Kentmere Silver Chlorice contact printing paper?

WarEaglemtn · Dec 19, 2005

Came on the back cover ad for Kentmere in the current(Dec) issue of Black & White Photography. (UK) It says they have a "recent investment in an advanced, new coating track".

Maybe they will take up the slack and produce the niche product: Silver Chloride Contact Printing paper?

They are committed to B&W and make good paper so why not something that will have steady sales?

vet173 · Dec 19, 2005

Nothing on their website about it yet that I could find.

Photo Engineer · Dec 19, 2005

I'm going to make an educated guess.

It would cost a lot of money to develop an entirely new product. A contact paper would apparently be of a type that they don't manfuacture right now. After having invested in a new coating machine, money must be a tad tight, especially as the B&W market shrinks.

Therefore, all things considerred, I think that they are not going to do it unless they get some sort of assurance that it would sell well. Unfortunately, they are well aware that the track record for Azo or contact papers in general for making profits soar is quite limited.

So, there you are... It would cost them quite a chunk of money with very slow, marginal returns over many years.

I believe that the highest probability of such a paper comes from somewhere else with either lower costs or more available leeway to invest in such a product. And, I'm probably wrong and Kentmere is going to introduce it tomorrow.

PE

photomc · Dec 19, 2005

Photo Engineer said:
And, I'm probably wrong and Kentmere is going to introduce it tomorrow.

PE

LOL PE, isn't that the way business goes...if we could just find a crystal ball that would give us that edge...well we could afford all those extras we are always talking about...heck maybe even one of Jim G. lens.

noseoil · Dec 20, 2005

I keep hoping someone will contact Kodak and set up a deal to purchase the rights to Azo and some machinery to make it as well. Stranger things have happened, but it would take some real guts to go out in that direction with the market as it is. tim

Bob F. · Dec 20, 2005

That line in their adverts has been running for about a year. I doubt they will invest in a new paper without very good financial expectations: they already produce a wide range of different papers (for which we are truly grateful...) and some of those must be very slow sellers already.

There is no reason for anyone to buy the rights to Azo. Companies like Ilford and Kentmere already have the recipes for the papers they made decades ago and the skills to design new ones - if they can find a financial case so to do.

I have recently started using Kentmere Fineprint VC, so I'm doing my bit

Cheers, Bob.

Dave Miller · Dec 20, 2005

Bob F. said:
I have recently started using Kentmere Fineprint VC, so I'm doing my bit

Cheers, Bob.

Me too; it's a nice paper.

Photo Engineer · Dec 20, 2005

noseoil said:
I keep hoping someone will contact Kodak and set up a deal to purchase the rights to Azo and some machinery to make it as well. Stranger things have happened, but it would take some real guts to go out in that direction with the market as it is. tim

Probably never going to happen.

PE

Michael A. Smith · Dec 20, 2005

The conjecture is interesting. I have been in touch with Kentmere, as well as with the other manufactures, including Kodak. An Azo replacement will be made. I am not at liberty to disclose which manufacturer will make it.

Even getting to this point has been quite an adventure. Perhaps someday the entire story will be told.

noseoil · Dec 21, 2005

Michael, you should keep a journal of these goings-on and put it into an epic saga at some point. It would be interesting to read about product use, market whims and the pressures which drive them. Not sure Hollywood would be interested, but it would certainly make for an interesting read and a fascinating story. Best & a big Merry Christmas to you and Paula! tim

cjarvis · Dec 23, 2005

Kentmere manufactures printing-out paper for Chicago Albumen Works. Why would they bother creating an Azo clone?

c6h6o3 · Dec 23, 2005

cjarvis said:
Kentmere manufactures printing-out paper for Chicago Albumen Works. Why would they bother creating an Azo clone?

For the same reason they make POP - because someone pays them to do so.

Kentmere Silver Chlorice contact printing paper?

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