Is Forte officially Dead?

Jim Chinn · Aug 23, 2005

I can never keep all the changes in paper and film mfg straight. After reading the recent post about Lenswork the conclusion is that Forte is gone forever.
I looked through the archives and cannot find any confirmation. I see that B&H still stocks it although that may be the last of the stocks. I also have seen psots from other sites and maybe here that they are still trying to reorganize.

Anyone know the truth? I was going to buy a box of warmtone for printing some very old negatives but am not going to waste time and money if I cannot replenish when needed. I will just have to re-print the first two sets on Ilford.

Nick Zentena · Aug 23, 2005

I thought the last story was new shipments had started?

Jim Chinn · Aug 23, 2005

I don't know what the real story is. Brooks says he has been told they are gone. Someone eles says the plant is shuttered. Others say B&H has been getting in new stocks, but at the same time Freestyle discontinued their aftermarket Forte Paper (arista edu?). I also have read thatr Bergger is no longer being produced and that was made by Forte.

I have read on APUG that EFKE is seperate from Forte but on one of the RecPhoto forums they say Forte made their paper.

So... Is Forte and Efke seperate entities?

What are all the brand names of papers sold by J&C, Freestyle, Adorama etc. that Forte produced so if they are out of business I can steer clear of those.And send my send my business to Efke or Ilford or Agfa.

Bob F. · Aug 23, 2005

Good question! I know Silverprint in the UK received bulk supplies of paper at the end of May. It does not help that the Forte web site (Dead Link Removed) has no News section. Silverprint's News section says they came out of Administration, but it's not clear how up to date that news is other than sometime post May '05.

Cheers, Bob.

Nick Zentena · Aug 23, 2005

Forte and Efke are in different countries. EFKE Croatia? Forte Hungary?

Last story I heard was Omega [The US importer of Forte] had beening getting new shipments.

At FreeStyle anything labeled Forte , the .edu. and Berger was supposedly made by Forte . I've no idea why FreeStyle switched but they also switched from Ilford and Ilford is still going. So I don't think FreeStyle switching means much.

Peter Schrager · Aug 23, 2005

Forte

I already posted this once today but I'll do it again. Both Adorama and B+H have Forte in stock. It WAS out of stock several months ago. Now it is again in stock.
What does this tell you? Bergger IS Forte made to their specifications in the same plant.(Bergger also IN stock) I belive that Omega-Satter is NOT the importer anymore. What else do you expect their website to say? Let's all not buy Forte; that way we can be assured that they will certainly be out of business.
My belief is that they are doing paper runs for people with cash. I'll bet money that Bergger which doesn't make a damn thing is in there right now with cash in hand. Otherwise wait and see. What do you think J+C 200/400 is? From Gupta, India. It's Forte....and so is the Bergger BPF 200;etc.....
For my money I'll buy the Forte as long as it's around. These are individual choices one has to make but I'd rather be printing on Forte than Multigrade IV.
Best, Peter Schrager

Joseph · Aug 23, 2005

Forte

Have not been able to get Forte Polygrade V 16x20" although other sizes seem to be available.

David A. Goldfarb · Aug 23, 2005

Forte is indeed in Hungary, and Efke in Croatia, and Foma in the Czech Republic, and Slavich in Russia.

Maybe John from J&C has some news. He's been straightforward about such things all along. The only Forte product I use is J&C Classic 400. From the Efke plant I use Efke PL100 and J&C Exposition graded paper (which I formerly used under the Cachet label).

Scott Edwards · Aug 23, 2005

I have been ordering Forte Polywarmtone Plus paper from J&C under the guise of "JandC Polywarmtone Plus". It is in stock and John says there should not be any availability problems in the foreseeable future.

Monophoto · Aug 23, 2005

Peter's very profound point may get lost in all the words - - -

if we don't buy Forte (and you can substitute any other brand you are interested in) our of fear that they are going out of business, then the self-fulfilling prophecy is that they WILL go out of business.

I think the time has come to stop chattering about what might happen in the sensitized materials market, and concentrate our intentions on making pictures using sensitized materials. Suppliers will only survive if the market is healthy - and a healthy markets requires that there be customers to purchase the products offered in that market.

Louie

Bruce Osgood · Aug 23, 2005

Help me out here,

"JandC Polywarmtone Plus" = "Forte Polywarmtone Plus" = "Bergger VCCB".

Or have I got this wrong too.

Peter Schrager · Aug 23, 2005

Bergger

Bruce-kindly read what I said about Bergger in my last post. VCCB is a very nice paper all its own.
Peter Schrager

Les McLean · Aug 23, 2005

It's been common knowledge in the Photo industry for years that Forte have had ongoing money problems and required early payment even payment with order. They still struggle on and best wishes to them for the industry cannot afford for any of the manufactuers to close. Having said that there is too much coating capacity around so sadly it is inevitable that someone will go.

Rlibersky · Aug 24, 2005

Is there a list of paper and film equivalence?

I've heard Bergger is Forte, but also that Forte makes paper to Berggers specifications. Which in my mind make it different. Is this true with other products. Most of the information on these forums are confusing at best, contradictory at worst.

It would be nice to have a chart or something.

edz · Aug 24, 2005

Rlibersky said:
I Most of the information on these forums are confusing at best, contradictory at worst.

That's the whole point, how else could one convince someone to pay extra for the same product. In side many of those paper boxes are other brands often at prices higher than the original brand. This has been the case for some Agfa papers but also for Ilford, Forte, Foma, Kentmere and Efke papers as well... Some companies that come to mind even invent their own factories producing pixie goods... It, of course, works the other way.. I know some local branded 35-mm colour film sold in drugstores at prices BELOW what the internal caculation from the producer is....

Bruce Osgood · Aug 24, 2005

Rlibersky said:
Is there a list of paper and film equivalence?

I've heard Bergger is Forte, but also that Forte makes paper to Berggers specifications. Which in my mind make it different. Is this true with other products. Most of the information on these forums are confusing at best, contradictory at worst.

It would be nice to have a chart or something.

Berrger is not Forte, though it may be made in the same factory and by the same people, but to different specifications as you note. To buy Forte thinking you will get a print that looks like Berrger is a mistake.

Why would anybody in the paper industry publish a list of rebranded products?

Who would publish such a list? Perhaps a third party would rebrand an already rebranded paper. But I would expect the third parties product, in order to be affordable, would have some kind of down size to it.

I can use Forte and tell you it's just like Berrger, but you know better.

Rlibersky · Aug 24, 2005

I agree it would be a mistake for a company to say we are selling this as this. My question was more pointed at the people here. It seems we can find everything else on the net. I also have not bought into Bergger being Forte. But then again maybe I just want to jusify paying extra for the Bergger.

mark · Aug 24, 2005

E-mail Jand C. They know a lot about this stuff.

cesarb · Aug 24, 2005

A friend of mine have been talking to Bergger headquarters and says they're actually buying Forte, but I can't say if both brand will remain or just one. Bergger Warmtone is my favorite paper now and I'd say it's quite different from Forte equivalent, although both are gorgeous papers.

mmcclellan · Aug 25, 2005

Forte is Hungarian, Efke is Croatian. The Efke stuff is made near Zagreb, the Forte stuff outside of Budapest.

aldevo · Sep 5, 2005

Nick Zentena said:
Forte and Efke are in different countries. EFKE Croatia? Forte Hungary?

Last story I heard was Omega [The US importer of Forte] had beening getting new shipments.

That story is incorrect. Omega no longer has any sort of relationship with Forte and they have not had any since Forte was placed in administration last October.

As for B&H - they are now out of Forte Polygrade V glossy and apparently for good. I called their sales folks today and they report that they have no plans to place another order. They declined to give a reason.

I think J&C Classic is the sole source of new Forte inventory (if indeed any is being produced) now.

Jon Shiu · Sep 5, 2005

The latest Freestyle catalog has some info on "Arista.edu made in Hungary" product... "Anticipated Availability - Oct. 2005". On the cover they say "Forte is back. Hungarian Plant Reopens under new ownership." They list Polywarmtone Plus and Poly V Plus, each available in RC and FB.

Jon

Peter Schrager · Sep 5, 2005

Forte

I have quite a bit in the freezer right now from when the crisis hit. Someone here have any communication with Bergger? Maybe I'll rustle up an email address
and see if they answer. J+C does have it in stock right now. I notice John from there is keeping mum on this. Freestyle says October(?) That's less than 30 days away. This saga is just so pathetic...
Best, Peter Schrager

aldevo · Sep 5, 2005

Well, nobody need despair quite yet. Calumet Photo is advertising new Forte inventory to arrive in October. And, of course, there is the FreeStyle advert for paper arriving in October.

I think Forte might be doing a couple of scheduled runs per year but may not be producing regularly. Who really knows, but I'm not ready to pronounce them dead yet.

Christopher Colley · Sep 5, 2005

Just opened a package of Forte Fortepan200 4x5 I had laying around a few weeks ago, shot some photos, yet to develop them.. They could probably cut some costs by using less paper!

Is Forte officially Dead?

Jim Chinn

Nick Zentena

Jim Chinn

Bob F.

Nick Zentena

Peter Schrager

Joseph

David A. Goldfarb

Moderator

Scott Edwards

Monophoto

Bruce Osgood

Membership Council

Peter Schrager

Les McLean

Rlibersky

edz

Bruce Osgood

Membership Council

Rlibersky

mark

cesarb

mmcclellan

aldevo

Jon Shiu

Peter Schrager

aldevo

Christopher Colley

Is Forte officially Dead?

Moderator

Membership Council

Membership Council

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency