Digital BW, The Print

There is a press release here,
http://www.ilford.com/html/us_english/pr/pr_gt.html and about 2/3 of the way
down, the paragraph that starts "In the past four years the Group has
successfully arrested....", sounds an awful lot like General Accountancy 101
for "we are going to slash and burn". If they cut back dramatically, and as
you say delivery is slower, that might be indicative of a "rotating batch"
type of manufacturing . . . one week we do this (when there are enough
orders), next week this. Regardless, there is very little that seems to say
they have an interest in a continually dwindling market . . . a shame
because they were the favourites of many a photographer (myself included
until there became a semi-reliable source of Agfa in Canada).

Perhaps one of the European "niche" companies will pick up their traditional
based product if they decide to drop them?

Paul Aparycki

p.s. Ciba-Geigy used to own part of Ilford (the cibachrome and colour
materials at least) and in the US it was I believe a wholly-owned subsiduary
of International Paper at one time . . . is that still the case? (if not, it
shows you how long ago I have read any lit from them).

>They just told me powered chemicals, liquid chemicals will still be
>made. Things are a little confusing right now, even the people at
>Ilford are confused. My old rep (he needs a job if anyone out there
>wants him) said they called them into a meeting and they thought is one
>going to be one of those "we need to cut back on expenses" talks but it
>turn out to be a pink slip event.
>Mark