Industry News from the Source: Panel Discussion with Kodak, JOBO and more - DEC 29th 7PM CET on ZOOM

[ludwighagelstein]

Hi All,

If you´re free tomorrow evening and want to participate in a free Zoom Discussion panel hosted by SilvergrainClassics magazine with Kodak´s Andy Church, JOBO´s Johannes Bockemühl, Youtuber Nick Carver and ULF Photographer Christoph Morlinghaus, you can do so in this "analog fireside chat" here: https://silvergrainclassics.com/en/2020/12/analog-photography-fireside-chat-29-dec/

It´s free, you can ask questions, and it starts at 7PM Central European Time; In other time zones:

• 1800 British Standard Time (join at 17:50 BST)
• 1900 Central European Time (join at 18:50 CET)
• 1300 Eastern Standard Time (join at 12:50 EST)
• 10:00 Pacific Standard Time (join at 09:50 PST)
• 05:00 Australian Eastern Daylight Time (join at 04:50 AEDT)
• 07:00 New Zealand Daylight time ((join at 06:50 NZDT)

 

[logan2z]

Registered, thanks for the info.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Thank you

 

[Schwedenstahl]

If you could not attend the last chats here is the youtube link to Chat #1

 

[Agulliver]

Confirmation, if it were needed, from KA that sales of colour film in particular have outstripped capacity to manufacture but that EK have invested to enable more film to be produced and supply should meet demand by the end of 2021. Interesting to hear Jobo doing well too.

 

[Anon Ymous]

Confirmation, if it were needed, from KA that sales of colour film in particular have outstripped capacity to manufacture but that EK have invested to enable more film to be produced and supply should meet demand by the end of 2021. Interesting to hear Jobo doing well too.

So, within a few years we got from "we have so much excess production capacity" to "we can't produce enough"? Call me sceptic, or whatever you like, but I find it rather hard to believe.

 

[wyofilm]

So, within a few years we got from "we have so much excess production capacity" to "we can't produce enough"? Call me sceptic, or whatever you like, but I find it rather hard to believe.

Even as a general cynic I can see that finding the right level of production when going from something 1 billion rolls of film produced per year in 2003 to 20 million rolls per year is a bit tricky, especially since this recalibration involved several film manufacturers and not just one.

 

[MattKing]

So, within a few years we got from "we have so much excess production capacity" to "we can't produce enough"? Call me sceptic, or whatever you like, but I find it rather hard to believe.

They still have excess capacity when it comes to coating film, although they have taken some useful steps that permit them to efficiently coat smaller runs.
It is the confectioning of film - slitting, edge printing, perforating, spooling, adding backing paper, adding cassettes, boxing - where they have bottlenecks, because in and around the time of the bankruptcy the financial realities forced them to downsize or decommission too much equipment.
They are also short of capital. Where in the past they could afford to manufacture or purchase a large amount of inventory of things like spools and cassettes to be held in reserve, now they can only afford to buy just as much as is needed for the next run.
The shortage of capital also greatly affects their ability to replace or refurbish the removed or decommissioned equipment.

 

[Anon Ymous]

@MattKing Capital shortage is a reasonable explanation I suppose and the root cause.

 

[wyofilm]

They still have excess capacity when it comes to coating film, although they have taken some useful steps that permit them to efficiently coat smaller runs.
It is the confectioning of film - slitting, edge printing, perforating, spooling, adding backing paper, adding cassettes, boxing - where they have bottlenecks, because in and around the time of the bankruptcy the financial realities forced them to downsize or decommission too much equipment.
They are also short of capital. Where in the past they could afford to manufacture or purchase a large amount of inventory of things like spools and cassettes to be held in reserve, now they can only afford to buy just as much as is needed for the next run.
The shortage of capital also greatly affects their ability to replace or refurbish the removed or decommissioned equipment.

Matt - Didn't EK spend time and coin to modify and reduce the output of their coating machine, at least. (Good chance I have some of this wrong!)

 

[MattKing]

Matt - Didn't EK spend time and coin to modify and reduce the output of their coating machine, at least. (Good chance I have some of this wrong!)

They did modify the machine and their techniques to permit smaller runs - that is what I was referring to in my post.
I believe they still have the capacity to make the larger runs.
There is at least a possibility that some of the modification may consist of pricing the product at a high enough rate to compensate for the extra wastage inherent in smaller production runs.

 

[wyofilm]

They did modify the machine and their techniques to permit smaller runs - that is what I was referring to in my post.
I believe they still have the capacity to make the larger runs.
There is at least a possibility that some of the modification may consist of pricing the product at a high enough rate to compensate for the extra wastage inherent in smaller production runs.

Thanks!

 

[halfaman]

They did modify the machine and their techniques to permit smaller runs - that is what I was referring to in my post.
I believe they still have the capacity to make the larger runs.
There is at least a possibility that some of the modification may consist of pricing the product at a high enough rate to compensate for the extra wastage inherent in smaller production runs.

I read somewhere that the price increase is also aimed to get additional funds to spend or invest on confectioning. Kodak is still a high risk company for banks to lend money.

 

[Agulliver]

I read somewhere that the price increase is also aimed to get additional funds to spend or invest on confectioning. Kodak is still a high risk company for banks to lend money.

I remember the same. I think that's what KA mean when they say they've invested in future film production. The promise is a little pain now for big gains by next year. We shall see...but the idea seems to be much better availability of film from Kodak and hopefully a new product or two.

For Fuji, it seems more difficult. But also being Japanese they're not going to be very forthcoming.

 

[halfaman]

The overview below confirms that Kodak cash position in 2021 is going to delicate even with the loan approved for pharmaceutical business

About Another Short Squeeze In Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:KODK) | Seeking Alpha

 

[Wallendo]

I remember the same. I think that's what KA mean when they say they've invested in future film production. The promise is a little pain now for big gains by next year. We shall see...but the idea seems to be much better availability of film from Kodak and hopefully a new product or two.

For Fuji, it seems more difficult. But also being Japanese they're not going to be very forthcoming.

The recent statement to that effect from Alaris was interesting, but I never saw any real follow-up. It suggested that KA was somehow involved with this but didn't directly state that. Does KA actually have the capital to invest in EK's production? Could KA have prepaid for film not yet delivered?

 

[Kino]

Now we have these bozos artificially driving up the cost of Silver!

https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/31/investing/silver-price-squeeze-reddit-wallstreetbets/index.html

The human race has no lack of ability to self-mutilate for profit...

 

[Sal Santamaura]

The overview below confirms that Kodak cash position in 2021 is going to delicate even with the loan approved for pharmaceutical business

About Another Short Squeeze In Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:KODK) | Seeking Alpha

OK, those who claim PHOTRIO membership is a significant factor in the "film revolution," here's your opportunity. Turn Eastman Kodak into the next GameStop. When that short squeeze happens, buy up the stock in massive quantities, thereby punishing hedge funds and making Eastman Kodak "valuable."

 

[DREW WILEY]

If you want to learn about commodities gaming ruining a lot of photographic careers, some of us remember when the Hunt Brothers managed to gain a near-monopoly on silver.