Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/07/21

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Subject: [Leica] Kodak 2nd quarter woes and what should film dinosuars do now?
From: don.dory at gmail.com (Don Dory)
Date: Thu Jul 21 08:21:31 2005

Today's edition of the Wall Street Journal talked about Kodak's woes. 
Kodak will cut possibly a third of its work force and close one third
of its manufacturing capability.  Makes one wonder if the MBA's will
tell Kodak to get out of a loser business like B&W film and chemistry.

Kodak is stating that film sales fell at a 27% rate rather than a
predicted 20% rate with China switching to digital instead of going
through a film stage.  I also think that there were significant
returns of digital cameras from the Christmas season that also hurt
the bottom line.

Should the film dinosaur community close ranks around an acceptable
company(s) and support that business with their purchases.  If we
assume Kodak will discontinue B&W film like it has paper, then we
should close ranks around Ilford which has gone through its
bankruptcy, or Fuji which seems to be weathering the storm in better
shape.  Efke and others come to mine as business that support the odd
film size.

On a personal basis, I have switched over to Fuji and Ilford for my
B&W materials and Fuji for color.  Currently I use Xtol, but I might
have to use Photographers Formulary to mix my own equivalent soon as
the local stores are not stocking heavily.

If the community of film consumers (small and dwindling lot that we
are) purchases from one (two) suppliers then possibly those suppliers
will at worst sell off to management that can make a nice living
making a steady while not increasing income.

0.02

Don
don.dory@gmail.com


Replies: Reply from firkin at ncable.net.au (Alastair Firkin) ([Leica] Kodak 2nd quarter woes and what should film dinosuars do now?)
Reply from leicachris at worldnet.att.net (Christopher Williams) ([Leica] Re:Kodak 2nd quarter woes and what should film dinosuars donow?)