Ilford Purchased by Pemberstone Ventures Ltd

[AgX]

Seen the Ilford history and the involvement of investing companies one can debate on the merit of this buy.
It depends...

I have to leave now for my crystal ball...

 

[Xmas]

There's too much negative speculation here. The key phrase in the press release is "Our new owners will assist us to connect more effectively to this younger generation in the future, and we will prioritise this as our main goal over the next five years."

Companies have to change and move on, this is most probably a positive development for Harman, the five directors who bought and rescued Harman will eventually retire and that would raise ownership issues for the company. This way allows for a far better chance of continuity and a viable future for Harman.

Ian

The five directors will probably have had to borrow the money from a bank. They will have got more from the sale so they could either retire or stay and manage the business.

If they retire en mass then it is like sending a kissogram to mr judas iscariot...

 

[rbultman]

As much as I love FP4+ if Plus-X had slow sales I'd guess FP4+ is likely fairly weak in sales vs the others I mention.

No no no no no no!!! FP4+ is my favorite film. Delta 100 is meh.

 

[rbultman]

There's too much negative speculation here. The key phrase in the press release is "Our new owners will assist us to connect more effectively to this younger generation in the future, and we will prioritise this as our main goal over the next five years."

Companies have to change and move on, this is most probably a positive development for Harman, the five directors who bought and rescued Harman will eventually retire and that would raise ownership issues for the company. This way allows for a far better chance of continuity and a viable future for Harman.

Ian

+1

Yes, let's hope the new parents are good stewards of Ilford.

 

[Peltigera]

If I ever need complex financial advice, I will not be coming to APUG for it!

129 posts based on knowing nothing.

 

[Harman Tech Service]

Statement from Harman Technology Ltd

Apologies for joining the discussion so late, yesterday was a little hectic...

I just wanted to post a something on here as I know Simon is a regular contributor and many will be expecting a response. Firstly I have to tell you that Simon exited the business when it was sold. Simon may well continue to be an APUG contributor in a personal capacity however I don't know that for sure.

Many of you have already read the press release about the sale of the business. I don't really have anything more to add on that front, other that to say it's definitely business as usual. This is an exciting time for all involved in the business, I've worked for Harman / Ilford for 28 years and this is yet another chapter in our story !

Harman will continue to support APUG and my Technical services team (David, Sue and Myself) will monitor and contribute to APUG. I have set up a "Harman Tech Service" APUG member which we will share between us.

Our primary technical support will continue to be via the "Contact Us" section of the Ilford Photo website.

Neil


Neil Hibbs
Manager Technical Services - Harman Technology Ltd

 

[Lachlan Young]

Well, from the linked article by BJP, we really can't say much until after 5 years have passed.

I wanted to add, that the future of film is not its past. There was a time when "shrinking" describe the film market. Today, the operative word is "growing."

Let me give an example... I cut back a tree in the yard not too long ago. Because the roots were good, the tree sprouted buds and then shoots, and now it's as big as it was when I cut it, but with new branches with more fruit.

There are a lot of people on here who have a persecution narrative that they feel they need to maintain - the idea that the market is changing and growing away from their narrow horizons terrifies them. Pretty much everything on this thread is irrelevant to those who use film & paper on a professional basis - it's better that companies are getting investment to grow.

Ilford's business has been growing steadily since the later 2000s & they obviously want major investment to take themselves forwards.

More to the point, the directors of Harman may well go off in their own directions creating their own new startups. I'd rather see a market whose strength is in diversity & quality rather than quantity

 

[naaldvoerder]

The news that Simon left, is a bit unnerving...

 

[Roger Cole]

Welcome Neil. If you speak with Simon please give him our best from his many friends at APUG. I hope he'll be around in a personal capacity but in any case I wish him well as I'm sure many here do. His input and support over the years on here have been immensely valuable.

I understand "business as usual" for now but there is obviously a great deal of concern among those of us who use and really like Ilford products.

Thanks for joining and for your support here.

 

[AgX]

Welcome to Apug, Neill.

I already referred to my chrystal ball... We shall see.

 

[mr rusty]

Yes, welcome Neil & Team. And, yes pass my regards to Simon - I toured the factory with his group a couple of years ago. I look forward to the future, and as you say, exciting times. Change happens - it always brings elements of uncertainty, but can certainly be an opportunity to make Good Things Happen, as it has in the Company I work for.

 

[pdeeh]

"exited the business" ... a nice non-specific phrase with a multitude of conspiratorial inferences we could draw ... did 'e fall or was 'e pushed?
:devil:

 

[MartinP]

"exited the business" ... a nice non-specific phrase with a multitude of conspiratorial inferences we could draw ... did 'e fall or was 'e pushed?

Simon was one of the group of owners so it is not unexpected that as he is no longer an owner, he is also no longer an employee - and also that there is usually an agreement specifying no public pronouncements about the sale. This part of the events is fairly normal after a sale.

Welcome to the new Harman Tech service APUG-account users. It is reassuring to know that 'we' are not forgotten.

 

[canuhead]

Our new owners will assist us to connect more effectively to this younger generation in the future, and we will prioritise this as our main goal over the next five years."

I hope the word Lomography is not in the new owners vocabulary

 

[AgX]

I hope it is. One can't have enough feet to stand one.

And Lomography has survived in time several of the traditional companies.

 

[pdeeh]

Simon was one of the group of owners so it is not unexpected that as he is no longer an owner, he is also no longer an employee - and also that there is usually an agreement specifying no public pronouncements about the sale. This part of the events is fairly normal after a sale..

There are a multitude of folk in this thread who seem to have disengaged their sense of humour.

And, yes, I do understand what normal practice is in these situations. I have been principal in one or two myself.

 

[ozphoto]

I hope the word Lomography is not in the new owners vocabulary

If Lomography lovers help boost their sales further - why not? (Genuine question.)

 

[pdeeh]

I hope the word Lomography is not in the new owners vocabulary

They would have to be very out of touch with what sells film if it is not.

 

[pdeeh]

Ha! If only ...
It doesn't always work out.
I've been loaded, and I've been ... um ... unloaded ... More the latter than the former mind you.
All very ancient history in my life anyway

 

[RobC]

it'll all come out in the wash. Nothing anyone here can do about it. I would expect that in short time some of Ilfords regional distributors and a few major retail outlets will be pacifying their customers with announcements that Ilford has assured them that supplies will continue for the "foreseable future". Until then we will all just have to wait if we aren't going to believe the official company press releases and indeed, direct postings by Ilford here.
They can't be blamed for manic forum output here.

 

[canuhead]

I think the Lomo shooters are a transitory bunch who for the most part aren't committed film users. I don't see Lomo as a gateway to die hard film use. They opened a store in Toronto but the business wasn't there to sustain it so it closed up. Toronto has as many hipsters/ film toe dippers as any city so take this as you will.

I don't get some of their product line when some/ much of the film they sell relies on gimmicks and effects (lines through your film ! bubbles !). Imo, this doesn't speak to die hard users but people who are more likely to buy Instax Mini than Delta 100.

 

[pdeeh]

Well that's disposed of Harman having to worry about lomo users, so long as the new management will be taking your advice.
Good thing too.
Some of those hipster types don't look as if they wash properly, you know.

 

[BrianShaw]

Well that's disposed of Harman having to worry about lomo users, so long as the new management will be taking your advice.
Good thing too.
Some of those hipster types don't look as if they wash properly, you know.

Last time I was at a "Lomo" sales point there were two types of film being sold: Ilford and Ilford. And the hispters were college students; I'm sure they didn't wash properly.

 

[canuhead]

..
Some of those hipster types don't look as if they wash properly, you know.

you should have seen the people, besides this middle aged dude, that shopped at the Toronto Lomo store haha. and I've never seen a hipster who wasn't well groomed place was pretty nice and staff was great.

Toronto is pretty heavy in hipsters and skinny jeans but they're just the next gen. same as my gen was derided for pretty well the same things today. and fwiw, no one grooms beards like hipsters and there are a few really, really good barber shops being started up by younger people which is refreshing since barber shops are a dying breed in big cities. I mean when was the last time anyone saw a barber using a strop ?

back on track, even sans Simon, I hope the landscape stays the same or improves for our sake.

 

[BrianShaw]

What are you talking about? I though we were talking about washing film??? You're right... most hipsters are closet metrosexuals!