Price Increases ILFORD Photo products

[Simon R Galley]

Dear All,

Following a thread on recent price increases from other companies, a few people have sent me pm's asking when we will increase ILFORD Photo prices in 2008, we already have done so by 4.5% to distributors on all products
( Film, Paper and Chemistry ) on May 1st, it was a little earlier to the USA, Canada and Latin America. We have no plans for further increases in 2008.

Simon ILFORD photo / HARMAN technology Limited :

 

[Snapshot]

Well, I don't mind a modest price increase as I'm happy Ilford is still doing business. Thanks for the heads-up.

 

[Stephanie Brim]

YEah, that's really a pretty small increase. No problem.

 

[pentaxuser]

It's about what we'd all recognise as near the true overall rate of inflation, except if you live at No 10 where it is about half this figure. Sorry couldn't resist. I just cannot get the image of someone playing the bagpipes while the U.K. burns out of my head

pentaxuser

 

[Ian Leake]

Thanks for the heads up Simon. 4.5% isn't bad compared to how the price of everything else is soaring.

 

[Kvistgaard]

no problem, I will just pass on the price increase to my clients. 4.5% on top of DKK0,- - I am sure they won't mind. On a serious note: not a problem at all, I am just grateful that you keep your production lines running.

 

[photo8x10]

It's a very little increase... no problem...I think it's more important to have lines running....

Stefano

 

[haris]

Oh, people...

There is FOOD INCREASING PRICES on planet, energy increasing prices, so one of things least touches me is Ilford prices increasing. I will continute to buy Ilford as I can, and not to worry about it. I am more afraid will food, water and energy be too expencive in near future...

 

[tbm]

Fuji announced several weeks ago that, in Great Britian, they are increasing prices on all their products. Who's next, I wonder?

 

[railwayman3]

It's about what we'd all recognise as near the true overall rate of inflation, except if you live at No 10 where it is about half this figure. Sorry couldn't resist. I just cannot get the image of someone playing the bagpipes while the U.K. burns out of my head

pentaxuser

I'm just glad that Ilford got over their problems, and are now maintaining the great range of B&W products for we enthusiasts. And at least we can now buy analogue equipment at low prices as everyone goes digital.

And, as for politicians, I despair of where we're going to end up with any of them in control. I'd feel much more confident if the guys who rescued Ilford were running the country...at least they've shown that they understand the real world.

 

[wildbill]

The last batch of rebranded f4+ i picked up from freestyle was $1.79/roll just before they stopped carrying repacked ilford stuff. I just ran out and $3.79/roll hurts. I know, we're lucky to have film at all. I hope the prices don't discourage new photographers from trying ilford products.

 

[Harry Lime]

4.5% is peanuts compared to the 20% increase that Kodak announced.

Now that's going to hurt.

 

[haris]

... $3.79/roll hurts...

Just look at European prices, and it won't hurt anymore. 3,79 USD is less than 3,75 EUROS. Not just Ilford, any photo price

 

[ricksplace]

I'd feel much more confident if the guys who rescued Ilford were running the country...at least they've shown that they understand the real world.

Now there's a thought!!!

 

[Simon R Galley]

I went to fill up my car sunday morning....I stopped at £ 70.00 ( $ 137.20 ) as my tears were diluting the petrol..... I now make it $ 10.52 per ( Imperial ) gallon...

Ouch

Simon.

 

[Mark Antony]

Yes, that's a fact of life, I paid £50 to fill my car this week-end (lasts about a week) another 20p on a roll of film is a price worth paying IMHO.
I can only hope that film will always be there for those who want it, and Ilford have one of the best ranges of B&W film 50-3200ISO in 120.
Mark

 

[keeds]

Simon, out of interest. How much impact does the price of oil have with manufacturing Ilford products (ignoring distribution costs)? Presumably the bases for films are derived from oil products, but what else is affected?

 

[Simon R Galley]

Dear Keeds,

Where do I start !! But I guess we are no different to any small or medium manufacturer in the developed World, energy is a very big cost for us, coating film and paper is expensive due to the fact you have to use large quantities of energy ( gas ) for chilled water ( 2 degrees ) for the setting beds ( you have to set the coating very quickly if you are coating at 100 + metres per minute ) then you have 17 drying boxes ( total 318 metres long ) each at a different temperature and humidity. Paper making itself is also highly energy rated so we have those costs for base and packaging.

We export over 90% of what we make, so shipping charges rise with the cost of oil ( We do not air freight as a company policy due to its high carbon impact on the environment ).

Everything else goes up as well....film base, the bags we put the paper in, all the raw materials everything at the moment, but apart from energy the biggest changes are currency and silver :

When the management bought the company in February 2005 the dollar was 1.67 to the pound its now 1.95silver was at a little over $ 6.00 per troy ounce its now $ 16.00+ and we buy silver by the tonne. The USA is obviously our biggest market.

As always, if you are a small to medium size business we have to ruthlessly control our costs and do everything possible to avoid large price increases, that we have done since the founding of HARMAN technology and we continue to do it, increasing prices, obviosly does have a significant effect on usage, we have to do it to remain profitable but we strive to keep any increases as small as possible.

Simon. ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited

 

[Tim Boehm]

just keep the products comming.

 

[keeds]

Simon, many thanks for your answer. It's easy for us consumers to just see the little box of film or paper in front of us and wonder where the money goes. It's a wonder you've managed to keep increases so low in the face of the current climate. Thanks for throwing a little light on it. (Figuratively and hopefully not literally!). I'm sure the tour would be very interesting indeed. Still not sure if I can make it, but will try to make room for it.

 

[drpsilver]

16 June 2008

Simon:

Thanks for the explanation of how oil cost effects business at HARMAN Technologies. A price increase of 4.5% is small in comparison to gasoline. I am routinely paying $50 for 2/3 of a tank of petrol. Petrol in California is very close to $5.00/US gallon.

Thanks for being a committed supplier of high quality B&W photographic materials.

Regards,
Darwin