Tetenal is No More

[Skiff]

1995-1996 was the top year for Amaloco Photochemicals.

So what. This relatively small regional photo chemistry manufacturer has never been an important benchmark or indicator in the industry (I know their products quite well because I have used some of them in the past).
The global peak in film sales have been in 1999 and 2000 with about 3 billion rolls of film (therefore I've said 20 years ago).
In the US market the peak in film sales was even later, in 2003 with 1 billion rolls.

Since that era everything went down in business and fast after 2004 when Agfa and Ilford, later Forte, Efke, Jobo etc. went into bankruptcy.

Ilford and Jobo are now very successful with increasing business. Despite (or because of?) their former insolvencies. As the film market and photo chemistry market is increasing again, New Tetenal has the chance to also be successful with their new focused business strategy.

Now Tetenal: A great market? I do not think so.

We had an international RFF member meeting last year at Photokina. And we've visited all companies of the film industry and talked to them. And all - with no exception - have reported significantly increasing demand and said they are investing in the future of film photography.
Some European and Asian companies reported sales increases in the 30-50% range p.a. in the last three years.
The market is growing again, definitely.
And therefore companies like Kodak, Fujifilm, Polaroid Originals, Adox, Jobo, Ilford, ars-imago, CineStill and several others are introducing new products.

 

[Ted Striker]

And therefore companies like Kodak, Fujifilm, Polaroid Originals, Adox, Jobo, Ilford, ars-imago, CineStill and several others are introducing new products.

So when is Acros coming back?

 

[Fotohuis]

A joke. Fuji (film) will never return to film. In a few years it is completely exit in film business for this multinational.
Only small specialized companies can survive in this new market where B&W will be the core business.

 

[Skiff]

So when is Acros coming back?

I don't have a crystal ball......🙄.
With Acros there are some problems with lack of former raw materials. There is new R&D necessary for new Acros. That takes time and money.
But from what we've (the rff members at Photokina) got on information at Photokina Fujifilm is now concentrating on production of the current portfolio (with the re-introduced 8x10 sheet reversal films). And keeping up with demand = re-installing additional converting capacities.
I guess after 3-4 years of ongoing increasing demand Fujifilm will "totally switch on" with new (or re-introduced films). And then will go full speed. Fuji is mostly "late to the game" (see their X cameras), but when they have entered the game, they go full speed.
We will see.....in the meantime the best we can do is to buy and use the current outstanding Fuji films. The higher the demand, the more likely they will increase their activities.

 

[Skiff]

A joke. Fuji (film) will never return to film. In a few years it is completely exit in film business for this multinational.
Only small specialized companies can survive in this new market where B&W will be the core business.

The demand for color film is much, much higher than the demand for BW film on a global scale!
E.g. In Germany alone more than a million color film rolls are sold p.a. by the drugstore chains only (the amount from the big distributors have to be added). That is more than double of what all dealers together sell as BW film!

The much much higher demand for color film is the reason why Kodak has reintroduced Ektachrome.
That is also the reason why Kodak has introduced ProImage now also in Europe.
That is the reason why Fujifilm has recently introduced new 3packs of C200 and X-Tra 400 in the NA market. These are their best selling films in most markets.

BW film has always been a niche product compared to color film.
That hasn't changed. And everytime when I talk to film distributors they tell me that also today color film has the biggest demand. The new users, the film beginners all go for color first.

 

[Solinar]

Skiff - I read that FujiFilm plans to exit both B&W film and paper by 2020.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/04/06/business/corporate-business/japans-fujifilm-end-sales-black-white-photo-film-due-falling-demand/

So, as an outsider, I don't see rhe return of Acros on any horizon.

 

[Larry Cloetta]

BW film has always been a niche product compared to color film.
.

ALWAYS??!! OMG, I hate being so old that I know how ridiculous this statement is.

 

[Skiff]

Skiff - I read that FujiFilm plans to exit both B&W film and paper by 2020.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2...es-black-white-photo-film-due-falling-demand/

So, as an outsider, I don't see rhe return of Acros on any horizon.

That is 'old news'. After the discontinuation notice of Acros Fujifilm has got lots of market reaction and requests for going on with it. In an interview with a Japanese business magazine Fujifilm said they were overwhelmed by the customer interest/demand for Acros. And that they are looking into it, whether Acros could be back in the future. They said that there are severe problems with raw materials which are no longer available. So new R&D is needed. Whether it is possible and realistic economically, cannot be said yet due to Fujifilm. We have to wait and see.
I expect at least reintroduced color films in some years, especially if the customers significantly increase the demand for current Fujifilms. Fujifilm has been so successful in the last years because they are a strictly market driven company: If a market is shrinking, they adapt to that. If a market is growing, they adapt to that, too, with more activities and products (see RA-4, Instax and X-series).

 

[Skiff]

ALWAYS??!! OMG, I hate being so old that I know how ridiculous this statement is.

Well, let's not splitting hairs 😉.
You are right, not always, but in the last 50 years in the major markets.

 

[Larry Cloetta]

Well, let's not splitting hairs 😉.
You are right, not always, but in the last 50 years in the major markets.

That’s better!😉

I was about to have a talk about it with my friend, Matthew Brady.

 

[HHPhoto]

A joke. Fuji (film) will never return to film.

They have never left film. And already have increased their film activities significantly (Instax, X-Ray, more marketing for standard photo films, new 3-packs for NA market, reintroduction of 8x10 color reversal film).
Fact is that Fujifilm is by far the biggest film manufacturer worldwide.
Fujifilm is producing more film than all other film manufacturers together!! They are increasing their market share of X-ray films, and their Instax film production alone is bigger than the standard photo film production of all other film manufacturers together. They are producing Instax film in three shifts per day (24h) seven days a week. In 2018 they have sold about 10 million Instax cameras globally (Instax has meanwhile higher sales than DSLRs, compact digital cameras and DSLMs).
And that has been their official statement at Photokina concerning standard photo film:
"Keep on Rolling!
Preserving The Culture of Photography
One of the most powerful innovations of the 19th century was the invention of film.
Since then, film has been used to capture and document the most important events in history as well as the everyday moments in everyday lifes. Fujifilm is on a mission to preserve the culture of photography, and with our range of silver halide films, photographers can continue to harness the emotion, permanence and appeal of film photography".
Under that statement on the brochures for the visitors of the Fujifilm booth was Fujifilm's professional film lineup with pictures (C200, X-Tra 400, Pro 400H, Provia 100F, Velvia 50, Velvia 100).

You should have visited Photokina. Then you would have seen all the recent changes in the market to the positive.

Cheers, Jan

 

[Ted Striker]

I don't have a crystal ball......🙄.
With Acros there are some problems with lack of former raw materials.

Fujifilm's published statement on Acros was that it was discontinued due to lack of demand. There was no mention at all of raw material availability.

Fujifilm stated very explicitly that a raw material issue was the reason for the *first* discontinuation of Neopan 400. That problem was solved and the film returned to the market. When Neopan 400 was discontinued a second time, again it was stated due to a lack of demand for the film.

 

[Fotohuis]

Indeed: A lack of demand.

When the new instant film of Fuji was not that successful they were already stopped with all films.

 

[HHPhoto]

Fujifilm's published statement on Acros was that it was discontinued due to lack of demand. There was no mention at all of raw material availability.

The statement concerning raw materials came later in an interview with a Japanese business magazine.
Acros 100 was a unique film: No other BW film manufacturer was ever capable offering a film with such outstanding Schwarzschild effect characteristics. I wouldn't be surprised if that was due to some very special (seldom) raw materials.

Cheers, Jan

 

[lynnb]

Ladies & Gents - Tetanal's photo-chemical business isn't dead yet. While the original poster of this thread doesn't seem to have even a milliliter of hope for the photo-chemical unit making a new start.

https://emulsive.org/articles/news/...-and-production-from-insolvent-parent-company

I wish them well.

from the linked article:

"...At this crucial point, the founding and commencement of the business activities of the NEW TETENAL is becoming more concrete. Following the planned production by the insolvent TETENAL, the operational business of the new company is due to commence on 1 April 2019.

"From the beginning of March, it will be possible for customers and cooperation partners of NEW TETENAL to place orders that are a prerequisite for starting production in the new start-up company from 1 April,” explain Carsten Gehring and Burkhardt Müller."

I hope the commencement date of 01 April isn't an April fools' joke! 😀

(I'm sure it's not - I wish them well, also).

 

[HHPhoto]

When the new instant film of Fuji was not that successful they were already stopped with all films.

Both wrong:
1. Instax is not new at all: It was introduced in 1998. And is growing each year since 2004.
2. The film production without instax (standard photo films, single use cameras, X-ray films, archive films) is so big by its own (bigger than Ilford or Foma) that it can be kept running. That it is easier including instax, of course, no question.

Cheers, Jan

 

[HHPhoto]

I hope the commencement date of 01 April isn't an April fools' joke! 😀

(I'm sure it's not - I wish them well, also).

Certainly not. Northern Germans have not so much humor.......😉

Cheers, Jan