Fuji terminates 35mm in Greenwood

[sanking]

Fuji announced yesterday that because of loss of market to digital it was stopping manufacture 35mm film in its Greenwood, South Carolina plant, and that some 200 people who worked at the plant would be laid off.

Sandy

 

[Photo Engineer]

Yep, Fuji is in bigger trouble than anyone imagines Sandy. A Fuji manager quoted in today's Rochester D&C states that he had underestimated the drop in film sales in 2005 by quite a bit. Sounds just like I heard from EK management.

In addition, EK announced that it had overestimated its loss by about 10% - 20% and was reducing the loss in a new statement.

Agfa auctioned off their entire coating facility in the US, even before it got fully operational.

PE

 

[clogz]

Fuji announced that around 500 employees would be fired in their Dutch factory. Film production will be discontinued.

Hans

 

[Travis Nunn]

Neopan ACROS is out of stock (or down to their last few rolls) of their 120 film at the places I've checked. I hope this is just the result of panic buying. ACROS is my favorite film.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Lets start a rumor that Fuji is going to stop production of B&W products.

Ahahahahaha.

Or perhaps that they will no longer sell B&W products in the US.

PE

 

[sanking]

Ron,

What becomes of all this equipment, coating machines for example, when it is auctioned off? Are there are industrial uses for it or does it just go to scrap.

Just wondering, for example, what happened to the coating machines Kodak used to coat the Dye Transfer matrix film? Some enterprising sould could easily have adapted them for coating carbon tissue.

Sandy

Yep, Fuji is in bigger trouble than anyone imagines Sandy. A Fuji manager quoted in today's Rochester D&C states that he had underestimated the drop in film sales in 2005 by quite a bit. Sounds just like I heard from EK management.

In addition, EK announced that it had overestimated its loss by about 10% - 20% and was reducing the loss in a new statement.

Agfa auctioned off their entire coating facility in the US, even before it got fully operational.

PE

 

[waynecrider]

Deep Freezer or Refrigerator Freezer

It sounds more and more like I'll need to start stashing away film, not that all of it is going away, but that some of what I like may disappear. How many of you use a deep freezer compared to a refrigerator freezer? Is 10 to 20 below F too cold?

 

[roteague]

Neopan ACROS is out of stock (or down to their last few rolls) of their 120 film at the places I've checked. I hope this is just the result of panic buying. ACROS is my favorite film.

Since Calumet doesn't have any QuickLoad Acros either, I wonder if it is just a shipping issue from Japan.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Ron,

What becomes of all this equipment, coating machines for example, when it is auctioned off? Are there are industrial uses for it or does it just go to scrap.

Just wondering, for example, what happened to the coating machines Kodak used to coat the Dye Transfer matrix film? Some enterprising sould could easily have adapted them for coating carbon tissue.

Sandy

Sandy, making equipment can be used in synthetic organic chemistry or some other chemical operations, and so they go as-is to the best bidder and are used.

Coating machines are usually so specialized that they are scrapped except for a few items such as pumps and motors.

Some color equipment can be used, but usually due to chemical contamination the use is rather restricted. For example, colloid mills that could be used in the food industry cannot be used that way after photgraphic use without extensive reconditioning due to the presence of some contaminants. So, gaskets and seals would be replaced.

The final decision is whether the material is cheaper to recondition, scrap, or part out after the auction price is met.

PE

 

[sanderx1]

Fuji announced yesterday that because of loss of market to digital it was stopping manufacture 35mm film in its Greenwood, South Carolina plant, and that some 200 people who worked at the plant would be laid off.

Sandy

http://www.indexjournal.com/news/20060201a_n.html is a fairly throughout take on this. Really, if sales are going down it makes sense to make it where most of it is made - which would be Japan.

 

[Dave Parker]

It sounds more and more like I'll need to start stashing away film, not that all of it is going away, but that some of what I like may disappear. How many of you use a deep freezer compared to a refrigerator freezer? Is 10 to 20 below F too cold?

Hi Wayne,

I do, I bought a new 24 cubic foot freezer a couple of months ago, and it now has about 1000 rolls of NPS, 500 Rolls of Velvia 50 250 Rolls of E100VS and several thousands of rolls of E6 120 and 220 film in it, in additon to several thousands of sheet film that I like to shoot

My freezer is set about 0 degrees

Dave

 

[roteague]

Hi Wayne,

I do, I bought a new 24 cubic foot freezer a couple of months ago, and it now has about 1000 rolls of NPS, 500 Rolls of Velvia 50 250 Rolls of E100VS and several thousands of rolls of E6 120 and 220 film in it, in additon to several thousands of sheet film that I like to shoot

My freezer is set about 0 degrees

Dave

What is your address? I'm coming for a visit.

 

[sanking]

Perhaps, but that Fuji plant was (is) a model of efficiency. Very modern, having been constructed in 1988 as I recall, and designed to get maximum productivity with a minimum amount of labor. I visited it once with a group of faculty from Clemson University and the interior was like three or four football fields in size and no more than 10-15 workers in sight. And labor in South Carolina is not all that expensive. If Fuji can not make a go with making the film at this plant, doubt they can do so in Japan where labor most likely costs more.

Sandy

http://www.indexjournal.com/news/20060201a_n.html is a fairly throughout take on this. Really, if sales are going down it makes sense to make it where most of it is made - which would be Japan.

 

[sanderx1]

Perhaps, but that Fuji plant was (is) a model of efficiency. Very modern, having been constructed in 1988 as I recall, and designed to get maximum productivity with a minimum amount of labor. I visited it once with a group of faculty from Clemson University and the interior was like three or four football fields in size and no more than 10-15 workers in sight. And labor in South Carolina is not all that expensive. If Fuji can not make a go with making the film at this plant, doubt they can do so in Japan where labor most likely costs more.

Sandy

Uhh.. come on - go to say B&H and look at their prices of imported vs USA film. At the difference, I seriously don't understand why any 35mm film was made in the US at all...

 

[roteague]

Uhh.. come on - go to say B&H and look at their prices of imported vs USA film. At the difference, I seriously don't understand why any 35mm film was made in the US at all...

Different distribution channels.

Sandy is right, South Carolina is one of the lower cost states for labor, mostly non-union.

 

[Aggie]

Hell come to Southern Utah if you want cheap labor. Here the city councils are afraid it would ruin the economy if someone paid much above minimum wage. You have the college educated working for what they consider high wages at $8/hr. In and Out Burger was not allowed to build due to they wanted to pay more than what the city council would allow them to pay. Glad the hubby is not tied into the local economy for wages.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

"Imported" film might have been made in the USA, packaged abroad, and re-imported. Different distribution channels, indeed.

 

[removed account4]

the film base was made right down the road from me at a company at the olde quonset point navy base.

they didn't supply their japan plants ( i don't think ) ... just south carolina
i wonder if there are going to be lay-offs here in rhode island as well ...

 

[sanking]

Maybe. I am merely suggesting that labor costs in Greenwood, South Carolina are most likely much lower than at the Fuji plants in Japan. But I could be wrong.


The advantages of consolidation of this type are quite a bit beyond my present pay scale.

Sandy

http://www.indexjournal.com/news/20060201a_n.html is a fairly throughout take on this. Really, if sales are going down it makes sense to make it where most of it is made - which would be Japan.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Labor in Japan is incredibly cheap compared to the USA, but expensive compared to China and other Asian countries.

That is one reason why Fuji wanted to build in China.

PE

 

[Thomassauerwein]

That facility handled lower end films for mainstream markets. Most of it was packaged for people like Walmart. With thier packaging. I think even Ritz got thier film packaged there.(It's been a while since we visited the facility so I could be wrong) I don't think it will have any impact on pro films. It is a great and totally modern facility. Took up a huge piece of land and even had its own hotel for its visiters. It is a shame but enevitable.

 

[sanking]

Ron,

So why is it that Fuji decided to build such a large compex in South Carolina?

Or why did BMW put a huge auto manufacturing plant near Greer, SC.?

The plain fact of the matter is that labor is cheaper in South Carolina than it is in many parts of Japan and Germany.

What else but cheaper labor could explain the huge Nissan plant north of Jackson, Mississippi, or the Mercedes plant in Alabama?

Sandy

Labor in Japan is incredibly cheap compared to the USA, but expensive compared to China and other Asian countries.

That is one reason why Fuji wanted to build in China.

PE

 

[digiconvert]

Is this one for the 'doom and gloom' forum ?
To paraphrase Henry Ford 'If you think Film is dying or you think film has a future, you're probably right'.
-Stocking up on film might lead to it's death once the inventory levels reach a point where purchasing almost ceases.
-Telling everyone that film is dying will make them believe you.
-Using AND purchasing film is the only way to persuade the manufacturers that it make sense to keep making it.

Film is probably already dead as a mass market consumer product (mass market cameras (any medium) are also probably doomed , see the threads about the Kodak CEO's vision for image capture devices) . Film is aloso dead as a mainstream medium for commercial/professional photography given the way that digital capture fits into modern ICT based publishing systems and the public's expectation of results in an instant.
Film cannot be replaced as a medium for expressive B&W, it also provides the raw material for darkroom work. In other words film's future is as an image capture medium for hobbyists and fine art printers. Let's celebrate this and stop doom saying.

Sorry if I ruffle some feathers (particularly the bit about film being moribund in some areas) but this is a discussion forum >

 

[Simon R Galley]

Dear Jnanian,

What was the name of that company at the Old Quonset Point Navy Base in RI
?

Thanks Simon.

 

[avandesande]

No import tax comes to mind.

Ron,

So why is it that Fuji decided to build such a large compex in South Carolina?

Or why did BMW put a huge auto manufacturing plant near Greer, SC.?

The plain fact of the matter is that labor is cheaper in South Carolina than it is in many parts of Japan and Germany.

What else but cheaper labor could explain the huge Nissan plant north of Jackson, Mississippi, or the Mercedes plant in Alabama?

Sandy