CyberGraphics now represents Ilford in the Japanese market

[Kent10D]

Hi guys,

I'm a long-time lurker and first-time poster who lives in Yokohama, Japan.

I was a bit alarmed by this news, so I read the Chugai release carefully and here's my understanding.

As you know, Harman (UK) took over the B&W film and chemical part of Ilford in 2006. Ilford Imaging (Swiss) still produces inkjet papers. Harman also produces it's own line of inkjet papers. Until now Chugai has been handling both the Ilford Imaging inkjet papers and the B&W stuff from Harman. What this means is that basically Chugai is distributing products from competing companies. Harman wants a distributor that can handle it's B&W films and chemicals as well as it's inkjet papers. Chugai obviously can't do that as long as they're handling Ilford Imaging products, which they say they will continue to do.

So, although this is not spelled out in the release, it seems that Harman has found someone else to handle their entire line in Japan, and has somewhat unceremoniously pulled the rug out from under Chugai's feet. Chugai are calling it an "unexpected and one-sided notice from Harman." Sounds like a bit of bad blood.

So that seems to be it. As long as the new distributor, whoever that might be, does their job I think (hope) we're safe.

Cheers,

Kent.

[Kevin Caulfield]

Welcome, Kent, and thanks for the info. Maybe you could introduce yourself in the "Introduce Yourself to the APUG Community" forum.

[Photo Engineer]

My Japanese is faltering due to disuse, but it also seems to say something about the Swiss papers and inkjet. Can you enlighten us on that? And, does it say anything about Ilfochrome?

PE

[gr82bart]

OK people, why don't we let the two businesses work it out first. Many APUGers like to fill in the blanks with information they think they know, when they know nothing at all.

Regards, Art

[Photo Engineer]

I should have read Kent's post. I missed the second page.

Thanks.

PE

[IloveTLRs]

I don't see any mention of Ilfordchrome in the notice.

[firecracker]

Hi guys,

I'm a long-time lurker and first-time poster who lives in Yokohama, Japan.

I was a bit alarmed by this news, so I read the Chugai release carefully and here's my understanding.

As you know, Harman (UK) took over the B&W film and chemical part of Ilford in 2006. Ilford Imaging (Swiss) still produces inkjet papers. Harman also produces it's own line of inkjet papers. Until now Chugai has been handling both the Ilford Imaging inkjet papers and the B&W stuff from Harman. What this means is that basically Chugai is distributing products from competing companies. Harman wants a distributor that can handle it's B&W films and chemicals as well as it's inkjet papers. Chugai obviously can't do that as long as they're handling Ilford Imaging products, which they say they will continue to do.

So, although this is not spelled out in the release, it seems that Harman has found someone else to handle their entire line in Japan, and has somewhat unceremoniously pulled the rug out from under Chugai's feet. Chugai are calling it an "unexpected and one-sided notice from Harman." Sounds like a bit of bad blood.

So that seems to be it. As long as the new distributor, whoever that might be, does their job I think (hope) we're safe.

Cheers,

Kent.

Hi. Thanks for joinning in and welcome here.

Your translation is it and so accurate, but I don't know about your interpretation on what the newsletter says. It seems too much of mind reading. If Harman Tech has already found the new distributor, don't you think they would have made an announcement by now?

The thing is, Chugai was producing Ilford/Harman photo chemicals under their license in the Japanese market and now that's expired. Chugai is (or was really) a photo chemical producing company, not just an imported-goods carrier.

Fortunately for us film users there are alernatives provided by Fuji and Kodak at this point, but we don't know when these other companies stop producing what they've been producing. Also liquid chemicals are getting harder to transport especially from abroad, and that's what I'm worried about. And I just don't wanna burn extra amiunt of fuel if I don't have to.

Anyway it's not the right time of the year because you know students are right now busy finishing their projects before graduation in this month. Or maybe they are already done. I don't know.

[firecracker]

And about Chugai's inkjet business, they are not only selling Ilford Imaging inkjet stuff but also the stuff by Jetgraph, which they fund. So, I can understand they can't possibly have three different brands in the same competition...

[Kent10D]

Your translation is it and so accurate, but I don't know about your interpretation on what the newsletter says. It seems too much of mind reading. If Harman Tech has already found the new distributor, don't you think they would have made an announcement by now?

Hi Firecracker,

No mind reading (other than the part about there being "bad blood"), that's just what the release means, albeit significantly rearranged and slightly annotated to make sense in English. I spoke with one of my contacts at Yodobashi today (for those not in the know, Yodobashi is a major camera store chain here in Japan), and he basically confirmed my interpretation. But it seems that the details are not finalized, and that's why there has been no announcement from Harman thus far. He even told me the name of the company that would probably be taking over the Harman dealership ... which I promptly forgot while purchasing a new scanner. Anyway, there is already a candidate to take over the Harman dealership, so I'm not too worried.

Cheers again ... gotta finish setting up this scanner.

Kent.

[firecracker]

Hi Firecracker,

No mind reading (other than the part about there being "bad blood"), that's just what the release means, albeit significantly rearranged and slightly annotated to make sense in English. I spoke with one of my contacts at Yodobashi today (for those not in the know, Yodobashi is a major camera store chain here in Japan), and he basically confirmed my interpretation. But it seems that the details are not finalized, and that's why there has been no announcement from Harman thus far. He even told me the name of the company that would probably be taking over the Harman dealership ... which I promptly forgot while purchasing a new scanner. Anyway, there is already a candidate to take over the Harman dealership, so I'm not too worried.

Cheers again ... gotta finish setting up this scanner.

Kent.

Alright. I feel somewhat relieved. But let me guess the potential candidate:
Cybergraphics/Oriental? It looks like they have been carrying the same (perhaps OEM) products. Oriental has a series of photo chemicals that look pretty similar to the ones produced by Chugai under Ilford/Harman's license. The VC filters also look very identical between these two companies.

Okay, I'll stop here. And I'll just wait and see what name we will hear. I just hope the new distributor if there is will be a better one than Chugai in terms of the pricing and the selection of the products!