Foma Stops its production... for upgrading machinery

[Aurelien]

... in order to improve their machinery. So, no films in June, July and August. Next delivery in september.

Anyone knows about this improvement? What type?

Any news are welcome...

[Trond]

That title made me jump!

[Andrew Moxom]

Ouch! Stock up now!

[keeds]

f*@k me, nearly had a heart attack there. Can we change the title to something a little less stress inducing...

[Michel Hardy-Vallée]

Mods, change the title, please! Otherwise I fear an epidemy of Tachycardia!

[Jersey Vic]

f*@k me, nearly had a heart attack there. Can we change the title to something a little less stress inducing...

Dude..I'm with you. I was brought right back to the day Forte went kaput.

[pentaxuser]

Yes. The word temporary might have helped.:p Actually as long as we can take Foma's announcement at face value, it is encouraging news. Nobody improves machinery if it doesn't think it has a future. It is also prepared to take the loss of several months business which means that it has faith in its consumers loyalty as well.

pentaxuser

[Aurelien]

I mailed them to have more informations. I hope they will answer.

[Sino]

After the first shock, I have to admit that this is good news :-)

-Sino.

[Ole]

Mods, change the title, please! Otherwise I fear an epidemy of Tachycardia!

Done. :)

[keeds]

Thanks Ole. I love Foma paper for Lith. I would be devastated if this ceased anytime soon... and Fomapan 100 in 8x10 at £1 a sheet is very very good value. In fact it would be great if its reciprocity wasn't so bad.

[GeorgK]

This is mainly an internet rumour, brought up by a distributor, who does not give any information on the type of "improvement", too.
What do you expect - a complete new production line? OTOH, three month is a long time for "cleaning, lubrication, and adjustment".
To me, this sounds like a combination of overproduction and a try to avoid excessive air-conditioning costs in the summer months.

Regards
Georg

[Aurelien]

Well, it's only an idea, not sure at all, but when Forte disapeared, Bergger bought part of the material. And this material was brought to a plant. As far as I understood, this material was moved to foma plant.
Bergger films are being to bo reintroduced soon in production. But I don't know in which plant. If we have a reflexion, Forte films were coated on ¨PET base. Harman, were Bergger produces now his papers, coat on acetate base. Photoengineer told us, that machinery for coating on PET and acetate are different. So Bergger shoul collaborate with a firm that can coat on PET base, i.e FOMA, Efke or filmotech.
If we think that a part of "ex-Forte now Bergger" coating material is located in Foma plant, maybe we can think that the modifications are the introduction of the forte material in foma plant.

Well this is just a supputation, not a certitude at all.

[Simon R Galley]

Dear Aurelien,

As an FYI The coating substrate PET or Acetate would make no difference to our coating machine or to FOMA's.

Regards Simon ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited

[Aurelien]

Dear Simon.

I know you won't say if Bergger product will or won't be product in Mobberley. But, if you want want to produce films that were produced in Forte plant, maybe it's easier with some former forte material (enduction head, maybe?)? Well, this is really questionning, because, I don't know anything about it ...

[haris]

On my monitor title is shown "Foma Stops its..." and only when opened " production...for upgrading machinery" appears. HUH :)

[Simon R Galley]

Dear Aurelien,

Nobody admired and respected FORTE more than ILFORD Photo, very good products and very nice people, but I can assure you no modern manufacturer of photographic materials could use any equipment from the FORTE emulsion making or coating plant and incorporate it into a fully automated modern emulsion manufacturing and coating facility. The value and niche of the FORTE products is that they were manufactured in the same way as they were in the 1950's.......

Simon ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited :

[Aurelien]

Thanks Simon for your lights :)

But However, I'll miss fortepan 200, and I hope the new bergger 200 will be as close as possible.

[Aurelien]

Dear Aurelien,

As an FYI The coating substrate PET or Acetate would make no difference to our coating machine or to FOMA's.

Regards Simon ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited

WHat does FYI means?

Thanks,

Best regards,

Aurelien

[Ian Grant]

FYI - for your information.

Ian