Late breaking Kodak news

[Photo Engineer]

Tonight on the late news, it was announced that due to a sudden big decrease in demand for analog products, 500 workers at Kodak Park's coating facility would be laid off.

In addition, due to this decline, Kodak will be laying off an additional 5000 employees world-wide during 2007.

Channel 10, 11:00 news lead story in Rochester NY.

Sorry guys, you are just not using enough Kodak film.

PE

 

[Roger Hicks]

Tonight on the late news, it was announced that due to a sudden big decrease in demand for analog products, 500 workers at Kodak Park's coating facility would be laid off.

In addition, due to this decline, Kodak will be laying off an additional 5000 employees world-wide during 2007.

Channel 10, 11:00 news lead story in Rochester NY.

Sorry guys, you are just not using enough Kodak film.

PE

Could ANYONE use enough film to persuade Perez that Kodak should keep making it? I'm fully aware of the argument that 'if people keep buying, they'll keep making it,' but equally, I'd not put it past Perez to do a pre-emptive strike.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Photo Engineer]

I know that Kodak still needs the money to maintain cash flow, and film is nothing more than a money maker today. So, it would be killing the 'goose that laid the golden egg'.

Today's paper says that Kodak is vacating a group of buildings and offering them up for sale. This is part of the film distribution center and equipment repair center I think.

PE

 

[jovo]

One has to wonder about Kodak's willingness to use its traditional products as a tax write-off against digital losses until that division is self sustaining. If it gave a damn about its' analog material wouldn't one expect there to be an advertising campaign? The power of advertising skillfully is undeniable. I mean it's easy to be cynical about the public's gullibility regarding purchase of whatever is marketed with enough rigor (an I-Phone for $500??? are you f'n out of your mind??), so humping the merits of traditional material could be a no-brainer, and, if done with finesse and care, could even be a non threat to digistuff. But do/will they? Apparently not.

 

[removed account4]

"film is dead" and similar talk from the top is becoming a self fulfilling prophecy ...

 

[Petzi]

Tonight on the late news, it was announced that due to a sudden big decrease in demand for analog products, ...

Sudden? Where can I find figures/statistics about worldwide sales of photo paper and film?

 

[PHOTOTONE]

Sudden? Where can I find figures/statistics about worldwide sales of photo paper and film?

I'm sure that would be a "sudden" decline in demand for Kodak made photo materials. Not other vendors particularly. Kodak i'm sure doesn't care about declines in Forte's sales, for example.

 

[Petzi]

I'm sure that would be a "sudden" decline in demand for Kodak made photo materials. Not other vendors particularly. Kodak i'm sure doesn't care about declines in Forte's sales, for example.

I would assume that Kodak's sales are proportional to world sales, unless they lost market share to Fuji or Mitsubishi. I don't know. Perhaps they were hit by Agfa and Konica clearing their warehouses...

 

[Photo Engineer]

Two comments here.

First is that I'm reporting what a news reporter on Channel 10 news at 11:00 said. It was backed up next morning by the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.

Second, Forte's announcement today kind of confirms this really. There has been a rather sudden change! About 2 years ago, I reported the information on the last 'sudden change' and next thing we knew Agfa was gone. I didn't know that would happen, but I was criticized for the veracity of that information at the time.

I report a factual event from our papers or TV and everyone doubts it. The evidence speaks for itself.

That is all there is to say about it.

PE

 

[copake_ham]

One thing I am curious about is how this thread moved from "Doom and Gloom" to "Product Availabilty"? I guess PE has some clout here.

And could Art please stop beating me up for having posted the X-Ray thing on this forum as if I'd commited a mortal sin or something?

As to the layoffs - I feel sorry for the folk who are going through this - I also give credit to Kodak to waiting until after "the Holidays" before making this announcement. I work in finance in NYC and just witnessed my boss getting axed on December 11th. Imagine how he felt on Christmas morning?

Now, my real dilemma is - what's the use anymore? I love using my 35mm film gear and I recently used the "race to digital" to upgrade my "arsenal".

But it really does seem to be the "end game" now - doesn't it?

Damn, why won't Kodak just spin off the damned film division before it's run into the ground?

 

[Petzi]

Damn, why won't Kodak just spin off the damned film division before it's run into the ground?

That's what Agfa did. The new management at AgfaPhoto didn't exactly succeed at turning the business around.

Now we have Agfa Gevaert (alive), AgfaPhoto Holding (alive), and AgfaPhoto (insolvent, in liquidation).

 

[MattKing]

Damn, why won't Kodak just spin off the damned film division before it's run into the ground?

Among other reasons, because they still have obligations to the employees there, and are having difficulty finding purchasers who are willing to assume them?

Despite all their difficulties, I think it is unlikely you will hear a lot of complaints from Kodak employees as to how they have been treated.

Matt

 

[Vaughn]

Sorry guys, you are just not using enough Kodak film.

PE

I think it is safe to assume PE said this tougue-in-cheek. I am also assuming that a majority of film sold by Kodak was not B&W to artists, photojournalists and the like -- but color negative film to the average joe for snapshots. That is where the "sudden drop" has probably occurred...and it was probably the sale of this type of film that helped support the production of B&W material.

Just a guess, of course. But if true, then it would not matter how much B&W material we buy, or would have bought, from Kodak. Mom and pop, and the various relatives are not using film to capture those millions of Kodak moments -- they have a digital camera...even if it is a disposable one.

But I have been wrong enough before to be use to it by now.

Vaughn

 

[André E.C.]

"Kodak is dead"!

Long live Ilford!

Cheers

André

 

[SuzanneR]

I won't boycott any company that is still manufacturing film and/or paper. I still like Tri-x (both versions) and I'll continue to buy/beg/borrow or steal it as long as I can.

 

[noseoil]

The difficult part of buying a portion of a company which has falling sales is convincing an investor that there is a sound financel reason behind the decision and a potential for a return on the investment. With the recent trends in market share as they are, it will take someone with deep pockets, superb marketing skills, a genius for production and organization, and even larger balls (apologies to the ladies here) to pull this off. Anyone a close personal friend of Bill Gates who might consider being a patron of the arts? tim

 

[FrankB]

"Kodak is dead"!

I sincerely hope not.

Long live Ilford!

I sincerely hope so.

 

[TimVermont]

Ok, I'll ask the pragmatic question:

Dear PE,

What are the keeping qualities of TMX 400 (120 and sheet) and Tri-X Pro (220) in cold storage, and do you have any specific recommendations?

And thank you for all you are doing in emulsion making and coating!

Tim

 

[waynecrider]

Thought I just read something about the fufillment of the remaining Kodak ULF order for J&C. Hope for the sake of those hanging on that it doesn't get pushed back. Guess that there might not be any more orders coming down the pike.

 

[eclarke]

In ten more years, the newest crop of adults (twenty year olds) will not remember anythig other than digital imaging. Also the digital imaging industry is dynamic and their eventual goal is to make images which are superior in all ways to analog. I hate this because I am dedicated to film but film will go away. Better start watching the emulsions forum and be prepared to "DIY"...Evan Clarka

 

[lightranger]

Two comments here.

First is that I'm reporting what a news reporter on Channel 10 news at 11:00 said. It was backed up next morning by the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.

Second, Forte's announcement today kind of confirms this really. There has been a rather sudden change! About 2 years ago, I reported the information on the last 'sudden change' and next thing we knew Agfa was gone. I didn't know that would happen, but I was criticized for the veracity of that information at the time.

I report a factual event from our papers or TV and everyone doubts it. The evidence speaks for itself.

That is all there is to say about it.

PE

I have heard that Kodak reported and increase in film sales in 2006 for their large format films. It appears that the rush to digital will eventually kill off the small formats films first. Time will tell what the future holds for us who use large format equipment. The answer is buy and use the film of your choice as much as you can.

 

[gr82bart]

And could Art please stop beating me up for having posted the X-Ray thing on this forum as if I'd commited a mortal sin or something?

LOL You're OK George.

Regards, Art.

 

[Flotsam]

I hope that the name recognition of Kodak is enough to keep them afloat among the morass of electronics, camera and computer companies that have already saturated the d******l camera market with hundreds of makes and models of every sort. Even in film, designing and marketing cameras was never their forte.

 

[David Brown]

... the digital imaging industry is dynamic and their eventual goal is to make images which are superior in all ways to analog. ...

Well, if that's true, then what's the problem? As soon as digital "equals" film, I'm not going back into the stinking darkroom. Why would I? This is not a religion. (Or is it?) :rolleyes:

 

[fparnold]

PE,

Not my fault! I just bought several pro-packs of 100GX and 160VC(new) in 120. I am going to shirk responsibility for the TMax production line and leave that to one of you guys.

Flotsam: what about the old Medalists, Master Views and Retinas? Lovely, if heavy devices. (although I'll concede those were developed approaching 60 years ago, and have as much to do with current Kodak as Alchemists have to do with my chem department)