Kodak Warning + Later Clarification

[gbroadbridge]

Film is complicated to make, there is nothing complicated about its distribution.

As an importer of a large range of products myself from various countries, I can think of many complex issues surrounding import and distribution of film.

Statutory labelling issues, Hazard management, environmental compliance issues, local regulations, damage during transport, taxes, management of batch numbers and expiry dates, just off the top of my head.

 

[chuckroast]

How sure are you about that?

I was speaking relatively. The point is that Kodak could (relatively) easily just become a drop shipper for eCommerce channels, never much deal with customers, and likely improve their profit position considerably.

 

[dcy]

Yeah, the car things wasn't the best analogy, but CarMax is just another middleman, charging the end consumer a premium to hide all the annoying details, that's what the $2k delivery fee and inflated prices are for, I assume.

Exactly. It also illustrates that a middle man can indeed value (e.g. convenience) and make a solid business from that. My understanding is that CarMax has pretty healthy profit margins, even though nobody is forced to buy from them.

To try to bring the conversation back to Kodak, I do not wish for Kodak Alaris to just disappear. I wish for Eastman Kodak to be able to choose whichever distributor they want. If Alaris is better at distributing Kodak film than anyone else, then kudos to them.

 

[0x001688936CA08]

To try to bring the conversation back to Kodak, I do not wish for Kodak Alaris to just disappear. I wish for Eastman Kodak to be able to choose whichever distributor they want. If Alaris is better at distributing Kodak film than anyone else, then kudos to them.

Agree 100%

 

[George Mann]

So I guess with the extra 500 million we get Kodachrome back! 135, 127, 620 and 828!! Rock on!

We need to continue to rally them to produce a Kodachrome biased E6.

 

[Cholentpot]

We need to continue to rally them to produce a Kodachrome biased E6.

I think they should. They have the most recognized product name in photography and are just sitting on it. Yes, those that know will say it's not real Kodachrome but the kid'll get a kick out of shooting Kodachrome branded film. It'll fly off the shelves.

 

[warden]

I think they should. They have the most recognized product name in photography and are just sitting on it. Yes, those that know will say it's not real Kodachrome but the kid'll get a kick out of shooting Kodachrome branded film. It'll fly off the shelves.

If I owned Kodak and had any budget at all I would spend it developing E6 Kodachrome for exactly that reason, and (I hate the following idea but would do it anyway) Kodachrome C41 too... because C41 is where the volume is today, and that’s not changing anytime soon. It’s real film from Grandfather Kodak after all, and if it renders color like Kodachrome, call it that. Then market the hell out of it.

All problems solved. How much is my bonus, boss?

 

[BrianShaw]

I hope you're not relying on that bonus to pay important bills.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

I remember Kodachrome for sale with processing mailers here in the US. But it was simpler just to have the owner of the tiny country store drop it off in person once a week down in the city an hour away, then pick up the slides the next week. Certain things he never ran out of were gallons of rotgut jug wine, rifle and shotgun ammo, blue jeans, and Kodachrome plus Kodak Gold. You could also count on bottles of orange soda and chocolate soda being in the cooler alongside 7Up and Coke. Oh, fishing lures too.

Did he use an Excel worksheet to keep track of all that stuff?

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Transitioning to a direct web sales model would probably be a nightmare for Kodak, and involve far more staff than they currently need for office support and shipping. And even in high volume mode, there could be nightmares in how the product gets handled beyond their control. That kind of scenario is really what killed off Cibachrome in the US. It's not so simple. But as it is, they seem legally committed to Alaris, which is really the party which needs to be leveraged into modernizing the distribution.

One wonders what the new owners of Alaris are doing the last 1 1/2 years since buying them?

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

My understanding is that the Fujifilm store operated on Amazon is directly operated by Fujifilm, with distribution by Amazon.
You can often buy cheaper through a reseller, but with less availability.

I once bought Kodak film from Amazon here in New Jersey USA. The expiration date was only four months hence. I returned it and contacted the actual seller. All their film was short dates unlike let's say photo companies like B&H Photo in NYC where the normal 1 1/2 years expiration dates for their film. That tells me the Amazon sellers must be buying up soon-to-expire film being dumped at low prices and reselling it on Amazon for a nice profit. So my recommendation is to stick with known photo sources in the business.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

The middle man adds nothing to the world except paper work. Ford should have Ford dealerships run by Ford employees with Ford mechanics. I buy your car and want your people working on it. Dealerships play games, as soon as they see you're not an easy mark you're worthless to them.

Dealers are often so many, a central ownership would be too great to operate and pay for. That's why McDonald's, car manufacturers, Dunkin', etc operate with local separate ownership. Plus there's more incentive when one guy owns one or a few local stores and is also part of the nearby community. Also, the manufacturers, if they owned the local dealer, would still have to make a profit on its operation. So they'd be selling your unnecessary add-ons and services you don;lt need. If you're unhappy with dealer service, go to independent service mechanics. Many are pretty crooked as well.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Yeah, the car things wasn't the best analogy, but CarMax is just another middleman, charging the end consumer a premium to hide all the annoying details, that's what the $2k delivery fee and inflated prices are for, I assume.

I sold my car recently and got an offer from CarMax and another similar company $4000 and $4400. I went to a local used car dealer and the manager offered me $5000. I told the manager to have the owner call me, whom I told I wouldn;t accept less than $5500, which he agreed to it. Online car dealers seem to offer less than local dealers. I still wonder how much I left on the table, maybe two to three thousand, but they have to make a profit too. I just didn't want the hassle of selling to a private owner.

 

[chuckroast]

One wonders what the new owners of Alaris are doing the last 1 1/2 years since buying them?

Taking profits.

 

[Cholentpot]

If I owned Kodak and had any budget at all I would spend it developing E6 Kodachrome for exactly that reason, and (I hate the following idea but would do it anyway) Kodachrome C41 too... because C41 is where the volume is today, and that’s not changing anytime soon. It’s real film from Grandfather Kodak after all, and if it renders color like Kodachrome, call it that. Then market the hell out of it.

All problems solved. How much is my bonus, boss?

Heck, make a black and white one too. Whatever it takes. Cool names like Panatomic-X should be back too. Who cares if its rebranded double X, just market it.

 

[George Mann]

It’s real film from Grandfather Kodak after all, and if it renders color like Kodachrome, call it that. Then market the hell out of it.

It would help if it could still authentically render the essence of the scene as well.

 

[George Mann]

Heck, make a black and white one too. Whatever it takes. Cool names like Panatomic-X should be back too. Who cares if its rebranded double X, just market it.

I believe that would be Verichrome Pan.

 

[BrianShaw]

Taking profits.

Kingwood era started 2 Aug 2024, so a few weeks are missing. This information, of course, does not address profitability but hopefully there is plenty. When the next KA financials are released everyone will know more on that topic.

 

[MattKing]

One wonders what the new owners of Alaris are doing the last 1 1/2 years since buying them?

For a chunk of that time, probably dealing with figuring out how to do business in an international marketplace in a rapidly changing and crazily unpredictable world.
I'm not aware of any changes in management - perhaps others may have seen announcements.
AFAIK, Kodak Alaris is still a UK corporation and I'm not aware of any steps taken to change that.

 

[BrianShaw]

Seems like only one new face in the "Corporate office":

Michael Neyrey, MBA - Kodak Alaris | LinkedIn

STRATEGIC EXECUTIVE WITH FINANCE, SUPPLY CHAIN, AND SALES EXPERTISE ➜ LEADING… · Experience: Kodak Alaris · Education: University of New Orleans · Location: Atlanta Metropolitan Area · 500+ connections on LinkedIn. View Michael Neyrey, MBA’s profile on LinkedIn, a professional community of 1...

www.linkedin.com

President
Kodak Alaris ·
Full-time
7 mos Feb 2025 to Present · 7 mos
Atlanta Metropolitan Area ·
Hybrid

 

[warden]

Heck, make a black and white one too. Whatever it takes. Cool names like Panatomic-X should be back too. Who cares if its rebranded double X, just market it.

Kodak had and still owns some of the best and most exciting product names IMHO.

 

[Cholentpot]

Kodak had and still owns some of the best and most exciting product names IMHO.

I'll admit, I'd load C-41 'NEW' Kodachrome just to say I'm shooting Kodachrome.

 

[George Mann]

I'll admit, I'd load C-41 'NEW' Kodachrome just to say I'm shooting Kodachrome.

And if it looks and renders like Kodachrome, you will be.

 

[brbo]

When the next KA financials are released everyone will know more on that topic.

Why would they still (agan?) release financial reports to public?

Last such report that they were required to publish was on fiscal year ending March 2023.

 

[cmacd123]

I remember Kodachrome for sale with processing mailers here in the US.

Kodachome outside the states had the processing status encoded in the edge print. no need to keep track of mailers the film type ended in "P" like KR135-36P