Kodak to exit LUCKY CHINA

dxphoto · Nov 16, 2007

Kodak is exiting the relationship with LUCKY China. Anyone has more update on this?

Paul Howell · Nov 16, 2007

How did you learn of this?

tim_walls · Nov 16, 2007

dxphoto said:
Kodak is existing the relationship with LUCKY China. Anyone has more update on this?

I'm not normally a grammar/spelling snob (well, I am, but I keep it to myself,) but in this case it makes things rather confusing.

Do you mean "exiting" - as in, they are breaking off the relationship, or by saying "is existing" are you verbing the adjective to mean "[the relationship] will continue to exist"?

dxphoto · Nov 16, 2007

should be exiting! sorry for the typo.
I heard this in the stock market in china.
will find the english version.

Ole · Nov 16, 2007

I've edited the thread title too, to make it easier to understand.

mabman · Nov 16, 2007

Lots of links via Google, including a Chinese one (in English).

Not terribly surprising to me - Lucky did something odd last year/earlier this year and stopped producing a lot of their films. I was told by a Taiwanese eBay seller that they just stopped producing them (SHD400 and SHD400CN for sure, possibly others), were clearing out any back-stock, and were waiting for orders of 1 million rolls (not sure if that was each, or total) before coating more.

I picked up a few rolls of the SHD400CN (c-41 process b&w, similar to Ilford XP2 with a clear base with a greenish tint) - not bad, not great though - I found it to be less accomodating than XP2 or BW400CN in various lighting conditions. Haven't tried their "traditional" B&W films yet - it appears SHD100 is still available.

Photo Engineer · Nov 16, 2007

Kodak announced a while back that it was exiting the China business and moving operations back to the US. This has been posted here and commented on several times.

There have been comments on some Kodak films already in the pipeline that were marked "Made in China" that are now marked "Made in USA".

PE

dxphoto · Nov 16, 2007

thanks Ole.

Here is the website translated by google.
http://tinyurl.com/2alhzl
The official announcement can be found here
http://www.luckyfilm.com/stock/600135-5.pdf (if you read Chinese.)

Lekai is Lucky in chinese
In short, Kodak signed a 20yr relationship with Lucky 4 yrs ago to beat Fujifilm in China. Their goal was to hold 20% of the stocks of Lucky. since then they had purchased 13%. This news is saying they finished the last 7% and also they will sell the total 20% of the lucky stock to another investment company.

I don't know if it is a good news or not. A lot of people says this is a sign that Kodak is exiting the traditional market in the pace faster than people expected. On the other hand, to Lucky, since it has already gain the technology from Kodak (according to this news), they are going to become the rival to Kodak in CHinese market.....

dxphoto · Nov 16, 2007

Hi Photoengineer,

I just hope they can bring that international version of Tri-x bulk loading film (cost only about $29 for 100' then) back.

Paul Howell · Nov 16, 2007

It may also mean that Lucky can markert paper in the U.S.

dxphoto · Nov 16, 2007

thanks mabman, Your post is much better than the goolgle translation.

Photo Engineer · Nov 16, 2007

Kodak is bringing back the manufacture of film to the US, England and France as the market shrinks. At one time it was expected that there would be a growing market in SEA and SA, but that failed to develop so why have a huge investment there.

Kodak had a large investment in China under the direction of Carl Kohrt until he retired, and then Jack Chang until he retired. There was a great deal of activity in Kodak digital print kiosks which are dotted all over China.

PE

3Dfan · Nov 16, 2007

I think this is a good move for Kodak. The exchange rate with China has been held at a fixed ratio so that Chinese products will be artificially cheap in the US and US products artificially expensive in China. Kodak must realize that the economic chickens will come home to roost sooner or later and they will be in a much better position to compete by making their products in the USA when the exchange rate is either allowed to float or when China adjusts the fixed rate.

Alan Johnson · Nov 16, 2007

Here is the share price of Lucky:
Dead Link Removed

kevs · Nov 16, 2007

Another link to that story:

http://tinyurl.com/ytl5je

Bloomberg UK.

fhovie · Nov 17, 2007

I have not found the "lucky" product to be anywhere near expected Kodak quality

aldevo · Nov 18, 2007

Photo Engineer said:
Kodak is bringing back the manufacture of film to the US, England and France as the market shrinks. At one time it was expected that there would be a growing market in SEA and SA, but that failed to develop so why have a huge investment there.

Kodak had a large investment in China under the direction of Carl Kohrt until he retired, and then Jack Chang until he retired. There was a great deal of activity in Kodak digital print kiosks which are dotted all over China.

PE

I wonder if Lucky has any future at all. At one time, I think you had mentioned that Osmium, Iridium, and Rhodium were used to enhance the spectral sensitivity of film emulsions to give them sensitivity across the entire spectrum of visible light.

Well, as of sometime next year (I forget the precise date) all industrial purchase of those three elements in the PRC is going t have to be done through a government clearing house. I guess the rationale behind that is that China wants to be certain that its developing aerospace industry isn't going to face availability issues for these three elements which are using in superalloy heat-treating processes.

Aerospace is a growth industry, analog photo materials really isn't, so it isn't hard to guess which will be shown preferential treatment in a command economy.

Photo Engineer · Nov 18, 2007

aldevo said:
I wonder if Lucky has any future at all. At one time, I think you had mentioned that Osmium, Iridium, and Rhodium were used to enhance the spectral sensitivity of film emulsions to give them sensitivity across the entire spectrum of visible light.

Well, as of sometime next year (I forget the precise date) all industrial purchase of those three elements in the PRC is going t have to be done through a government clearing house. I guess the rationale behind that is that China wants to be certain that its developing aerospace industry isn't going to face availability issues for these three elements which are using in superalloy heat-treating processes.

Aerospace is a growth industry, analog photo materials really isn't, so it isn't hard to guess which will be shown preferential treatment in a command economy.

These chemicals are not used to enhance spectral sensitivity. They are used for contrast control, latent image keeping and reciprocity among other things. Osmium is used in the new 2 electron sensitivity which impinges on spectral sensitization peripherally in that it interacts with the spectral sensitizing dye.

PE

Photo Engineer · Nov 18, 2007

fhovie said:
I have not found the "lucky" product to be anywhere near expected Kodak quality

I would guess that Kodak felt the same way. IDK, but that may be one reason for the pullback.

PE

PHOTOTONE · Nov 18, 2007

fhovie said:
I have not found the "lucky" product to be anywhere near expected Kodak quality

Are you referring to color film made in China and branded Kodak? Or..are you referring to film marketed under the "Lucky" name. I have used some of the Lucky b/w film and it has a unique look to it, as it does not have an anti-haliation backing, giving it a glow. However I have found that the quality and consistency between rolls is just fine.

fhovie · Nov 18, 2007

Lucky branded color and film and other branded b&w film that I was told was Lucky.

PHOTOTONE said:
Are you referring to color film made in China and branded Kodak? Or..are you referring to film marketed under the "Lucky" name. I have used some of the Lucky b/w film and it has a unique look to it, as it does not have an anti-haliation backing, giving it a glow. However I have found that the quality and consistency between rolls is just fine.

Kodak to exit LUCKY CHINA

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