Freestyle Dropping Ilford Products?

[mikewhi]

I called Freestyle today to buy some developer and I ordered some Galerie 16x20 at the same time. The rep on the phone told me that they were going to stop carrying Ilford products and that if I liked Galerie I should 'stock up' as their current inventory of 16x20 was like 10 packages. He mentioned Ilfords recent financial troubles and price increases as reasons.

Anyone know if he was snowing me or if Freestyle is really cutting back or eliminating Ilford entirely. Frankly, it was all I could do to not laugh at the guy. I can't believe Freestyle would drop a name like Ilford. He apparently did not hear of their re-org as has been posted on APUG.

Just passing on what they guy said. Hopefully, we'll hear from soneone at Freestyle.

-Mike

 

[panchromatic]

I have not heard this yet, though i'd be interested to find out.

--Ryan

 

[Digidurst]

They hadn't heard anything about Ilford's restructuring at my local camera store either. Guess Ilford hasn't sent out the 'memo' yet.

 

[Les McLean]

Ilford Photo, the new company that has been formed as a result of the management buyout in the UK, is a totally independent concern. Ilford Photo are now the manufacturers of all Ilford analogue products using the original Ilford formulae and it will take some time get back to where they were. I don't know whether the American Ilford company will be purchasing analogue materials from Ilford Photo or whether Ilford Photo will be supplying the American market direct but you can be certain that it is a market that cannot be ignored. I have to speak to the directors of Ilford Photo in the next few days and when I do I'll ask for clarification of this situation. I cannot see a company like Freestyle not carrying Ilford materials.

 

[Ronald Moravec]

I can if the price is going to be to high. Time will tell. If Ko.... raises prices, maybe Ilford will be competitive again and Freestyle will again carry it.

Retailers will only stock what sells. If they get some junk from China and it sells, that is what they will stock.

Quality merchandise is a problem in that 99% of consumers will purchase 3 times as much of something that lasts only 30% as long if it is 10% cheaper. I hope the photographers here are more discerning, and I think they are.

 

[Jim Chinn]

No ne should be suprised with any price increases having to do with Analog products. I would suspect that Ilford, Agfa and Forte in whatever their final structures, will have to raise prices. Kodak will do the same.

If Freestyle is not going to carry the Ilford line it is not a big deal to me. B&H will continue to carry it and they were always less expensive then Freestyle on most products. The only problem is if B&H become the sole retailer then we need to worry about B&H jacking up the prices to increase their margin.

 

[Nick Zentena]

They just started carrying Kentmere didn't they? I'm not suprised if something had to go.

 

[Loose Gravel]

Yeah, but Kentmere isn't making HP5+ or FP4+. Gotta have the film.

 

[Ian Grant]

Listen to Les McLean, Ilford are here to stay. "lford Photo, the new company that has been formed as a result of the management buyout in the UK, is a totally independent concern. Ilford Photo are now the manufacturers of all Ilford analogue products using the original Ilford formulae and it will take some time get back to where they were."

But they are no longer selling to own brand labels, that was their downfall here in the UK and in America. Wholesalers threatening to change own brand supplier unless the price is constantly driven down. We all know the culprit in the UK, perhaps this thread is a pointer to a US equivalent.

Look at all the manufacturers with problems Agfa, Ilford, Forte they fell foul of re-branding, Kodak just misread the market place, and Fuji sit snugly very close to their long term predictions of how markets would change.

It may well be a case that Ilford have dropped Freestyle.

In truth I've used 2 rolls of Ilford film (35mm FP4) and no paper, but a lot of chemistry in the last 19 years. But their products are superb and hopefully here to stay. At the time I stopped using Ilford materials they did not make a warm-toned paper so I went Agfa, and for film Tmax. I intend to trial their warm tone paper shortly. I know it's excellent its a case of can it sit alongside prints made on my current (Forte) supply seamlessly.

 

[Brac]

I'd agree with most of what you say but I'm not sure you're right in saying that Ilford has stopped rebranding. In recent years they've probably priced too low but rebranding has been something they've been doing (like most others) for decades, eg the Boots Panchromatic film of the 70's & 80's was rebranded FP4.

If you go onto the site www.retrophotographic.com you will see two "new" films introduced under the Adox banner called CHM125 and CHM400. As the site tells us these develop exactly as FP4+ & HP5+ it doesn't take much difficulty to work out who is manufacturing these.

 

[Joe Symchyshyn]

A few months back I attempted to order some Bergger paper from Freestyle... I was told that they were going to be moving away from Bergger paper products because of difficulties in getting supply etc...

Another one bites the dust?

joe

 

[Ian Grant]

A few months back I attempted to order some Bergger paper from Freestyle... I was told that they were going to be moving away from Bergger paper products because of difficulties in getting supply etc...

Another one bites the dust?

joe

For Bergger read Forte, and similar problems to Ilford, but unlike Ilford yet to be resolved.

At Focus on Imaging (UK photo show) the woman representing Bergger indicated they were expecting a shipment around now from Hungary (ie from Forte) of fresh production.

 

[jcausey]

It would be a shame to see Freestyle drop Ilford; support of an important, resurgent black-and-white film company (or lack thereof) will have repercussions among many of their customers.

 

[tim atherton]

I think it's just that Freestyle is losing interest in B&W film, especially anything "esoteric" like 4x5 or larger.

It isn't the store it used to be, customer service has been going downhill for a couple of years now and I think they see the market in digital with all its gizmos and add ons - take a look at any of their recent mailings.

 

[Loose Gravel]

I checked with Freestyle about Bergger and Ilford. They are expecting to fill backorders on my Bergger VC CB paper in late April and they are not dropping Ilford. They are expecting price increases from Ilford, which they will pass along as current stock is sold. Some Ilford products are hard to get, but there is plenty of Kentmere to go around.

Personally, I get better e-service from Freestyle than from anybody else and maybe better e-service than I get in person from other stores.

 

[dancqu]

They are expecting price increases from Ilford ...

Tankers full of green-backs are leaving our shores each day.
Their value declines against other world currencies. Imports rise
in price, save for China's whose currency sinks with ours. Soon
Kodak USA will be the least expensive option. Dan

 

[Loose Gravel]

Kodak makes some fine products and their paper has gotten better (IMO), but they don't support the 5x7 format very well and I really prefer HP5+.

 

[dancqu]

Kodak makes some fine products
and their paper has gotten better (IMO),

"... their paper has gotten better ..." Kodak is now
more focused. They market only RC, VC paper. Dan

 

[Mongo]

"... their paper has gotten better ..." Kodak is now
more focused. They market only RC, VC paper. Dan

Really? What about Polymax Fine Art (fiber) and Azo (graded fiber)?

 

[Eric Jones]

I was in Freestyle "Hollywood" today and the Kentmere Section was equal in size to the Freestyle Arista section. Probably 12' wide x 5' high of shelf space for each product line. All of the other players, Agfa, Kodak, Ilford, etc. accounted for the rest of the self space. Did not see any Bergger product out. One thing that is neat about going to the retail store is the examples of each paper they have hanging up. I hope they get some Kentmere examples up soon.

 

[dancqu]

Really? What about Polymax Fine Art (fiber) and Azo (graded fiber)?

What about? Azo is a contact speed paper. It is my understanding
that Kodak's last projection speed FB paper, above mentioned, is to be discontinued. Am I wrong? If so I only errored on the RC. Dan

 

[Aggie]

What about? Azo is a contact speed paper. It is my understanding
that Kodak's last projection speed FB paper, above mentioned, is to be discontinued. Am I wrong? If so I only errored on the RC. Dan

I haven't heard azo is being discontinued. In fact if it were imminent, I'm sure Michael Smith would be on here telling us to order asap.

 

[hortense]

When travelling by airline, I only carry my 35mm. So, when I went to Freestyle to order XP2, all they had was outdated or dated inventory. Fortunately, a local store had some non-dated XP2. It appears that Freestyle has or is considering dropping Ilford?

 

[Flotsam]

What about? Azo is a contact speed paper. It is my understanding
that Kodak's last projection speed FB paper, above mentioned, is to be discontinued. Am I wrong? If so I only errored on the RC. Dan

As far as I know only Polymax SW FB has been discontinued. I haven't heard anything about the Double Weight being dropped.

 

[Grunthos]

"... their paper has gotten better ..." Kodak is now
more focused. They market only RC, VC paper. Dan

Are you sure that they no longer make fiber paper? I checked the Kodak site and could not find anything about Polymax being discontinued. As far as I can tell, Polymax has just had the name changed slightly. I found it quite easily enough just doing a search on the site.

Grunt