Kodak on twitter: "We're hiring to keep up with demand for 35mm film"

Dirb9

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Kodak posted on twitter a couple hours ago "We’re hiring to keep up with demand for 35mm #film, which has exploded over the past few years. Over the last 18 months we’ve hired over 300 people, and we’re looking to hire more.” –Nagraj Bokinkere, VP of Film Manufacturing". twitter link nitter link

Interesting to hear in the interview with Bokinkere that Kodak's goal has been to have the market on color film. If they're hiring this much, it also speaks to expecting this growth in the film industry to keep going.
 

markjwyatt

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Very promising news.
 

pentaxuser

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brbo said:
One slight downer being when you hear "our strategy of being the last company standing in color film is paying dividends"...
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If Kodak is right and it becomes the last standing so the true monopoly it could pay great dividends to Kodak Dividends in the non monetary sense to those using colour film, mmm.............

pentaxuser
 

foc

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At least they are showing their commitment to keeping film alive.
"Last man standing" phrase seems to get bandied about.
 

MattKing

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The "last man standing" phrase comes pretty close to reflecting the actual reality, rather than a goal - at least when it comes to colour film during the times of Covid.
With Fuji apparently not producing colour film for most of the last 2.5 years, it is an accurate description of what is/was happening, outside of some of the small volume production in Europe.
My information sources have indicated that one of the biggest challenges they have identified is their difficulties in hiring new, trained staff.
 

Huss

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My made in Japan Fuji 200 is dated 2024.
 

MattKing

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Huss said:
My made in Japan Fuji 200 is dated 2024.
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And if you had any of the stuff produced in the previous year, it would have been Made in the USA, most likely by the "last man standing" at the time, Eastman Kodak.
It will be interesting to see if Fuji film production ramps up again to where it was pre-covid.
In particular with respect to slide film.
 

warden

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It does seem like Kodak will be the "last company standing" for color film, and that's a shame. I hope there will be more choice than that. I like Kodak films and consider them the cream of the crop, but I like choice even more.
 

MattKing

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Kodak would prefer that there were competitors out there, because the more producers there are out there, the healthier it will be for the players who supply the things that Kodak and the other manufacturers need to buy in order to be able to make film.
The current difficulties in obtaining the acetate base from Europe are an example of how important supply problems are - more players in the market would help!
 

Agulliver

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When I spoke with Andy Church of Kodak-Alaris (some months ago now) I think the phrase was "we are pretty much the only people coating colour film right now".

But Fuji appear to be back in the game. Despite the nay-sayers who see every piece of news, every press release and every tea-leaf reading pointing to Fuji wanting to exit the film market ASAP (and who have been saying so for about twenty years now)....they doggedly hang in there.

But for a while, other than the experimental stuff going on in small quantities, Kodak was the last "man" standing. And the fact that they are hiring in quite large numbers is great news.

Henning's posts over the last few years pointed undeniably to a serious increase in sales of film, especially colour film.
 

Alan Edward Klein

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I still like Fuji Velvia 50 which is ending over Kodaks Ektachrome 100.
 

Sirius Glass

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Yes we need them to have a healthy market, hire and train new people and competition.
 

Arcadia4

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Great to have some positive news about kodak. As for fuji, well instax still seems to be rolling off the lines at a large scale and they are still in the traditional colour film market where a couple of lines seem to be a large part of sales volume in 35mm. If they were keen to exit they wouldnt have bothered with the fudak 200 and new packaging which was ironically easier to buy than kodak gold, so a clever move. Whilst theyve consolidated production further (closing 2 plants at Greenford US for disposable cameras and paper) they are still the main producer of RA4 colour paper.
 

MattKing

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Terrence Brennan said:
Finally some good news!

Too bad they aren't hiring to make black and white paper!
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If that ever happened, it would be Sino Promise who are doing the hiring.
My sense is that there is still a fair bit of interaction between all three - Eastman Kodak, Kodak Alaris and Sino Promise.
 

dscottjorgenson

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Alan Edward Klein said:
I still like Fuji Velvia 50 which is ending over Kodaks Ektachrome 100.
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Clarification: As announced one year ago, Velvia 50 is ending in sheet formats only (and BTW, has not been distributed in those formats by Fujifilm in the USA for several years before then). Specifically, it has already ended in 8x10 (as of December 2021) and will be ending in 4x5 (by March 2023), according to last year's announcement. Velvia 50 meanwhile is continuing in 120 and 35mm formats, which are distributed in all major markets worldwide. However, supply-side problems have kept quantity low; almost everywhere in the USA appears to be currently sold-out, after there being availability at a number of American retailers several months ago (and before which, there was another lengthy "drought" of unavailability, so expect this pattern to repeat, I guess). Regrets to LF shooters; and to everyone else, hang in there!
 

Helge

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We really really need to support Fuji Film.
Velvia and Provia is absolutely second to none. The best pictorial photographic sensor ever made in many ways.
Slide as such is also quite underrated.
Acros is unique in a number of ways.
 

Arcadia4

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Agreed, In February there was a notice about unifying the separate 120 Japan specific/global packaging to 'stabilise' supply, (Common sense but reading between the lines, using global stock to fill a shortage for the domestic market). In April a specific item to state that 120 slide films will be in short supply;.

(Machine translation)
Notice Regarding Supply of "Reversal Film 120 Size"

April 5, 2022

Thank you for your continued patronage of Fujifilm products.

Regarding "reversal film 120 size", it is difficult to supply sufficient products due to the shortage of raw materials, and it is expected that supply and demand will be tight for the time being. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to our customers.

We will continue to take measures to ensure the stable supply of products as soon as possible. We kindly ask for your understanding and patience.
 
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