KENTMERE Range Update : From HARMAN

[Gary Holliday]

In re-reading the first post of this thread, one would get the impression that Harmans "State-of-the-art" coating facility may not be the ideal venue for specialist emulsions and papers...rather only those products that can justify extremely large production runs.

Agreed. I don't think it was a good idea to dismantle Kentmere's plant...you can't make a British Leyland in a Jaguar plant. As a result, we don't have any niche products and that's what keeps this B&W field going.

Kentmere were not in trouble and now their great products are lost...this is tragic, not to mention the Art range which is personally disastrous and once my existing stocks go and Bergger's paper goes the same way, I'll have to rethink my whole business.

I don't think anyone wants virtual clones of Ilford paper in whatever brand of packaging it comes in, so if Foma are happy with the H&S issues that Kentmere appeared to be fine with all these years, please outsource the manufacturing.

[johnnywalker]

In 45 years of business I have never seen any other reason to buy a competitor. If it was not rescued we would be better off with it left alone

I don't know what kind of business you are dealing with, but in the forest industry (where I have spent the last 45 years), integration of product lines is one reason and realizing economies of scale is another.

[Alex Hawley]

The market has long requested a variable contrast version of KENTONA and HARMAN is pleased to announce that its product development department is now working on this as part of the launch of THREE NEW PAPERS within the KENTMERE FINEPRINT VC range. It is anticipated that this new warmtone, glossy paper will be available later in 2009.

That works for me! I had tried standardizing with Kentona as my preferred paper, but the single grade available just wouldn't support doing that. A VC version will be most welcome, especially if it comes with the dynamic range that Forte PolyWarmtone had. (HINT HINT )

Thanks Simon for the update, continued support of B&W photography, and the continued product development.

[Photo Engineer]

Kentmere was in trouble, if you go back and look at the posts at the time, and it was sold to help cover the expense of the "rescue" if you wish to put it that way. Ilford (Harman) is dropping these products in their modern facility for the same reasons Kodak dropped Azo in theirs (and other products). It was obsolete in the newest facility and hard to keep going in the new facility.

Harman is reflecting the same problems Kodak had a few years ago with paper production, and you see what I have said before. It is not easy to move products between plants.

Today we have a new Lodima paper thanks to M&P, but that paper is a stop faster and about 1/2 grade higher in contrast as well as being on DW FB paper. And, the tone is different. Is that Azo? No, I think not, but if it satisfies the customer then it is as good as.......

I think we should be happy that Ilford is still in business, stop complaining, and enjoy whatever we have from the companies remaining in this business. Thanks, Simon for the update and God Bless Ilford! Long may you stay in any analog business!

PE

[PHOTOTONE]

What makes the b/w experience so vibrant is "choice", and with fewer choices, it becomes less artistic. I certainly hope that Harman actually produces "different" products to market under Kentmere, than they do under Ilford and Bergger labels. We need variety, even if the paper base is near identical.

[Mark Layne]

I don't know what kind of business you are dealing with, but in the forest industry (where I have spent the last 45 years), integration of product lines is one reason and realizing economies of scale is another.

How is that different to eliminating competition?

[MattKing]

How is that different to eliminating competition?

Sometimes the motive is to increase the capabilities of the business, not just to increase the business' market share in the market it is already serving.

Matt

[PHOTOTONE]

Sometimes the motive is to increase the capabilities of the business, not just to increase the business' market share in the market it is already serving.

Matt

Yeah, but if you eliminate the manufacturing line of the company you purchase, you are not increasing the capabilities.

[MattKing]

Yeah, but if you eliminate the manufacturing line of the company you purchase, you are not increasing the capabilities.

You may be increasing your capabilities, if you hire their employees and make use of their technology and/or knowledge.

Matt

[Thomas Bertilsson]

I hate to say it, but you guys have your panties in a bunch...

- Do you think Harman made easy decisions in eliminating those products?

- Do you not think they would have liked to serve you with substitutes?

- Do you not think they tried everything in their power to do just that?

- And, do you reasonably think that they didn't make the best decision they thought they could make, with respect to the market, the economic viability of their company, and their employees?

They made the best of what they have, and they are brave enough to post it here, to show us transparency, not giving us any BS and run-around, but facts, direct from the horse's mouth.