Kodak still with production bottleneck (and they said last few price increases were there to help them address that) and Fuji now saying they haven't produced film for almost two years.
If that's good news I really don't need to hear the bad news...
I just read it. very interesting, especially the fuji info. kinda explains the shortages of films like velvia 50. I would really like it if they gave an update on whether they are going to turn on the "mothballed facility" again
john
The sense of entitlement is quite staggering.
Another thought I had was that Kodak actually wasn't at the meeting. I understand the value of a distributor like Alaris, but I am mildly unhappy with them being a corp. comms middleman for EK. I am more interested learning about manufacturing supply chain issues or factory capacity issues from a company that actually does manufacturing.
Andy Church's background is in Kodak product manufacture, so it's not like there's a lack of knowledge/ experience there - but that also has to be weighed against what he feels he can/ is allowed to disclose.
That is like saying that you would be unhappy with Apple being at the meeting but Foxconn not showing up.Another thought I had was that Kodak actually wasn't at the meeting. I understand the value of a distributor like Alaris, but I am mildly unhappy with them being a corp. comms middleman for EK. I am more interested learning about manufacturing supply chain issues or factory capacity issues from a company that actually does manufacturing.
Does this apply to all Eastman Kodak still film production? Or only to the part of that production that is branded "Kodak?"...Kodak Alaris is Eastman Kodak's only customer for still film products...Eastman Kodak makes nothing (in still films) that isn't first ordered by Kodak Alaris...
John,
it is very very likely that the expression "mothballed" is the wrong term here, and probably the result of an unprecise translation from Japanese to English.
It is much more likely that Fujifilm had to do exactly the same at some time point in the pandemic as all the other film manufacturers: Interrupt production for several months. And after that then continuing it.
Kodak had to do it. Ilford had to do it. ADOX had to do it (but for a much shorter time). Film Ferrania had to do it. And afaik Foma, too.
It is extremely unlikely that Fujifilm had "mothballed" whole film production for a longer time (or until now). Because if that would have been the case, we would have seen shortages or unavailability of Instax film. But that did not happen! Fujifilm is selling dozens of millions Instax film packs p.a.. If their film factory would have been "mothballed", it would have been impossible to continuously serve the market with Instax film.
You cannot simply sell so much film just from existing stock. You have to produce it to sell such a huge amount.
And Fujifilm just some weeks ago introduced another new film product: An instax printer for instax Wide film. You would not do that with a "mothballed" or longer closed film factory.
Japan had a slow start in vaccination against Covid19. But meanwhile they have accelerated in an impressive way and surpassed lots of other industrialized countries by a significant margin (including the US and Germany). And they are still running at full speed. So maybe Fujifilm was affected by the slow start, but the situation is much much better now and further improving quickly in Japan.
By the way: I recently bought fresh Fujifilm again (Superia X-Tra and Instax Wide) via Fotoimpex. And the guarantee dates were far in future: late 2023 (Instax) and 2024 (Superia). So fresh / recent production.
Best regards,
Henning
I do not know whether the Lomography film that appears to come from Eastman Kodak comes through Kodak Alaris, but it wouldn't surprise me.Does this apply to all Eastman Kodak still film production? Or only to the part of that production that is branded "Kodak?"
When it comes to still film Kodak is the international entity known as Kodak Alaris - plus Eastman Kodak, a one plant manufacturer in Rochester whose main business is not photographic, but rather commercial pre-press. They still maintain a small division that manufactures wonderful still and motion picture films, but almost all of its former employees either left the business or went to work for Kodak Alaris - often in the same locations that Eastman Kodak or its many international subsidiaries formerly operated.You have access to the Internet to educate yourself on why these are comically bad analogies. I have nothing to add. Kodak wasn't at the meeting. It doesn't mean she wasn't informed, but usually marketing/distribution folks are armed with nothing but talking points.
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