MCP/MCC: Current interim status

MirkoBoeddecker · 2008-09-17T16:01:24+00:00

Hallo, zuerst die guten Nachrichten: MCP liegt im Regal und ist lieferbar als 312 und 310. Auf der Photokina werden wir Probepackungen anbieten mit 24x30/5...

MirkoBoeddecker

Hello, First, the good news: MCP is on the shelves and available in 312 and 310 formats. At Photokina, we will be offering sample packs containing 5 sheets of 24x30. Progress is also being made on the installation of the K casting machine, on which we will be casting the baryta variant, but unfortunately not as quickly as planned and hoped. The hall in Monheim is complete and the laboratories are due to start operating in the next few days, but the casting machine (K) is not yet operational. Essentially, there is no single major problem, but the accumulation of minor glitches and delays has unfortunately meant that we will still not have any casting capacity available from August/September. I also find it difficult to give a new date. As far as the machine is concerned, I am reliant on the information I am given. As we have no other option for coating baryta paper, we have no choice but to wait patiently. We can all count ourselves lucky that this opportunity exists at all in this form. The entire project would never have been financially viable based solely on the expected sales of black-and-white material. The machine is intended to produce many different products at Inoviscoat. As the old Agfarians have their hearts in the ‘right’ place, they have made sure that, alongside all the new products for future markets, the option to perform coating on photographic papers and films will always remain. The fixed costs are thus spread across various product groups, and our part does not have to finance everything on its own. This means we remain flexible, even if the market continues to shrink. In principle, it is an ideal situation in the long term, though unfortunately one with start-up delays in the initial phase. I would be delighted if as many MCC fans as possible would continue to wait with us, even if there is no remaining material to bridge the gap in the meantime. Best regards, Mirko

Rotti

I think it’s worth waiting for the MCC. I’m happy to make do with what I’ve got in stock in the meantime. I hope the APX 100 (KB + 120) will be back in stock by then too...

cfb_de

Hello Mirko, Good news. Your MCP is clearly up to the job (thanks again for the sample packs!): My negatives can be enlarged at grade 2–3, and with the ‘original’ Tura-MCP, my Trialux indicated a paper index of 2.7. With your MCP, it’s 2.65. Spot on! Well done. I’m also extremely satisfied with the other paper parameters. Once I’ve used up my stock of Agfa/Tura MCP, I’ll be ordering from you. By then, I’m sure you’ll have made a slight price adjustment as well ;-> As you know, when it comes to rolls, I tend to order a large quantity once and then nothing for a long time. As for sheets, I’ve actually only ever bought the PW14 in 13x18 from you, and I usually have it ordered for me or brought along. I’m not too fussy about the baryta at the moment. The MCC sample was excellent, but I’ve now got enough rolls of your Vario Classic FB in stock again. A friend of mine gave up his Duka and now I’ve just got the stuff lying around. So I won’t be placing an order for baryta before 2011; the freezer’s full. How much in plant costs are you actually facing? (I know the figure fairly precisely. Silly chemists make better process engineers and plumbers, and usually have better connections with plant manufacturers.) But that would be an interesting piece of information for product buyers. Best regards, Franz

skahde

I’d be delighted if as many MCC fans as possible would continue to wait with us, even if there’s no remaining stock to bridge the gap in the meantime.

I can wait a bit longer. Even if I have to make do with other material for the time being, I would switch back to an MCC emulsion with a lighter base than the original in a heartbeat. Best regards, Stefan