Fujifilm discusses the future of film

[Theo Sulphate]

...
It has nothing to do with caring or not caring, it's about the bottom line. All companies are like that.

Buy and shoot more of the stuff and then it won't be discontinued.

Yes. That is it exactly.

 

[RattyMouse]

When Provia isn't available I switch to Rollei. Happy with that and it's slightly warmer than the sterile stalwart offered by Fuji-san.

Be aware that Fujifilm is also heavily involved in genomic science, among a swag of traditional and electronic disciplines. It is far removed from its "just film and cameras" footprint so many people think of, or today, imagine. It is quite a powerhouse in science and medicine.

Fujifilm does have a medical drug division to their company but is *tiny*. It was an acquisition, not developed on their own. I dont think they have even one commercialized drug since their purchase. From the reports I read, all are still in testing and several look promising.

Regardless, Fujifilm is a bit player in medicine. They are no where near a pfizer, Merk, or Lilly.

 

[DREW WILEY]

A single class-action lawsuit over a medical product could bankrupt Fuji outright. Here in the US the testing and FDA approval leading up to marketing
any single drug in now typically well over half a billion dollars. And if anything goes wrong, it can get way way more expensive than that. That's a task for the handful of high rollers financed for that level of production and risk. Most smaller pharmaceutical ventures stop well short of that, and once they devise an exciting new product, sell the production and marketing rights to one of the big firms. Back when my wife was doing quality control for a local firm, the cost of the prototype drug averaged $40,000 per ml !!! Just remember that next time you complain about the price of a
liter of HC-110. That particular company specialized in prototyping and collected a fee from the big boys like Bayer, Chiron, and Genentech, who then
produced the market drugs in volume, averaging around a million bucks a gallon to actually make, for certain popular items. By the time it was all in pills or whatever, the selling prices would be far higher. There's a giant Bayer plant just three blocks from my own office here. I've known a number
of people who work there. It can get intense.

 

[Helinophoto]

Photpgraphers have short memories, a few years ago everyone in this forum was "Kodak doesn't care about customers only Fuji and Ilford does".
Now it's "Kodak and Ilford are making new investments, Fuji doesn't care".
Guys, it's a business, you can't be passionate about your film and make it just because it's good if no one is buying it and keep the price low or you become EFKE ...
Yea their building collapsed because they didn't have the funds to maintain the building.
It has nothing to do with caring or not caring, it's about the bottom line. All companies are like that.
Buy and shoot more of the stuff and then it won't be discontinued.

Must have been a good while back since that phrase was coined, since I haven't heard or seen anything positive regarding film, from Fuji, since the re-introduced Velvia 50 -and that was in 2006. Since then, they have cut back and axed a whole heap of films.

I have no problem with companies trying to make a buck or two (that's what they are for), my problem is that they are chanting the old mantra "Fuji continues to support...." AS THEY ARE THROWING YET ANOTHER FiLM IN THE BIN, after that, you hear nothing, until the next film gets thrown into the shredder, they still "Continue to support film" though, actually "Fuji will always support film", it's hard to hear over the shredder, but it's just audible.

If they cared about their customers, they would come out and state their plan and agenda for the future (if any) production of Fuji-film. What is their vision? Long term plan regarding film, and so on.

No one knows how to relate to Fuji, as they never say anything (other than when they are discontinuing films), is spread around the world, where one branch doesn't know what the other branch (or the trunk for that matter) is doing.

Ask Fuji-UK, Fuji-USA and Fuji-Japan about a film and get 3 different answer from; It's no longer available, to it should be readily available and will be for a long time.

The way they are doing it, points to one thing, the end of production of Fuji-film, while at the same time making sure all their film is sold before it happens.

Their actual vision is, it seems, even a secret for Fuji itself.

 

[foc]

Last year when I talked film with the head Fuji Ireland, it was suggested that Fuji would hold onto one Film speed 400 ISO.

That that for what it's worth (it's a bit like predicting the lottery's winning numbers).

 

[dale116dot7]

I rather like the Fuji E6 chemistry and RVP. I'm hoping they keep it alive for a long time. I try to shoot a roll a week and use four sets of the 5 litre E6 chemistry a year. I do miss Provia 400, though.

 

[wiltw]

Fuji is far more diversified that any of you guys give them credit for. From their global website, look at the diverse industries...

And from just the Medical Systems segment, look at the array of medical products...(including diagnostic ultrasound, which could not all fit on the page that I clipped)

Fuji's Healthcare related business comprised about $3.6 Billion in 2015, with projections of $4 Billion in 2017. with an operating margin of 10% in 2015. IOW, Fujifilm has taken steps to still be around for a long time, unlike the mistakes made by Kodak management. The demise of so many film emulsions and/or film size offerings is truly unfortunate.

 

[RattyMouse]

Fuji is far more diversified that any of you guys give them credit for. From their global website, look at the diverse industries...

Nobody is saying Fujifilm isnt diversified.

 

[AgX]

Photpgraphers have short memories, a few years ago everyone in this forum was "Kodak doesn't care about customers only Fuji and Ilford does".

Because a few years ago people here at Apug only thought of the still film department when thinking of Kodak.

Now they all think of the cine film department of Kodak. A department that even before the splitting off of the still photography department was eagerly marketing their films.

 

[wiltw]

Nobody is saying Fujifilm isnt diversified.

I guess I was reacting more to the statement, "A single class-action lawsuit over a medical product could bankrupt Fuji outright. Here in the US the testing and FDA approval leading up to marketing
any single drug in now typically well over half a billion dollars. And if anything goes wrong, it can get way way more expensive than that."
With nearly $4 Billion in revenue just in Imaging, it is not like a class action lawsuit would really break their bank account.

 

[RattyMouse]

I guess I was reacting more to the statement, "A single class-action lawsuit over a medical product could bankrupt Fuji outright. Here in the US the testing and FDA approval leading up to marketing
any single drug in now typically well over half a billion dollars. And if anything goes wrong, it can get way way more expensive than that."
With nearly $4 Billion in revenue just in Imaging, it is not like a class action lawsuit would really break their bank account.

Yeah, that comment was ridiculous. Fujifilm is definitely a bit player in medicine but they arent in any danger of going bankrupt for any reason at all.