniumnitrate]

than other, less "modern" products, as the ones that were manufactured by Forte. In a few words, Ilford papers won't change their look so wildly when processed in different chemicals or in different ways and will not tone or lith print so eagerly, so won't satisfy the taste of photographers that want to play in the darkroom with their toys (solutions). Ilford Warmtone is supposed to be better at that (although it's not as good as the real old-type papers are).

You were talking about learning the products. Okay.

#1 I never could learn Ilford film work for me in the moonlight but I did with Forte! And only god knows I've tryed. and I even compared those at the same time and forte give me more details. For one.

#2. Once you have learned how Forte's different paper works with different developing agents than you relized that the possibilities endless and that the "paper got a soul". What you get out of the paper because using different agents has nothing to do with the manufacturing, it's got to do something with that fact that you did'nt bothered or never learned Forte at all.

I for example got all the tones I wan't because I know which agent and how much of it gets me what. I have put up two images made on forte just in this thread please have a look. When you talking about toys that is primarly what I'm after to could print images in a different ways. I really do'nt like rigid papers it's not higher my level in ceativity at all.

And please don't questioned my knowledge because it's not worth it.

And I'm not mysterious at all I just simply don't feel like to give out my name.

 

[jstraw]

I want to interject something in the mix here...regarding the loss of J&C badged Forte. I don't know what their long term plans for Forte were, but it's my understanding that they're gearing up to coat their own line of film and paper. Can anyone speak to that question?

 

[RobertP]

J, I asked that same question and didn't get a response. I also heard JandC was going to start producing their own film. But I didn't want to start the rumor mill. I understand how everyone is upset. I used the JandC 400 and loved the look of the old emulsion style film. Most here are very passionate about their work and when you take away some of their tools they react with passion. But there is not much we can do but work with what's available. Let's hope that is John's plan for JandC and we will have another film option in the near future.

 

[uraniumnitrate]

I want to interject something in the mix here...regarding the loss of J&C badged Forte. I don't know what their long term plans for Forte were, but it's my understanding that they're gearing up to coat their own line of film and paper. Can anyone speak to that question?

That should be J&C. Isnt it?

 

[Simon R Galley]

Dear All,

I have read through this thread through with interest, firstly and most importantly in my opinion this news about FORTE means people loosing their jobs, and thats very sad, I have visited FORTE and know some of the people . Job losses happened at ILFORD in 2004 and at AGFA Photo last year and you do never forget it, more job losses in Rochester as well, its really hard for those involved, and as Photo Engineer will tell you : the loss of the combined knowledge and experience to our industry is a crying shame.

This obviously means that further products will leave the scene, some obviously very well loved and valued, ILFORD Photo / HARMAN have always maintained the position that variety benefits analog silver photography and that any reduction is a negative. Interestingly people have pointed out who is left and a choice most certainly still remains in both film and paper and certainly in chemistry. ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology will continue to market and encourage the use of ALL analog silver products and spend money to promote silver photography, no matter whose product people purchase.

As to certain posts on this thread 'disliking' ILFORD Photo products, that is absolutely AOK with us, surely everybody has the right to like or dislike a product, and of course everyone has the ultimate right of veto....by not buying them with their hard earned Dollar, Euro, Pound or Florin?.

What I will always defend is a mistatement, anybody can question the finished quality and consistency of our products in an arbitrary way without any knowledge of our quality control procedures, I have intimate knowledge of the quality of our products, how much we value it, spend on it and care about it, and our quality, consistency and quality control has always been and remains excellent and it will always be at the forefront of our manufacturing ethic and process.

When starting out on my career, many moons ago, I was given some very sound advice...never rubbish a competitor, their products, their services or their people...or people will question your motives or your integrity...I am pleased to state I have not wavered from that once...and hopefully anyone who reads, or has read my contributions to APUG will be able to concur.

Simon Galley, ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited.

 

[uraniumnitrate]

J, I asked that same question and didn't get a response. I also heard JandC was going to start producing their own film. But I didn't want to start the rumor mill. I understand how everyone is upset. I used the JandC 400 and loved the look of the old emulsion style film. Most here are very passionate about their work and when you take away some of their tools they react with passion. But there is not much we can do but work with what's available. Let's hope that is John's plan for JandC and we will have another film option in the near future.

Proboly this is our fault that we didn't by as much as we should but a lot's of people dissapered to digital. I'ts not only Forte who has problem. Kodak sent away a lot's of people and do more this year. And there is going be more manufacturer whom going to dissapeare as the real effect coming lather. it's gonna be worst before it's getting better. It's really begin two or trhe years ago.

We had talked about in the other thread about one begin to coat. It's not that easy for anyone to do it's a hudge amount of money and not just a push bottom operation. Need a lot more and a hudge amout of knowledge which is only in a few peoples hands wolrdwide.
if my information is right than J&C is a rather small company. Anyway I beleive Kentmere woul be a good choice to produce forte if they can put their hands on the recepie.

I know for sure that they called Forte but one phone call is nothing at all. There would be a lots of wather running down in any river before it's actually Hapens. Also it's not just pick out something and begin to produce it somewhere else and I beleive the coating is not gonna be the same either it would take time before anyone can get it right! When production stop than it's not easy to get back to the point it were before. Of course easier if the engeeners would go with the recepie's at the same time. it's like not all the cook is a good cook.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

The information value of this thread disappeared about 15 pages ago.