Keynote presentation in english on the challenges in AgX manufacturing in todays world

[ADOX Fotoimpex]

The below keynote presentation was held by me in Helsinki @ filmfotofair on march 15th 2019.

 

[drkhalsa]

Good information, thanks for sharing!

 

[Nodda Duma]

Awesome!

 

[removedacct3]

Thank you very much! Nice to hear about Polywarmtone. Good luck!!

 

[ciennepi]

Congratulation Mirko for your clear expanation and for your honestly, ever when you tell that consumer must be willing to pay the analog product a little more if they will it be with us in the future. Good luck.

 

[Martin Rickards]

That puts Fuji's recent price increase into focus.

 

[Ian Grant]

Very interesting, thank you.

Ian

 

[miha]

Thank you for bringing this to attention.

 

[K-G]

An excellent explanation and clearification of the conditions for the current film/paper production. If you keep providing us with high quality products , I think most analogue photographers will accept a higher price level as long as you are doing your good work. Just take good care of yourself and your empoyees. You are valuable !

 

[twelvetone12]

An excellent presentation Mirko! I would gladly pay 20% more when CHSII comes out, or on any of your other products for the matter.
Next time you pass by Fribourg you should stop by our small photolab in the Centre Fries. We run the only publicly accessible lab of the city! And we were printing on MCP310 just a couple hours ago

 

[RauschenOderKorn]

Very interesting, thanks for sharing.

Have you tested how the market reacts to price increases? As you sell directly, you might see the customer’s reaction e.g. to the Fuji price increase directly in your shop?

 

[mshchem]

Very interesting. I still think that the key is to find a way to engage the, pardon my language, "the ignorant masses". Making a boutique limited edition product is always going to be expensive and risky.

My money is on Ilford and Kodak. Adox is brilliant at confections, cut rolls of Kodak color paper and film. It would be nice to be able to buy these products.

Kodak is awful at cutting sheet film. Polywarmtone sounds great but I have at least 2000 sheets of black and white paper including Forte PW. This is the reality.

 

[ADOX Fotoimpex]

I wanted to add that I have made a very conservative estimation with 900 MIO rolls. This is the lowest number I saw ever published and probably refers only to NA. The most enthusiastic numbers I found were 3 Billion.
Personally I think the 3 Billion are closer to the truth. If I insert them into the graph, it does not change the slope. Because from 900 Million to 20 it is already "very steep".
The other thing I was very conservative with is inflation. I did not factor 2% but less. If it was 2% every year we would end up at about 5,80 per roll.

Mirko

 

[Nodda Duma]

The below keynote presentation was held by me in Helsinki @ filmfotofair on march 15th 2019.

I finally had a chance to listen to your entire presentation, fittingly as I finish my next batch of emulsion for dry plates. Everything you said rings true, though I know of at least one “factory” which is smaller. Even at my “niche of a niche of a niche” level, I see the passion and growing interest that you spoke of.

I wish I could make it to conferences to meet people like you who are pushing the analog photography industry forward, perhaps when my dry plate business becomes my day job. In fact I wish I was able to travel to Germany to visit your factory...that would be an awesome trip.

Until then, you guys are an inspiration. Keep growing!

Cheers,
Jason

 

[mshchem]

I wanted to add that I have made a very conservative estimation with 900 MIO rolls. This is the lowest number I saw ever published and probably refers only to NA. The most enthusiastic numbers I found were 3 Billion.
Personally I think the 3 Billion are closer to the truth. If I insert them into the graph, it does not change the slope. Because from 900 Million to 20 it is already "very steep".
The other thing I was very conservative with is inflation. I did not factor 2% but less. If it was 2% every year we would end up at about 5,80 per roll.

Mirko

The inflation calculations that the US Federal Reserve Bank use, only seem to account for things people don't buy . Food and energy are considered too "elastic" to include in cost of living estimates. Anything purchased in a supermarket, grocery, Walmart etc.has seen huge price increases in the past 10 years. Things are cheaper in the USA because we don't pay our debt, run a massive trade deficit on printed money. The 90% of American workers have less disposable income today than they have had in decades. Young people trying to earn money to buy film on 10 dollar an hour jobs. Still these kids seem to find money, especially for black and white. I've helped develop film for free, some of these young people end up with 30 or 40 rolls of film with no way to process.

 

[Pioneer]

First, before I get to the topic here at hand, I would like to express my appreciation for your custom cutting of sheet films. As one who uses an odd sized film (ie; not 4x5, 5x7 or 8x10) this makes purchasing these films when needed a reality again. I do use Ilford's service as well, and will undoubtedly continue, but the stock I am able to purchase in one bulk purchase never seems to last as long as I would like.

As for price increases, I suspect that there are probably a number of customers who would be willing to pay the 20% increase you allude to in your presentation but the question needs to be asked, why haven't you made that increase already since you know it has to be done to make your business truly sustainable? I'm not sure that waiting makes the necessary increase any less, nor does it make it any easier to implement.

At this point I use only Silvermax and CMS 20 II from your catalogue of products but I doubt I would stop purchasing these films if the price did go up.

Of course I don't have to bet my business on these decisions so it is easy for me to hold this opinion. Good luck and thanks for your hard work and commitment to film.

 

[europanorama]

MF film coming soon he said when asked. They starting slitting 2 weeks ago-now 3. so he meant 120 maybe also 220. I wouldnt wonder since the whole photographic world is crying for them. above all we panoramists. 120 in roundshot is a big problem. nogo shooting. problems with 120-paper impossible highspeed rotation 1/125 or 1/250. but i dont pay 15 euro. can slit old 70mm films down. 12 euro max. 5 pcs for 50 euro. 5.8 euro/mt is enough. how about long-rolls? pls offer 30m. for those who want to make 220. we could wind film with alden 70mm-loader to 70mm cartridges onto mercury works 70-120-spools(60 usd). then we can add the paper. there are instructions online. yes 220 paper has diffent lenght. but there is a workaround.

 

[Tom Kershaw]

Mirko,

Great talk and lots of good points about costings and having the staff available to produce product. Some of these concerns were evident when I toured the Harman factory in 2007 and that was 12 years ago. I'm most familiar with your MCC 110 paper but suspect other ADOX products will find a way into my camera and darkroom.

Tom

 

[JWMster]

Thanks for the clarity and courage to discuss frankly the full range of issues. I've wanted to use Adox products for a long time, but there's been a distinct lack of stock here in the States. Your talk makes me even more curious and eager to try your materials when I get the chance.

 

[markjwyatt]

Good talk. I finally got to finish the video. I shot one roll of Silvermax, and really liked the results. I hope it stays around as a film option.