News From ILFORD Photo / HARMAN Technology
Dear All,
If this is the 3rd thread that appears from me, in the last hour, repeating myself, just ignore the previous ones, I do not know which key I hit but everything just go's... where I know not, but go it does, so for the third time of asking :
This is probably my last contribution this week, but I just want to say how much I have enjoyed my first week and a bit, a big thank you for the feedback I have had, and I have some news:
Two requested products have moved to feasibility stage : MULTIGRADE Portfolio postcards ( Gloss and Pearl ) and ULF sheet film, It does not mean they are about to be re-introduced, it means the preparatory work, profitability, market research, stock turns, raw materials etc, etc, is being done for presentation to the management for a go / no go : which for Postcards should be pretty quick, a week or so, much longer for ULF as much information will need to be garnered.
A few comments this week, 220 film : Believe you me IT IS DIFFICULT, very difficult, if it was easy we would do it, as well as a required auto process ( you cannot do this by hand in the dark, and get the quality required ) think a little further, how many tops and tails do we have to order from the manufacturer, it is a very specialised product and a minimum order that would last years, yes years, so as I have previously said, we have not given up and we are looking for a solution, but it is not going to be next week.
Some interesting comments received about our new products and business, very trenchant comments, we intend to be around a very long time, so we are running a business and we have to make money, every product we make must be viable and if it is not it will not be made. We can influence this by pre-selling ( to ensure we reach a viable level ) and it will depend on capacity, return and stock levels as well as investment levels, a key area is something like ULF film, we already make sheet film, it just means finishing it in a different way, we need to do all the business assessment around it, but we do not need to develop a new sensitised product ( like 25 asa DELTA for instance ) that is the real big R&D resource and we have to be very sure.
So the key is we have easy ( relatively ) to do : VARIATION and hard
( usually very ) to do : NEW BUILD , each has to viable, but the timescales, decision making process and investment are totally different, that may help you all put into context my replies to your requests.
Spares, we took an early decision to buy all the remaining spares for ILFORD equipment, 2150 processors and 1250 dryers, this we have done, we do not have every part ( not by a long way ) but we can normally direct an independent engineer, ILFORD distributor or customer to where he or she could locate this product from, all distributors can purchase parts from us.
As to the actual request ( from Rod ) he has actually been in contact with me today and progress has been made. We also have a lmited number of new machines available both 2150 and 1250 for sale.
I respond again to RODINAL requests, and SISTAN, this would not be contemplated before the situation at AGFA Photo is resolved, we remain hopefull that a solution can be found that enables AGFA Photo to continue to make its fine monochrome products and all wish them well, I can honestly say I actually do know how they must feel at the moment, we survived ( and prospered ) where there is life, there is hope. Lets wait and see.
Heavy paper, We have MULTIGRADE PORTFOLIO its an RC product and we would not envisage ever having to make a heavier one.
Thats about all for now:
Kind Regards
Simon