I really hope ADOX succeeds in re-inventing themselves. I've never used any of their films but I think if they get off the ground and make more conventional films like 100 and 400 speed, I will switch to them.
They already have the excellent Adox Silvermax / Scala 160 BW and CMS 20 II films. The new IR-HR and Adox CHS 100 II will follow in the next months.
An ISO 400/27° makes very little sense for them at the current market situation. Because this market segment is overcrowded with so much films:
Ilford Delta 400
Ilford HP5+
Ilford XP2 Super 400
Ilford Pan 400
Kentmere 400
Kodak Tri-X
Kodak T-Max 400
Foma 400
Foma Retro Soft 320
Bergger Pancro 400
Ten original emulsions. Which are in current production. Quite a lot to choose from (all other 400 labelled films on the market are either repacked Kentmere 400, or old, discontinued and expired film from leftover warehose stock, or no real ISO 400 films).
For a small start-up company like Adox it makes no economic sense to enter this extremely competitive market so early. Too much brutal competition.
Makes more sense to fill market gaps, where is no or very little competition from the large(r) companies. For example a successor for the famous Agfa APX 25.
Or infrared capable film, which they are already doing with the current development of the IR-HR film.
And of course they are concentrating on their excellent photo chemicals and silver-halide papers. And their new photo filters.
Last Friday Kodak gave an official notice during their earnings call saying they had 1 year to retire 400 million dollars in debt (which exceeds the value of the entire company) or their future was in serious doubt.
The film production at Kodak has been profitable in most quarters in the last years. Maybe there will be a restructuring at Eastman Kodak, or a split-off of some business parts. But I have no doubts that the film production will be continued.
With this news and Fujifilm's continual exit from film, there is significant room for smaller companies like ADOX to compete against the dying dinosaurs.
There are no "dying dinosaurs", neither Kodak nor Fujifilm. Fujifilm's silver-halide business segment is profitable and growing. A billions dollar business being bigger than all other silver-halide product manufacturers together. In their last quarterly report they have announced to increase their market share in the X-Ray film market, which is increasing in several Asian countries, mainly China. And recently they have introduced new 3-Packs for C200 and Superia 400 in the North American market. You don't do that if you want to pull the plug.
