TWO new film converting machines at Harman.

[cmacd123]

spotted this one on my cell phone news feed. Harman was deciided to build two brand new film converting machines, (desribed as multi-Million Investment)

supposed to Double the capacity.

Retro film demands fuels big investment at Harman Technology

Cheshire firm backed by eight-figure funding package from Lloyds Bank

www.business-live.co.uk

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Good news!

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Good news!

Yes but surprising because overcapacity was a problem in the recent past. Small machines are more flexible to respond to market needs.

 

[cmacd123]

I belive that the converting for others business would also be supported by that Kodak has had Bottlenecks in the last couple of years, and Foma has been using Plastic Cassettes. (as well of the "foma Set" package of one plastic cassette and 5 spools in light tight cans.)

I do wonder if Harman might have seen that they could steal some converting business from Flic Film.

 

[MattKing]

All in a package with their decision to try to get back into colour film manufacturing .....

 

[Sirius Glass]

Great news! Thank you.

 

[Truzi]

All in a package with their decision to try to get back into colour film manufacturing .....

I was thinking that too.

 

[beemermark]

Good news for sure but what is a film conversion machine??? Us Yanks want to know.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Good news for sure but what is a film conversion machine??? Us Yanks want to know.

It's explained a bit in the article.

 

[beemermark]

Read the article. Read the article, read it twice. Quote The equipment will allow Harman to more than double the amount of film cassettes it produces each year. Are they going to make 126 film again? Or is it 110?

 

[MattKing]

Film conversion is also referred to sometimes as film confectioning (in the UK primarily I think).
That process encompasses all the steps between the coated master rolls - which are very long and wide - to the final stage where the finished packages ready for retail sale go out the door.
Those steps include slitting to the necessary width, perforating (where required), edge printing(for roll film) or notching (for sheet film), cutting to the required length, including any film tongue, spooling on to individual spools (for roll film), cassetting (for 35mm) or marrying with backing paper (for 120), bagging (for sheet or bulk loads), boxing and probably a couple I've missed.
If those processes can be automated, than costs per roll can be minimized, which helps keep prices reasonable. Where those processes have to be performed with a lot of manual labour, such as with sheet film or, at least in Kodak's case, bulk loads, the costs per sheet or roll end up being relatively high.
The remaining coating machines have high throughput capacities - even after they were reduced after the near collapse of the film market. As the market has creeped back, the conversion/confectioning has become a bottleneck. There also is a relative shortage of sources for 35mm cassettes.
Harman is apparently already providing contract converting/convectioning for other film sources. This will expand their ability to make money on that.
And I'm sure that "cassettes" refers to 35mm cassettes.

 

[mshchem]

Ilford is soup to nuts. Everything you need to make a work of art. Well done!

 

[koraks]

And I'm sure that "cassettes" refers to 35mm cassettes.

No doubt. This has been a supply chain bottleneck for quite some time, so it's sensible they'd invest in additional capacity for this, specifically.
As I understand, the scope of the conversion/confectioning/finishing lines they've invested in comprises manufacturing the actual cassettes from sheet metal (I assume the sheet metal is printed elsewhere) and spooling the film into it. Whether or not it includes slitting, perforating and exposing edge markings is not clear to me. The latter would logically be part of this particular type of line since there's a direct relationship between the individual cassette and the edge markings. Slitting and perforation could potentially be handled separately, with pancakes of perforated film being loaded into the newly acquired lines. That's conjecture on my part, though.

Harman is apparently already providing contract converting/convectioning for other film sources. This will expand their ability to make money on that.

Certainly so, in addition to sustaining their own anticipated growth w.r.t. color film. Harman have stated they intend to double their overall business in the next 5 years and this implies strong growth in their own product portfolio, and not just outsourced confectioning services for others.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

I belive that the converting for others business would also be supported by that Kodak has had Bottlenecks in the last couple of years, and Foma has been using Plastic Cassettes. (as well of the "foma Set" package of one plastic cassette and 5 spools in light tight cans.)

I do wonder if Harman might have seen that they could steal some converting business from Flic Film.

They are smart enough to treat carefully.

 

[Lachlan Young]

This is not a surprise, they have apparently been nearly flat-out on aspects of conversion capacity for a while (at least a year) now.

 

[Ian Grant]

Film conversion is also referred to sometimes as film confectioning (in the UK primarily I think).

Film conversion is a part of the overall confectioning process, which also includes packaging, etc.

Ian

 

[MattKing]

As I understand, the scope of the conversion/confectioning/finishing lines they've invested in comprises manufacturing the actual cassettes from sheet metal (I assume the sheet metal is printed elsewhere) and spooling the film into it.

The way that I understood the article - which isn't particularly clearly worded - is that one of the two machines was a cassette manufacturing machine. I assumed that the other machine was to be used for the other parts of the task.
I'm happy to be corrected, if wrong.

 

[Milpool]

I don’t know, I really hope this has a short payback period.

 

[Agulliver]

My takes from the article.

1. Demand for film is indeed increasing with a credible market study predicting the global market will be worth over £300m by 2030 up from the current £223 million.

2. These new machines are intended to modernise the entire production process, helping Harman be in a position to grow with the market.

3. The investment with the aid of Lloyds Bank is 8 figures (therefore at least 10 million) which is vastly more than Harman/Ilford has invested in the past though this "8 figures" also involves Lloyds assisting with a lot of financial services. The Bank seems fully behind this project to ensure analogue photography remains accessible.

4. Harman's R&D department is now the biggest in the industry worldwide

5. This is to aid production of both B&W and colour film

6. They have new younger employees who are ready to "take the reins" from the "industry veterans"

7. Direct mention is made to doubling the capacity to manufacture 35mm cassettes.


I really don't think this has anything to do with reintroduction of 110, 126, 127, 220 or any other niche format. Sales of such films would never recoup any significant R&D costs. This will be for mass market (relatively speaking) products. Only 35mm is mentioned, which is where most of the growth has been.

I'm surmising this means that Harman have secured the resources needed to make a proper push into colour film while retaining their traditional Ilford and Kentmere B&W products (the article mentions they also do paper and chemicals). They would also presumably be in a better position to confection/convert film for other manufacturers of master rolls.

All in all, it's good news. The future of Ilford and Kentmere appears to be safe, and maybe we'll see more Harman branded colour films. BTW Ilford B&W chemicals are already getting back onto the market with a new packaging design.

 

[Agulliver]

I don’t know, I really hope this has a short payback period.

If you read the quote from the bank, they are fully behind this and part of the "8 figures" includes their financial services in various areas. This is a partnership between Harman and Lloyds Bank, not simply a business loan.

 

[pentaxuser]

Yes but surprising because overcapacity was a problem in the recent past. Small machines are more flexible to respond to market needs.

Yes a good point Ralph but its projected growth of its industry indicates that overcapacity is not expected - at least not in the life of this investment.

pentaxuser

 

[Ian Grant]

There are a couple of good videos of the Ilford factory:







Ian

 

[Milpool]

If you read the quote from the bank, they are fully behind this and part of the "8 figures" includes their financial services in various areas. This is a partnership between Harman and Lloyds Bank, not simply a business loan.

I read the article, thanks.

 

[beemermark]

Film conversion is also referred to sometimes as film confectioning (in the UK primarily I think).
That process encompasses all the steps between..........

Matt, thanks for the excellent explanation.

 

[Dustin McAmera]

If you read the quote from the bank, they are fully behind this and part of the "8 figures" includes their financial services in various areas. This is a partnership between Harman and Lloyds Bank, not simply a business loan.

That's just bank-talk: it's a big loan; all the components mentioned are this finance, that finance and the other finance: it's a loan. Lloyds don't own this venture except in the way the bank always owns you in the end (banks are always happy to talk about how much they support you till you actually need any help). Certainly, we won't be shooting any Black Horse 400.

I'm happy that Harman feels confident.