Re: [Leica] APX25

["Jason Hall" <JASON@jbhall.freeserve.co.uk>]

This is the standard response going out in the UK, copied from the
pure silver mailing list

: Dear Mr. xxx
: Thank you for your enquiry and comments concerning the
discontinuation of
: Agfapan APX 25. Sadly, the rumour is true.
:
: This was a decision taken very recently by our parent company in
Germany
: after much consideration as to its consequences. We can assure you
that
: such decisions are never taken lightly.
:
: Agfapan APX 25 is a beautiful film and is much loved by a small
number of
: highly respected photographers. However the hard economic reality is
that
: the demand worldwide for very low speed film has been declining for
years
: and has now reached the level where production can no longer
continue.
Agfa
: Leverkusen has kept the production of APX 25 going for some years
after
: other manufacturers had discontinued their  own ISO 25 films. This
was
done
: more out of love of the product and as a service to photographers
than for
: reasons of commercial viability. But in the end Agfa is a commercial
: business, and there is a limit to how long a manufacturer can make a
: product which very few photographers actually buy and then only in
small
: quantities.
:
: We very much regret the inconvenience to you and the remaining
: photographers still buying APX 25. There is currently enough stock
in
: Germany to last for approximately 3 or 4 months. The  expiry date of
: remaining stock is July 2005 so there is still an opportunity for
: photographers to secure some stock with a reasonably long expiry
date
: through their usual dealer.
:
: Agfapan APX 100 has many of the characteristics of APX 25 and is
capable
of
: very fine grain when developed in an ultra fine grain developer such
as
: Atomal FF  We have no doubt that many photographers will find it an
: excellent and far more flexible alternative to APX 25.
:
: Regards,
: Philip Miller
: Corporate Communications Manager
: Agfa UK

- ----- Original Message -----
From: "William Gower" <wgower@eco-tec.com>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Tuesday, November 07, 2000 7:08 PM
Subject: [Leica] APX25



Hi Lugers

Has anyone ever received a response to feedback left via the Agfa
web-site
regarding the discontinuation of APX25 ?

I thought this was rather interesting. It arrived via a .doc
attachment in
my inbox today:


> Thank you for your e-mail regarding Agfašs APX 25 film being
discontinued.
> We appreciate the loyal following this product has cultivated over
the
> years because of its unique properties.
>
> Every year manufacturers must review the sales volumes of all
products and
> make decisions based on the demand for their products. The Agfa
Canada
> sales organization provides feedback to our international
headquarters, but
> we do not make the manufacturing decisions about any of our
products.
>
> Even though APX 100 and APX 400 films outsell APX 25 by a wide
margin we
> appreciate how this film is unique and compliments our other
products. In
> order to satisfy local demand for this product, we have a practical
> suggestion for the loyal users of APX 25.
>
> Current stocks of this product in our warehouse have a long expiry
date
> (January 2005). Some photographers are purchasing greater quantities
of
> APX25 and storing it in their freezers. A roll of APX 25 with an
expiry
> date of January 2005 stored in a freezer today will easily last at
least
> ten years. Photographers who canšt find an alternative product to
satisfy
> their needs should seriously consider purchasing additional
quantities of
> APX 25 and freezing the product.
>
> Please understand that we are only suggesting this as a practical
way of
> extending the life of this product for the end user, as we do not
have any
> control on the actual manufacturing of the product.
>
> In Canada, we will attempt to secure additional film stocks to
satisfy our
> local demand for as long as possible. What quantities will be made
> available to us is unclear at this time. Therefore we hope that you
may
> consider long term storage of APX 25 before the product is no longer
available.
>
> We greatly appreciate your correspondence and welcome any additional
> comments you may wish to share with us and our international
headquarters.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Peter Kruka
> Agfa Film Professional Products