Kodak's film sensitizing division gives out 100 pink slips... TODAY !!

Scott_Sheppard · Mar 23, 2012

http://rochesterhomepage.net/fulltext?nxd_id=308582

"One employee News 8 spoke with on Friday said he and about 100 other workers in Kodak's film sensitizing division were given pink slips."

pstake · Mar 23, 2012

What does the "Film sensitizing division" do, exactly?

Photo Engineer · Mar 23, 2012

Those are the people who make film!

And, BTW, Channel 10 news reported it as about 40.

PE

Jedidiah Smith · Mar 23, 2012

This cannot be a good thing.

Dan Daniel · Mar 23, 2012

Anyone know how many people work(ed) in this division total? 40 or 100 of 10,000 is nothing. 40/100 of 300, and I worry.

jcoldslabs · Mar 23, 2012

I hope this means 'lean and mean' and not 'sick and dying'.

Jonathan

ME Super · Mar 23, 2012

They probably axed the E-6 film folks - unless they're long gone in which case double

rphenning · Mar 24, 2012

Can we merge this thread and the "Kodak Comeback" one for ironic purposes? No? Okay I'll just sit back down.

Never good news to read.

micwag2 · Mar 24, 2012

Really folks? I wouldn't panic just yet. They are restructuring. Most of the layoffs were voluntary according to the news report. These may have been employees transferred to other lines when some of the more recent films had been cancelled. My hopes is that they are doing this well planned out and they will emerge leaner, meaner, and more profitably competitive.
Remember the auto industry? Bankruptcy, bailouts and restructuring. Now look at some of their profitability reports. They have emerged quite well and their products have improved.

Robert Ridyard · Mar 24, 2012

I just came across the following article from last November. It's an interesting read:

http://silverbased.org/plus-x-kodak-woes/#more-479

Sirius Glass · Mar 24, 2012

<<sniff>>

Steve Smith · Mar 24, 2012

jcoldslabs said:
I hope this means 'lean and mean' and not 'sick and dying'.

Sometimes the former term is used when the latter is more appropriate. Hopefully not in this case though.

Steve.

Sal Santamaura · Mar 24, 2012

Dan Daniel said:
...40 or 100 of 10,000 is nothing...

Unless you're one of the "40 or 100." :eek:

dugrant153 · Mar 24, 2012

While it is bad news, it may be the only way that Kodak is able to bear with the current market demand. Add in the stress from the Chapter 11 filing and I guess it's either some go in an attempt to restructure and organize and put itself back together or the whole company liquidates.

Unfortunately, that's the reality of the modern corporation. Hopefully these employees can find some good work elsewhere doing something else!

semi-ambivalent · Mar 24, 2012

dugrant153 said:
While it is bad news, it may be the only way that Kodak is able to bear with the current market demand. Add in the stress from the Chapter 11 filing and I guess it's either some go in an attempt to restructure and organize and put itself back together or the whole company liquidates.

Unfortunately, that's the reality of the modern corporation. Hopefully these employees can find some good work elsewhere doing something else!

Unfortunately that's the reality of manufacturing evolution. It's why you don't find that many blacksmiths these days.

And remember, some of their number might be hired back. People like me have to walk away from the computer and shoot film instead of writing about it. Which I think I'll do right now.

s-seen it happen-a

Light Guru · Mar 24, 2012

pstake said:
What does the "Film sensitizing division" do, exactly?

A basic principle of film photography that you should understand is that film is sensitive to light and will react to it. Therefor one can deduce from the name "Film Sensitizing Devision" that they put the light sensitive emulsion onto the film.

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PeteZ8 · Mar 24, 2012

Light Guru said:
A basic principle of film photography that you should understand is that film is sensitive to light and will react to it. Therefor one can deduce from the name "Film Sensitizing Devision" that they put the light sensitive emulsion onto the film.

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... and since they already sold off their gelatin business, that would translate exactly to the people who actually make film at Kodak.

I think the point made about "what division" was valid. We already know that Kodak axed their E6 program, so to see job cuts in that department would not be surprising at all.

BrianShaw · Mar 24, 2012

Can anyone hum the tune of "Brother, can you spare a dime?" Hard times have hit many industries and jobs continue to dwindle. Very sad.

Photo Engineer · Mar 24, 2012

Light Guru said:
A basic principle of film photography that you should understand is that film is sensitive to light and will react to it. Therefor one can deduce from the name "Film Sensitizing Devision" that they put the light sensitive emulsion onto the film.

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And considering that the raw emulsion is much less sensitive than the finished version that is coated, it could be the people who sensitize the emulsion after initial precipitation and just before coating.

Or, it could be a division that makes, sensitizes (chemically and spectrallly) and coats.

There have been so many reorganizations there, that I just could not say what comes under the name film sensitizing division.

PE

ic-racer · Mar 24, 2012

Photo Engineer said:
There have been so many reorganizations there, that I just could not say what comes under the name film sensitizing division.

PE

Thank you! I thought it was ambiguous also.

Plus, the word "FILM" can refer to either just the emulsion or the end product.

film (film)
1. a thin layer or coating.
2. a thin transparent sheet of cellulose acetate or similar material coated on one or both sides with an emulsion that is sensitive to light or radiation.--- http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/film

kevs · Mar 24, 2012

Bugger. Bloody recession :-(

mrred · Mar 24, 2012

This is not a recession issue, it is market change.

Brian C. Miller · Mar 24, 2012

Let's say Kodak did play its cards right, and was king of the hill for digital. Film would still be seeing a load of problems! Maybe Kodak would have discontinued E6 next year instead of this year if they were in the black and fat with cash, but it would still have been discontinued. The problem is that Kodak didn't play its cards right, and there is a chance that after this is over, there might not be a Kodak.

But there has been a technology and thus a market change, and that means fewer users for film.

Ektagraphic · Mar 24, 2012

How many would Kodak need in order to keep operating?

Photo Engineer · Mar 24, 2012

What is there about the number 2 that you cannot understand?

PE

Kodak's film sensitizing division gives out 100 pink slips... TODAY !!

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