RIP Ilford

Another victim of the digital age...

I haven't found any link in English yet

In the meantime, here is a link if french: http://www.rts.ch …a-eviter-la-faillite.html

and one in German http://www.handelszeit​ung.ch …lford-ist-bankrott-476134

That's not Ilford the film and paper company, which is owned by Harmon. That's Ilford the ink-jet paper company.

Isn't the inkjet paper company Harmon which then bought the film company?

It's my understanding they are subsidiaries of Harmon, but the ink jet paper is manufactured by a company in France, while the film and photo paper are manufactured in the UK. It's the subsidiary in France that's filed for bankruptcy protection. Ilford film appears to be doing quite well, now that they're almost the last company left making film products.

So wait... what's this mean for Gallerie papers?

Nathan wrote in post #16169478
So wait... what's this mean for Gallerie papers?

I don't know but it's true the paper/inkjet/ film industry are all "victims of the digital age"

Tony-S wrote in post #16167026
That's not Ilford the film and paper company, which is owned by Harmon. That's Ilford the ink-jet paper company.

Ok, thanks for clearing that up

Tony-S wrote in post #16169325
It's my understanding they are subsidiaries of Harmon, but the ink jet paper is manufactured by a company in France, while the film and photo paper are manufactured in the UK. It's the subsidiary in France that's filed for bankruptcy protection. Ilford film appears to be doing quite well, now that they're almost the last company left making film products.

It's in Switzerland, not in France

Nathan wrote in post #16169478
So wait... what's this mean for Gallerie papers?

Probably the end...


And here is the promised link: http://www.thelocal.ch …ford-shuts-fribourg-plant

watt100 wrote in post #16170940
I don't know but it's true the paper/inkjet/ film industry are all "victims of the digital age"

The last report I read on the matter suggested that the usage of paper has been on a steady and strong rise for the last 30 years. Everyone goes on and on about the 'paperless era', where everything will be digital, but we keep making easier and easier methods of printing.

Now we do recycle far more paper than we once did, and initial source pulp hasn't been growing nearly as much, but paper in and of itself isn't likely to go anywhere anytime soon. Which is a good thing, as paper doesn't need batteries.

Ugh. All I use is Galerie papers. Stock up or make the switch to something different now. What a downer, their new Galerie papers are soooooo nice.

I was never a fan of Ilford inkjet papers. They really love their optical brighteners, and the Gold Fibre Silk is so fragile.

i've never been a fan of ilford inkjet papers either. i have plenty of unused stuff lying around everywhere

Luckless wrote in post #16173686
The last report I read on the matter suggested that the usage of paper has been on a steady and strong rise for the last 30 years.

I'm not sure I believe those reports

Paper use on the rise:

http://www.economist.c​om …ail/2012/04/dai​ly-chart-0
https://www.smitherspi​ra.com …67-3-billion-by-2017.aspx (on the industrial/commercial side, not consumer, but still…)

Yes, we're inundated with photos presented on digital devices (monitors, tablets, cell phones…), but I still continue to see photos on or in folks' walls, books, postcards, cubicles, photo albums, wallets, and such…and that's a good thing.

To be sure, most of my stuff is up on Smugmug, and that's great, but if presentation of photography was ever completely reduced (and I use "reduced" in the most derogatory way possible) to a monitor, I would leave the hobby altogether.

For me, a photograph does not fully manifest until the print is completed; and of course by print, I mean paper, and by paper, I mean the "real thing."

watt100 wrote in post #16174864
I'm not sure I believe those reports

30 years ago, how many people had printers in their homes?

The advance of all this technology that was suppose to make paper useless has also made it easier to print on paper, and print we do.

I found this here: http://www.filmbodies.​com …iews/not-that-ilford.html