fuji prices increases?

[ijsbeer]

This is what I found on a blog,
Is it true?

Fujifilm announced today that from June 2006 onward, it will implement worldwide price increases for its photosensitive material products.

The rapid digitalization of photography has created harsh market conditions for the photo imaging business. To sustain its photo imaging business, Fujifilm is undertaking intensive structural reforms, but despite efforts to reduce fixed costs and improve productivity, it no longer can absorb the soaring costs of silver, oil and other raw materials.

Thus, it has been forced to revise its pricing as follows:

Affected products: Photosensitive materials
Effective date: From June 1, 2006 onward
Price revision: The prices of main products are expected to increase by 3% to 20%.

Specific details regarding affected products, effective dates, and exact price increases will be decided based on local market conditions.

 

[kunihiko]

Is it true?

Yes, I read that in Fuji official web site (Japanese).
http://www.fujifilm.co.jp/corporate/news/article/ffnr0008.html

 

[wildbill]

bummer. I usually by expired film because of the already high prices of sheet film.
translated to English
http://translate.google.com/transla...&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&prev=/language_tools

 

[Phong]

In case anybody is interested, let me add that B&H still has Fuji NPH 220 on special for 3.00 a roll. I bought 100 rolls, which means that's what I will be shooting in MF this year I suppose. The expiration date is Jan 2007 on the case that I bought.

- phong

 

[Aggie]

It is understandable they do not want to produce a product at a loss. They have soaring fixed costs that have to be factored in. It only makes sense that they pass the fixed cost rises on to the final product. We all knew that film and such would become more expensive. What I admire from the companies that do raise prices, is the restraint they have shown instead of the gouging they could do. I applaud them for not doubling or tripling the costs.

 

[Muihlinn]

As petroleum prices raised and also silver, it's not a surprise that prices goes up. Kodak announced it as well.
Anyway it does not look as bad at it was at the first silver crisis.

 

[haris]

Agree. Even with 25 % increase my seller made, it is still not that bad as it could be. I welcome manufacturers and sellers which didn't made unfair pshychologicaly driven mark up of prices, but made reasonably fair increase.

 

[Travis Nunn]

While I certainly don't like paying higher prices, I do understand that it is part of the way things work. Prices go up for everything so photography materials should be no different. I'll still buy my ACROS 100 and Velvia as much as ever.

 

[jandc]

As petroleum prices raised and also silver, it's not a surprise that prices goes up. Kodak announced it as well.
Anyway it does not look as bad at it was at the first silver crisis.

While Kodak annouced price increases on products they have not raised the wholesale prices on any of their B&W products up to this point.

 

[battra92]

What's funny about the rising silver prices is how in the last week or so the bottom has fallen out of the tub.

I shoot 35mm and MF and as of right now I see no reason to stock up, simply because I don't have the cash reserves to do so.

 

[sanderx1]

What's funny about the rising silver prices is how in the last week or so the bottom has fallen out of the tub.

I shoot 35mm and MF and as of right now I see no reason to stock up, simply because I don't have the cash reserves to do so.

Yes, there was (and still is) a very large speculative element to the prices of a number of metals (copper and aluminium included) and the bubble burst. Which is not really suprising given that say major producers and users of copper were very seriously talking about abondoning the present system of exchange driven pricing and ditching LME.

But... very soon it may be thecase that most of the silver produced - and a good portion of silver already in metal form will be sitting in warehouses to cover various exhange raded funds and financial instruments that are traded on exchange, and as a side effect, making productive use of silver unncessarily expensive and cumbersome.

 

[Curt]

Yep, it's all going up. Why? It never goes down. Why not have ten great customers than a hundred whining difficult ones?