MirkoBoeddecker
Given the current situation regarding Kodak’s photographic chemicals business, here is a brief overview.
What has happened so far:
As part of its 2012 insolvency proceedings, Kodak spun off its consumer division and transferred it as an ‘asset’ to its main creditor (the pension fund of its former employees in Harrow, UK).
This includes the distribution rights and trademarks for all films, photographic papers, photographic chemicals, photo kiosks, etc.
The pension fund was delighted to get something out of the insolvency and subsequently managed Alaris in the way civil servants tend to do. Prudently, risk-averse and with little emotion, to put it mildly.
By 2018, the whole operation had been managed into the red (even though they were inundated with orders) to such an extent that the entire structure was placed under a sort of protective shield by the United Kingdom (a kind of special administration). This was brilliant for the administrators, of course, because now they didn’t have to take any risks at all and could carry on managing things just fine; money rained down from the tax coffers whenever they produced a loss.
After that, they set about getting rid of the whole thing somehow. In an initial move, the photochemistry, colour paper and photo kiosk divisions were sold in 2020 to a Chinese holding company called Sino-Promise.
That wasn’t such a bad thing, as the Chinese had already taken over two former Kodak factories in China to manufacture photographic paper.
At the time, we received a letter from Alaris stating that the photochemical division had been sold and we could no longer place orders. However, colour chemicals would continue to be manufactured in China and might soon be purchased by the Chinese investor.
Naturally, this set off alarm bells for us (what? colour? and what about black and white?) and we immediately began re-engineering Kodak black and white chemicals and implementing them in our own production. We also registered the traditional brand D-76, as we consider it ‘systemically important’ – as they so nicely put it these days when something needs to be ‘saved’.
Much to our surprise, however, Kodak black-and-white chemicals were offered again after six months. Admittedly, they were of poor quality, which led to various issues.
We then launched XT-3 as an improved version of X-Tol, as the biggest problems had arisen with this modern developer.
Sino-Promise managed to get this under control, however, and temporarily reintroduced high-quality Kodak chemicals onto the market (once again manufactured by Tetenal).
We subsequently scaled back our Kodak activities and focused on implementing all our chemicals in our own factory, as the new Tetenal seemed to be a very shaky proposition.
In December 2022, Tetenal’s production company went into what is likely to be final insolvency. As a result, the market currently lacks all production capacity for Tetenal, Kodak and Ilford chemicals.
Since February 2023, we have been able to manufacture the entire range of ADOX chemicals reliably in-house. We are completely independent of all other players.
Two weeks ago, we were informed that Sino-Promise is discontinuing the sale of all Kodak photographic chemicals. All orders have been cancelled. We’ll have to see exactly what that means – perhaps someone else will step in now?
In any case, we’re stepping up a gear and, alongside Xtol (XT-3), will be launching D-76 immediately.
Just like with XT-3, this is an improved version: borate-free, more soluble and with Captura.
I cannot yet say whether we will be able to meet the entire surge in expected demand over the coming months. We are currently ramping up automation in the bottling process and have taken on two new staff members.
In any case, it won’t hurt to stock up on some chemicals over the coming months. There are already shortages, particularly in colour chemistry.
We’re doing what we can.
Best regards,
Mirko
MirkoBoeddecker
By the way, you can also ask questions or leave comments here.
ChristianS
Mirko Boeddecker wrote:
By the way, you can also ask questions or leave comments here.
Hello Mirko,
Thank you very much for the behind-the-scenes insight. That’s really valuable given all the clickbait articles that merely speculate and flood the internet.
I’d be happy to take you up on your offer to ask questions, which is why I’ve just registered. I’m interested in colour chemistry, particularly the (as it seems these days) unloved stepchild E-6. In addition to the suppliers you mentioned in your post, there are also Fuji Hunt and Bellini. I had assumed both were manufacturers, and therefore unaffected by the insolvency of the production company behind Tetenal & Co. Am I mistaken?
What is your assessment of the future of E-6 in general, and—if that goes too far beyond the actual topic of this thread—of the availability of these developers?
Regards,
Christian
PS: Commercially available E-6 test strips for private users would be great. It seems you can’t even get the usual packs of 50 anymore.
Klaus_H
Hi Mirko,
I don’t have a question about the Kodak chemicals, but rather a comment on an ADOX product, the ATOMAL 49.
As you mention in the opening post of this thread, ADOX now has full control over and in-house production of its photographic chemicals. Hats off – look what’s become of that little Berlin photo shop!
In its current form, ATOMAL 49 does not stand out for its shelf life or consistent activity once mixed.
The problem with the chemical losing its activity immediately after mixing, which with a 1+1 dilution leads to constant adjustments to the development time extension factor (great term), is a nuisance. If this adjustment is neglected (Uwe Pilz has written several posts on this online), a film can be ruined very quickly. (I wonder where I got that experience from?)
In short: ATOMAL is an important developer. It deserves a reformulation that will make it as reliable as it was in the days of the two-component process. Back then, the developer could still be used with consistent development times in a 1+1 dilution even after two months, and it delivered consistent results throughout that period.
Best regards,
Klaus
MirkoBoeddecker
Christian S. wrote
Mirko Boeddecker wrote
By the way, you can also ask questions or leave comments here.
Hello Mirko,
Thank you very much for the behind-the-scenes insight. That’s really valuable given all the clickbait articles that merely speculate and flood the internet.
I’d like to take you up on your offer to ask questions, which is why I’ve just registered. I’m interested in colour chemistry, particularly the (as it seems these days) unloved stepchild E-6. In addition to the suppliers you mentioned in your post, there are also Fuji Hunt and Bellini. I had assumed both were manufacturers, and therefore unaffected by the insolvency of the production company behind Tetenal & Co. Am I mistaken?
What is your assessment of the future of E-6 in general, and—if that goes too far beyond the actual topic of this thread—of the availability of these developers?
Regards,
Christian
PS: Commercially available E-6 test strips for private users would be great. It seems you can’t even get the usual packs of 50 anymore.
Both Fuji and Bellini have their own production facilities. However, to my knowledge, only Fuji has REACH approval for CD4.
This means that only Fuji can produce significant quantities of colour chemicals. Tetenal leaves a gap here.
For the amateur market, however, it would probably be possible to produce sufficient quantities even without approval.
Our next plan is C-41 powder.
By the way, you’ve forgotten Jobo. They don’t manufacture it in Europe, but they do make it available to you.
MirkoBoeddecker
Klaus_H wrote
: Hi Mirko,
I don’t have a question about the Kodak chemicals, but rather a comment on an ADOX product, the ATOMAL 49.
As you mention in the introductory post of this thread, ADOX now has full control over and manufactures its own photographic chemicals in-house. Hats off – look what’s become of that little Berlin photo shop!
In its current form, ATOMAL 49 does not stand out for its shelf life or consistent activity once mixed.
The problem with the chemical losing its activity immediately after mixing, which with a 1+1 dilution leads to constant adjustments to the development time extension factor (great term), is a nuisance. If this adjustment is neglected (Uwe Pilz has written several posts on this online), a film can be ruined very quickly. (I wonder where I got that experience from?)
In short: ATOMAL is an important developer. It deserves a reformulation that makes it as reliable as it was in the days of the two-component system. Back then, the developer could still be used with consistent development times in a 1+1 dilution even after two months, and it delivered consistent results throughout that period.
Best regards,
Klaus
Hello Klaus,
We have been manufacturing the powder chemistry ourselves since 2015. Back then, Calbe had stopped doing so because it had become too labour-intensive for them.
Chemical production isn’t our biggest challenge either. Coating light-sensitive emulsions is much more complex.
But back to the topic at hand. ATOMAL 49 is right at the top of the list for a formula improvement.
Best regards,
Mirko
ChristianS
Mirko Boeddecker wrote:
“By the way, you’ve forgotten Jobo. They don’t actually manufacture it in Europe, but they do make it available to you.”
That’s right. Until recently, because it’s made in Japan, I’d assumed Fuji was behind it. But when I actually held the kit in my hands, I realised that the mixing ratios used here are completely different from those in the Fuji kit, so it’s probably a different manufacturer.
Gast
That’s good news.
With Atomal, XT-3 and D-76, all my developer needs would be covered.
If you could just add 400-speed roll film to your range, I wouldn’t need to use other brands.
Best regards,
Wolfgang
Klaus_H
Mirko Boeddecker wrote
... The chemical manufacturing process isn’t our biggest challenge either. ...
ATOMAL 49 is right at the top of the list for a formula improvement...
Hello Mirko,
It’s good to hear that things are moving forward with Atomal (perhaps at ‘German speed’? ).
On the subject of films, I have the following questions:
- What is the current status of roll film production?
- Will ADOX be producing an infrared-compatible roll film?
Best regards,
Klaus
MirkoBoeddecker
Klaus_H wrote
Mirko Boeddecker wrote
... The chemical production process isn’t our biggest challenge either. ...
ATOMAL 49 is right at the top of the list for a formula improvement...
Hello Mirko,
It’s good to hear that things are moving forward with Atomal (perhaps at ‘German speed’? ).
On the subject of films, I have the following questions:
- What is the status of roll film production?
- Will there be an infrared-compatible roll film from ADOX?
Best regards,
Klaus
We’re doing what we can, but hopefully at a faster pace than ‘German speed’. That seems to be moving rather backwards these days.
I’ve written something about roll film production in the other forum.
But yes, the HR-50 is also set to be released as roll film (pseudo-infrared).
RudiausWien
Just for your information:
I sent an enquiry to Tetenal regarding the future prospects of Tetenal Colortec-C41 and received the following reply on 17 April 2023:
"……we plan to start offering products from the Colortec range again from June."
However, when I read through Mirko’s detailed introductory article (many thanks for that!), I do have certain doubts.
Clearly, this move had been in the works at Tetenal for some time, as it now becomes clear why the Norderstedt chemical works became a separate limited company in mid-2022; namely, to allow them to go into insolvency without tarnishing the Tetenal 1847 name again.
Best regards, Rudi
Klaus_H
Mirko Boeddecker wrote
...
But back to the topic at hand. ATOMAL 49 is right at the top of the list for a formula improvement.
...
Hello Mirko,
Is anything happening on that front yet? ATOMAL is described on the ADOX website as a two-part process.
The shelf life has also been extended to 6–8 weeks, according to the Atomal bag pictured.
Is this still a future prospect, or is it already a reality?
Best regards,
Klaus
Kunibert
Thank you very much for the information on the current situation regarding photochemical manufacturers.
I would also be interested to know what the situation is with colour film.
A number of reports online, as well as a press release from Fujifilm itself, suggest that production there has come to a standstill.
Ferrania doesn’t seem to be getting back on its feet.
Wolfen/Orwo is a bit of a black box and also seems to be a bit of a shaky business.
Silberra? As long as the sanctions against Russia remain in place, we probably won’t be seeing any of their products here.
Many films are listed as currently unavailable. And colour negative films that were cheap until recently are now costing at least ten euros, with prices on the rise.
Are there any other manufacturers on the horizon, and if so, do they include any that can guarantee stable quality and production in the long term? How is Adox positioned in this regard?
In my view, some affordable colour films are needed to make analogue photography accessible to young people on lower incomes – in other words, the next generation.
MirkoBoeddecker
Kunibert wrote
: Thank you very much for the information on the current situation regarding photochemical manufacturers.
I would also be interested to know what the situation is with colour film.
A number of reports online, as well as a press release from Fujifilm itself, suggest that production there has come to a standstill.
Ferrania doesn’t seem to be getting back on its feet.
Wolfen/Orwo is a bit of a mystery and also seems to be a bit of a shaky business.
Silberra? As long as the sanctions against Russia remain in place, we probably won’t be seeing any of their products here.
Many films are listed as currently unavailable. And colour negative films that were cheap until recently are now costing at least ten euros, with prices on the rise.
Are there any other manufacturers on the horizon, and if so, do they include any that can guarantee stable quality and production in the long term? How is ADOX positioned in this regard?
In my view, some affordable colour films are necessary to make analogue photography accessible to young people on lower incomes – in other words, the next generation.
I cannot speak about competitors, but I can speak about ADOX and colour films in general. To my knowledge, there are currently three manufacturers worldwide capable of producing colour emulsions:
Kodak in Rochester
Polaroid in Mohnheim (formerly Inoviscoat, formerly Agfa)
Fuji in Japan, but they limit themselves to instant film processes such as Instax
I am not aware of any other manufacturers.
We at ADOX are not there yet. It is not yet certain when we will be able to produce colour films or at what price.
We can announce the HELIOS with relative certainty, but that is also based on raw materials from a company that no longer produces colour films.
We are currently working on the development of new emulsions – there is still a long way to go.
The development and production of a colour film with the consistency and quality mentioned is a task for companies with more than 1,000 employees.
Given today’s market conditions and labour costs in the G20 countries, such a company is a pipe dream.
Exceptions exist where companies directly carry on the legacy of such larger firms, e.g. Polaroid, which continues to use Agfa technology.
Ferrania also has (theoretically) a chance, and so do we. A reasonable price for a colour film of the quality outlined is around 50 EUR at current sales levels. That would be the price one would have to pay in any other industry for a product of this complexity – given the sales volumes. The reason such prices have not been demanded so far lay in the ruinous competition within the industry in general and between Fuji and Kodak in particular, with the result that both companies have been living off their assets in their film divisions (depreciation of human capital and machinery). Fuji eventually gave up, and Kodak is now unable to cope with the demand, as both the production facilities are worn out and there is a lack of trained staff (the training process takes a good three years or more). In the meantime, prices are gradually approaching a fair market level, which enables the remaining manufacturers to make the necessary investments. We’ll have to wait and see where (and when) a balance will be reached. Perhaps my figure of 50 EUR is also unrealistic, but when I look at what’s earned from toilet seats or insulation materials and the crumbs the photography industry picks up in comparison, something’s not right. There’s hardly any workforce left, and if you want to have one, you have to offer them something. That’s not possible on €5 per roll. Prices like that only work if you’re planning to close up shop pretty soon.
That’s why I don’t agree that there’s a need for more cheap film.
Right now, we could easily charge €30 for a colour film, if only we had any...
Kunibert
Thanks again for the information, Mirko. Without the old technology developed by the former photography giants, analogue photography simply wouldn’t work. This applies not only to the manufacturing technology for chemicals and films, but also to the equipment used for shooting and in the darkroom. And that technology has been around for quite a few decades now.
If the production processes, with all the trimmings, are so expensive overall that the much lower sales of film, chemicals and paper compared to the past mean there isn’t enough turnover to offer a few good yet affordable colour films, the question arises as to what impact this has on recruiting the next generation. Many teenagers and students interested in retro technology but on a tight budget will probably no longer be able to afford the fun. And many older enthusiasts are also dropping out. Among my circle of acquaintances, which includes a few photographers, the mood is such that people still want to use up the films in the fridge. But once those are gone, they won’t be buying any new colour films. This raises the question of the future prospects for analogue photography as a whole. Which customers who are able and willing to pay will remain, and will they ensure the necessary sales in the long term?
Speaking of money. “There’s hardly any labour left, and if you want to get hold of some, you have to offer them something.”
Polaroid is currently looking for production staff in Monheim to work 40 hours a week in a two-shift system for €2,600 gross. After tax (tax brackets 1 and 2), that leaves around €1,780. Anyone moving there for such a job will pay around €600–800 in rent for a two-bedroom flat of approx. 65 sq m. On top of that, there are at least another €250 for utilities, electricity and heating. That doesn’t leave much for other expenses. And working 40 hours in a two-shift system for that will probably put many people off.
So it’s understandable that manufacturers need more money. But if prices rise to the point where analogue photography becomes too expensive for many, they will simply drop out. Striking the right balance is certainly difficult for manufacturers and retailers, especially as no one has a reliable crystal ball to peer into the future.
Dieter_Wilhelm
For me (and perhaps others too), a one-litre chemical kit (C41 or E6) is ideal.
Another issue is the availability of T-MAX developer.
Apart from its ease of use, what could I use as a substitute (Ilford DD-X?)
Also, what could be used as a substitute for the T-MAX fixing bath (to remove the pink haze)?
Regards, Dieter
ChristianS
Mirko Boeddecker wrote
: As far as I know, there are currently three manufacturers worldwide capable of producing colour emulsions:
(...)
Fuji in Japan
,
but they limit themselves to instant film processes such as Instax
Hello Mirko,
Does that mean Fujifilm really no longer produces colour film? Is that information reliable? Otherwise, one only hears rumours about it.
Regards,
Christian
RudiausWien
Dieter_Wilhelm wrote:
For me (and perhaps others too), a one-litre chemical kit (C41 or E6) is ideal.
Another question is the availability of T-MAX developer.
Apart from its ease of use, what could I use as a substitute (Ilford DD-X?)
Also, what could be used as a substitute for the T-MAX fixer (to remove the pink haze)?
Regards, Dieter
In a post back in May, I reported that Tetenal had replied to an enquiry regarding the Colortec series (C41, E6), stating that the delivery date was targeted for 23 June. The reply came promptly at the time (within 24 hours).
I then sent another email enquiry about three weeks ago and have not received a reply to date. To me, it seems as though they are playing dead or have already gone under.
Best regards, Rudi
ausJENA
Does ADOX have any plans to reproduce the old HC110 syrup and bring it back onto the market?
MirkoBoeddecker
From JENA: HC 110 syrup has been available again since 2025.
Gast
ausJENA wrote
: Does ADOX have any plans to recreate the old HC110 developer and bring it back onto the market?
Why?
There’s still the Ilford HC and the Bellini Euro HC.
Although Ilford’s price of €74 is a real rip-off.
Not to mention that there are far better developers available today than the HC 110.
