MirkoBoeddecker
This has just come in from Italy via the news ticker:
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Welcome
Hello and welcome to this mailing list.
Just a few words to thank everyone who has subscribed, even though only a single brand is currently shown on the Ferrania homepage.
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We think it is worth answering some questions that often arise on the discussion boards we are also following.
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As you know, Ferrania discontinued its photographic products some years ago and, following that, some buildings and equipment were dismantled or sold because the future of film seemed to be compromised forever after the advent of digital. Obviously, we dream of ushering film into a new era where it can coexist with digital imaging technologies.
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After more than a year of work, we are finally attempting to restart with a small-scale production of film. However, scaling up a production workflow is no easy task: some chemical products are no longer available on the market, former Ferrania workers and engineers must be reintegrated into a completely new production workflow, and so on.
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We have worked extensively on many of the above issues and are now proud to announce that the time has come to actually produce film.
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Right now there is a six-month R&D project aimed at producing a first Jumbo roll of film. If, during this period, we are able to resolve all the remaining technical issues and if the market gives us reasonable initial feedback, we will be ready to proceed and ship new film in the first quarter of 2014!
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Ok, now the question is: what kind of film?
We think it is better to start by revamping the very last emulsions produced. The first two we will make are a colour negative film derived from Ferrania Solaris FG-100 Plus (for still photographs only) and a professional colour reversal film derived from Scotch Chrome 100.
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And which formats?
We have the equipment to process film in almost all photographic and motion picture formats: 110, 120, 126, 127, 135, 220, Super 8, Double 8, 16mm, 35mm and 70mm, but initially we will only offer those formats that are in demand.
More details are coming soon, so please keep following us!
Cheers
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The FILM Ferrania team
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WolfgangF
Hi, that sounds great.
That would probably mean we could start producing 127mm films again.
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Best regards, Wolfgang
Xenar
This would probably also make it possible to start producing 127mm film again.
Yes, if someone can be found to manufacture the appropriate reels for them. That seems to be the ‘bottleneck’ at the moment.
MirkoBoeddecker
The real news is that a small manufacturer wants to start producing colour slide film again.
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Forget about the list of available formats. Colour slide film outside the insular Fuji ‘we don’t talk to anyone but God’ empire.
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Yes!
gurkensaft
A planned transparency was the most important piece of information for me too.
Great news (the fact that you’re seriously pursuing this is fantastic in itself), I can’t wait to see how it turns out!
Best regards, Torsten
AchimBauer
Hello everyone,
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Solaris films are still available in Japan; I’ve come across a website, though I get the impression that someone has acquired the naming rights and is putting something inside the cassettes.
So it would be interesting to find out what the new film is going to be called.
And when it will be available.
Oh yes, Mirko, the Fuji Diamarkt isn’t completely off the market; there’s still Avichrom available in various formats under different names.
But I’m still pleased that a new transparency is coming onto the market. Perhaps in a starter pack with Chips and Kellergeister, to bring back the good old days.
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Regards, Achim
MirkoBoeddecker
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[size=0]Factory entrance[/size]
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I visited Ferrania last autumn to see how things were going.
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[size=0]The old, large factory where we used to get our supplies[/size]
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[size=0]Office[/size]
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From the outside, everything is as usual and the canteen is still open.
They still serve antipasti, primi, secondi and dolce :-)
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The Ferrania project is certainly interesting and has a realistic chance of success.
The small casting machine is currently being brought back into operation and the small-scale emulsion process is being sorted out.
They’re approaching it exactly as I would have done and are trying to produce on the pilot plant equipment.
Very nice. If it works out, perhaps they could cast something else there too.....
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[size=0]Climate control for small casting machine[/size]
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[size=0]Workshop[/size]
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Watch Mr. Scotch Chrome make his comeback!
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We’re keeping our fingers crossed and already sharpening the perforating dies ;-)
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Best regards,
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Mirko
AchimBauer
Hello Mirko,
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[size=8]Pilot plant facilities<span style="font-size:18px;">?!!! H??!![/size]</span>
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[size=8]<span style="font-size:18px;"><span style="font-size:12px;">If no one can explain it to me, I would interpret it myself purely from the context as follows: pilot plant facilities are small machines[/size]</span></span>
for experimental, testing and similar purposes, and for small-batch production, which are now also used for production purposes, as earlier trial quantities and current sales figures are close to one another.
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But an official explanation for pilot plant facilities would still be interesting.
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Regards, Achim
MirkoBoeddecker
You’re spot on, Achim. Pilot plants were built back then for new product development*.
They can produce small quantities using the same technology as the large-scale plants.
Whether it will be economically viable is another matter entirely, but as far as the technical feasibility is concerned, I’m relatively confident.
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* At Agfa, a distinction was still made between pilot plants and technical demonstration plants.
In that respect, I should have used the term ‘pilot plant’.
Technical demonstration plants were located in the casting technical centre, where they (the casting plants) were developed in-house (Agfa manufactured its own casting plants, as did Kodak and Fuji, since independent manufacturers could not meet the quality requirements).
In the case of Ferrania, it is a bit of a hybrid, as the plant was also an in-house development, but was later no longer used as a research facility for the construction of further plants, but was put into regular operation as a pilot plant for new product developments.
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I hope I have cleared up any confusion :-)
Quinquaginta
Hello,
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I’d like to add a few more details on this topic from my own perspective. I visited Ferrania a few weeks ago, spoke to the people in charge there and was able to take a look at the facilities (my visit was in a slightly different context to Mirko’s).
The next issue of PhotoKlassik (due out in December) will feature a short report by me on the Ferrania film project. Incidentally, the current issue contains a lovely report on ADOX, well worth a read.
I don’t want to give too much away about the report, but perhaps just this much as additional information:
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1. Pictures of the Ferrania factory: The pictures Mirko posted mainly show shots of parts of the ‘old’ Ferrania. The Film Ferrania production facility is not shown in the photos. The Film Ferrania production facility is the former research and development centre, which is housed in a separate building complex (the photo of the triacetate production plant [in the foreground] was taken from the roof of this multi-section research building; that’s where I was standing and taking the photos...;-) ).
However, the canteen is also used by Film Ferrania staff. Just as it is by the staff of the chemical plant on the company premises (some of whom also produce raw materials for the new films). Furthermore, the Ferrania solar panel factory is also located on the site.
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2. The production facilities: The facility with which Film Ferrania intends to relaunch operations soon differs somewhat from those of other film manufacturers. This is because, in the past, the facility was used not only for pure product testing for R&D, but also for small-scale production runs that were sent to selected customers as market tests.
The machines there (emulsion and coating machines) are somewhat larger than the pilot plant equipment found at some other manufacturers.
A concrete example: Last week I was at Ilford and took part in the ‘Ilford Factory Tour’. There, they demonstrated a test coating on their pilot plant (incidentally, an absolutely fascinating experience to witness something like that just a few centimetres from your own eyes).
At Ilford, the small coating machine there is really only used for testing: the coated samples are approx. 20 cm wide and max. 2 metres long. That is perfectly sufficient for the required testing purposes. But this machine cannot be used for mass production.
The small machine at Ferrania, on the other hand, has a (gross) width of approx. 35 cm and can perform coating on master rolls up to 600 m long. This makes mass production at least technically possible. As I said, this is how it used to be done at Ferrania, so it is certainly nothing fundamentally new for them. And the engineers and chemists now working at Film Ferrania are the long-serving and experienced staff who were previously responsible for production there.
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3. Is the new project economically viable? Well, we shall see. Ultimately, however, that lies largely in our own hands, in the hands of us photographers. If we support the project and use the films regularly, then it certainly stands a chance.
But if the self-righteous and petty grumbling starts up again, and the ‘stinginess is cool’ attitude takes hold because the films aren’t being sold off at drugstore-level prices, then this very courageous project will unfortunately have no chance.
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We are (fortunately!!) blessed with a number of small and medium-sized suppliers in our niche market who really go the extra mile to supply us photographers with the products we need, even under the most difficult market conditions.
Most users have absolutely no idea of the huge difficulties that have to be overcome on a daily basis in this market environment.
I have the utmost respect for these companies and their staff.
These small, flexible and extremely dedicated companies include, for example, Ilford, ADOX, Impossible, Maco, FilmoTec, Tetenal, InovisProject and also Film Ferrania.
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And one more thing: when ADOX and Impossible, for example, got started, both made it clear that this was just the beginning, with the associated teething problems. That perfection could not be expected right from the start. They rightly asked for patience and solidarity, and for people to support the manufacturer through this development process.
I believe Film Ferrania also deserves our solidarity and support as it restarts and rebuilds its production programme.
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Best regards,
Henning
Rolf-Werner
Where and how will it be possible to get hold of the material? Will they sell it directly, or will it be available from FOTOIMPEX, for example?
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Rolf
