Kodak XTOL trade concern announcment

Jonno85uk · Dec 31, 2020

https://www.facebook.com/kodakprofessional/posts/149270453656184

"If you have XTOL Catalog #1058338 with the following Date Codes: 2019/10/07, 2019/12/19, 2020/02/25, 2020/02/26, 2020/02/27, we are facing a trade concern with these batches and would like to get this taken care of for you.
Please email us at ProPaperChem@kodakalaris.com with your date code information and our team will respond with the proper next steps on this product.
We apologize for any inconvenience or confusion this may have caused and thank you for your understanding."

Tom Kershaw · Dec 31, 2020

Jonno85uk said:
https://www.facebook.com/kodakprofessional/posts/149270453656184

"If you have XTOL Catalog #1058338 with the following Date Codes: 2019/10/07, 2019/12/19, 2020/02/25, 2020/02/26, 2020/02/27, we are facing a trade concern with these batches and would like to get this taken care of for you.
Please email us at ProPaperChem@kodakalaris.com with your date code information and our team will respond with the proper next steps on this product.
We apologize for any inconvenience or confusion this may have caused and thank you for your understanding."

Thanks for posting this announcement as I have XTOL from these date codes.

brbo · Dec 31, 2020

Thanks!

I was about to mix my XTOL from one of the batches mentioned...

relistan · Dec 31, 2020

My next bag is one of the mentioned batches as well. Thank you!

removedacct1 · Dec 31, 2020

Yet again. I wish I could trust Xtol, but this is the second time in the recent past I have had to request replacement product from Kodak for manufacturing problems. I used some of the defective batch and got unexpectedly thin negatives - now I know why. I think I'm going to give up and rely on PMK instead.

Andrew O'Neill · Dec 31, 2020

Just bought yesterday. Fall in those dates. What could be the issue??

pentaxuser · Dec 31, 2020

I note that a number of we Europe and U.K. based members have this code. Can I ask for some clarification here: My understanding was that the original problem with Xtol had been fixed by use of bigger bags and here comes the crucial bit the problem originally only affected N American customers Was this the case or am I just confused?

This looks to be (a) another problem and (b) is not confined to a particular market like the last ( assuming my recollection was right )

I wonder what a trade concern actually means ? It sounds sufficiently vague to mean almost anything or indeed any number of things

It all destroys the kind of certainty that customers need to be confident of buying Kodak chemicals without a second thought and this is a pity

pentaxuser

warden · Dec 31, 2020

There have been other threads with people (like me) reporting quite obvious Xtol problems so it's good to see Kodak acknowledging it. I had one of the bad batches from last year (the new packaging problem). Kodak replaced my defective product with... well you can see for yourself. I've already switched developers but hate to see this happening.

wyofilm · Dec 31, 2020

pentaxuser said:
It all destroys the kind of certainty that customers need to be confident of buying Kodak chemicals without a second thought and this is a pity

I don't see myself buying any KA product other than color film at this point.

Andrew O'Neill · Dec 31, 2020

Rotten luck. I decided to give Xtol another whirl after 18 years using Pyrocat-HD. I guess I'll stick with Pyrocat-HD.

Kino · Dec 31, 2020

I just bought 2 x 5 liter mix bags!

Will check them tonight, but that's not good...

Andrew O'Neill · Dec 31, 2020

@MattKing does this affect you?

MattKing · Dec 31, 2020

Andrew O'Neill said:
@MattKing does this affect you?

Probably, as mine came from what I expect is the same shipment as yours - I don't think Nicole orders more than one ten package batch at a time. I'll check in my storage, and most likely be sending an email.
FWIW, the current batch I'm using came from that same shipment has so far been without issue.
I'll report back the result of my email to Sino Promise Group - yes, that is where the email links to.

warden · Dec 31, 2020

MattKing said:
Probably, as mine came from what I expect is the same shipment as yours - I don't think Nicole orders more than one ten package batch at a time. I'll check in my storage, and most likely be sending an email.
FWIW, the current batch I'm using came from that same shipment has so far been without issue.
I'll report back the result of my email to Sino Promise Group - yes, that is where the email links to.

that Facebook thread is not pretty and shows very slow response to emails sent to Kodak/Sino. I sent an email to them so we’ll see how long it takes them to respond.

MattKing · Dec 31, 2020

I expect that they closed for Christmas. And of course, the ownership change only happened in November - a challenge for a corporation with people in all corners of the globe.
I refuse to register for Facebook, so I can only see the initial entry.

warden · Dec 31, 2020

MattKing said:
I expect that they closed for Christmas. And of course, the ownership change only happened in November - a challenge for a corporation with people in all corners of the globe.
I refuse to register for Facebook, so I can only see the initial entry.

Mostly it’s people griping about being asked to send contact information and then after sending an email waiting a week or more for a response. all things considered it’s not the main issue and I also think the holidays are involved. I just hope they get their chemistry and packaging sorted.

Andrew O'Neill · Dec 31, 2020

MattKing said:
Probably, as mine came from what I expect is the same shipment as yours - I don't think Nicole orders more than one ten package batch at a time. I'll check in my storage, and most likely be sending an email.
FWIW, the current batch I'm using came from that same shipment has so far been without issue.
I'll report back the result of my email to Sino Promise Group - yes, that is where the email links to.

I heard back from Nicole at Beau and she is making inquiries. She offered a refund. I'll wait and see...

MattKing · Dec 31, 2020

She will probably refuse to order it in again because of this .

Peter Schrager · Dec 31, 2020

Andrew O'Neill said:
Rotten luck. I decided to give Xtol another whirl after 18 years using Pyrocat-HD. I guess I'll stick with Pyrocat-HD.

Andrew I use xtol with roll films and it's great developer. just hang on I'm sure the product will come back online.
Isn't there an issue with D76 too? obviously there is a mfg. glitch

mshchem · Dec 31, 2020

I have a stockpile of the beautiful Tetenal made XTOL. Alaris is in, what the kids call a dumpster fire right now. I use the Kodak Flexicolor C41 RA and the Ektacolor RA4 chemistry made in the China plant, zero problems. I don't know but it could be the new owners wanting to make sure all the questionable product is out of the pipeline and customer hands. Who knows? I wouldn't be surprised if there's a roll out of new packaging and manufacturing sites across the board.
I will be interested in seeing the response to Matt's email. In the meantime I'm not buying anything from Kodak other than what comes out of the real Kodak in Rochester.

One other thing is Ilford has zero stock of Bromophen, I sent an email to Harman about this. I've been using Bromophen for over 20 years. The latest version I have a couple packages of is from August of 2019. I sure hope that Harman isn't caught up in this mess. Can't believe they are, but there's been some strange things happening this year. I've managed to lose 20 lbs that's really strange.

Andrew O'Neill · Dec 31, 2020

Peter Schrager said:
Andrew I use xtol with roll films and it's great developer. just hang on I'm sure the product will come back online.
Isn't there an issue with D76 too? obviously there is a mfg. glitch

I used this developer when it first appeared on the scene back in the 90's until about 2002. I'm was very familiar with it back then. HP5, TMY,...basically most of the films I developed it in were lovely, especially HP5. Cheers and Happy New Year!

Frank53 · Dec 31, 2020

My xtol has one of these dates.
Just sent them an email.
Regards,
Frank

Tom Kershaw · Dec 31, 2020

mshchem said:
One other thing is Ilford has zero stock of Bromophen, I sent an email to Harman about this. I've been using Bromophen for over 20 years. The latest version I have a couple packages of is from August of 2019. I sure hope that Harman isn't caught up in this mess. Can't believe they are, but there's been some strange things happening this year. I've managed to lose 20 lbs that's really strange.

The direct to customer sales site for the United Kingdom shows Bromophen as in-stock: https://www.ilfordphoto.com/1960549

MattKing · Dec 31, 2020

mshchem said:
I have a stockpile of the beautiful Tetenal made XTOL.

The problem batches are probably made by new Tetenal - they are made in Germany.
I wonder whether the problems are all related to the packaging.
When Tetenal went under, they may very well have owed a bunch of money to a supplier of the formerly used bags.
Sort of like how when Kodak went under, Champion was a huge unpaid creditor and suffered horribly.

mshchem · Dec 31, 2020

Ha, I have a package in the recall, this is the package that was sent to me by KA as replacement for the first recall. The stuff I had the first time worked fine, I will take free developer. If Sino Promise comes out with a superior package and clean chemicals that would be great. I have enough of the Tetenal produced XTOL to last me until this is sorted out.

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