Digital BW, The Print

Not to pick nits, but no Swiss "Ilford factory" seems to exist. The
old company's bankruptcy receiver evidently sold it to Oji (mentioned
first by "Ilford" in 2004). 

http://www.ilford.com/html/us_english/pr/0605pruts.html
http://www.kanzakiusa.com/news/Imaging%20Switzerland.pdf  
http://www.ojipaper.co.jp/english/news/2005/release_20050704.html

Today's version of "Ilford" in Mobberly seems to be blowing smoke when
hinting factory ownership by former Ilfordites. Logically some do
consult to Oji, but as I read it they only own the residual Mobberly
company unless they got Oji shares in the deal. 

Oji paper manufacturing began in Japan 1873 ...their stated business
plan today is based on Asian manufacturing (giant new factories in
Thailand, Indonesia etc) and international distribution. And who
logically operates factories in Switzerland, after all? Rochester
would make more sense :-)

Presumably Oji will introduce something better and cheaper (better
Dmax, no coating baryta or otherwise) for people who want the
"air-dried-glossy" look.



--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "sinar001"
<jnolly@...> wrote:
>

> >
> 
> Harman is the British employee "buy out" group. They "should" know
> what they are doing when it comes to B&W papers, chemistry, film, etc.
> 
> The new Ilford, has had many millions of dollars infused in upgrading
> their paper coating facility in Switzerland. But, they have pretty
> much eliminated their old US marketing and distribution company. All
> the old sales people are gone. Closed their Bingham, NY shipping &
> distribution, Closed their New Jersey office. New US headquarters is
> in the Boston area. Distribution is through a 3rd party now.
> 
> I imagine most of Ilford's inkjet paper is sold as OEM for HP, Epson
> and Canon. 
> 
> John Nollendorfs
>