Here is my "press release":
Ag Photographic Launches 14 July 2009, Birmingham UK.
Finally to put my money where my mouth is: I've been telling everyone how great analogue photography is for years so I decided that, as I already have spare business space and business infrastructure in place, I should utilise this.
The idea came about because back in November I was reading a negative thread and comments about Retro Photographic on APUG. I approached the owners to see if I could put a deal together to take the company over. Whilst we got on well, in the end we could not agree a deal that worked for both sides.
Therefore I decided a fresh company was in order and set about arranging this.
Ag Photographic - strategy
Route to market is via an, easy to use, e-commerce multi currency website ( www.ag-photographic.co.uk ), and through two 'retail' locations in Birmingham. This was another driving factor for me: Birmingham has no other decent photographic retailers for traditional materials, yet it is the second largest city in the UK, located right in the middle of the country.
As one might imagine, Ilford have been very helpful and they are keen to see a specialist retailer in the heart of the country - the only options people have had here until now is Calumet or Jessops, both of whome, I'm sorry to say, hold virtually no film and no darkroom materials at all (Calumet).
Kodak too, through their appointed UK distributor Photologic, have also been very helpful and we are looking forward to pushing their products.
Also I would mention Mirko as he has also been very helpful and we are looking forward to offering the ADOX range as soon as we formulate the first order.
The business will of course be targeting and looking to service the existing, established market, and this is very important. But, crucially, we also want to target new business - people new to, or thinking about, traditional photography. This is necessary because the established market can only be cut up and shared out a certain number of times.
The company will be listing mainstream products from Ilford, Kodak and in the initial weeks of trading this is inevitably where the focus will be. As time progresses other brands will also be catered for such as the likes of ADOX, Fotospeed, Tetenal, Slavich, etc. We will also be offering Raw Chemicals and with the help of one APUG member, we should have an inventory that satisfies most people.
In the first 24 hours of operation I have been overwhelmed with the support and interest - we've had people turning up at the door here in Birmingham, phone calls, emails etc - Thank you! All I would ask is that you bear with us as the depth of the inventory increases, and keep an eye on the website. Please also let me know wishes and desires as this is extremely helpful.
Many thanks,
Matthew
Ag Photographic Launches 14 July 2009, Birmingham UK.
Finally to put my money where my mouth is: I've been telling everyone how great analogue photography is for years so I decided that, as I already have spare business space and business infrastructure in place, I should utilise this.
The idea came about because back in November I was reading a negative thread and comments about Retro Photographic on APUG. I approached the owners to see if I could put a deal together to take the company over. Whilst we got on well, in the end we could not agree a deal that worked for both sides.
Therefore I decided a fresh company was in order and set about arranging this.
Ag Photographic - strategy
Route to market is via an, easy to use, e-commerce multi currency website ( www.ag-photographic.co.uk ), and through two 'retail' locations in Birmingham. This was another driving factor for me: Birmingham has no other decent photographic retailers for traditional materials, yet it is the second largest city in the UK, located right in the middle of the country.
As one might imagine, Ilford have been very helpful and they are keen to see a specialist retailer in the heart of the country - the only options people have had here until now is Calumet or Jessops, both of whome, I'm sorry to say, hold virtually no film and no darkroom materials at all (Calumet).
Kodak too, through their appointed UK distributor Photologic, have also been very helpful and we are looking forward to pushing their products.
Also I would mention Mirko as he has also been very helpful and we are looking forward to offering the ADOX range as soon as we formulate the first order.
The business will of course be targeting and looking to service the existing, established market, and this is very important. But, crucially, we also want to target new business - people new to, or thinking about, traditional photography. This is necessary because the established market can only be cut up and shared out a certain number of times.
The company will be listing mainstream products from Ilford, Kodak and in the initial weeks of trading this is inevitably where the focus will be. As time progresses other brands will also be catered for such as the likes of ADOX, Fotospeed, Tetenal, Slavich, etc. We will also be offering Raw Chemicals and with the help of one APUG member, we should have an inventory that satisfies most people.
In the first 24 hours of operation I have been overwhelmed with the support and interest - we've had people turning up at the door here in Birmingham, phone calls, emails etc - Thank you! All I would ask is that you bear with us as the depth of the inventory increases, and keep an eye on the website. Please also let me know wishes and desires as this is extremely helpful.
Many thanks,
Matthew
