Ilford Stabilizes North America Black-and-White Business

In the wake of last year's insolvency of Ilford's UK parent company, Ilford Imaging USA and Ilford Imaging Canada Ltd. have taken steps to re-establish “a regular supply of monochrome products to the marketplace,” the companies report.

Product line changes include:

“? Most black-and-white papers remain, but some slow-moving products have been dropped;

“? All major black-and-white film lines are intact, except the company's extended red sensitivity film SFX200; and

“? Ilford-brand chemicals, while being produced by a third party, will be sold and distributed by Ilford.

The company admits there is still “significant work to be done,” but states that the immediate future of Ilford black-and-white products “looks promising.”
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In other Ilford news, Ilford Imaging UK Ltd. has emerged from receivership, and will be run by a new management team. The company will now trade under the name of Ilford Photo, with a new corporate name of Harman Technology.

In addition, Ilford Imaging USA has opened a new paper-finishing facility in Binghamton, NY. The facility can cut sheets up to 60-in. wide, and is currently converting inkjet media into sheets from 4 x 6 to 13 x 19 in. The company anticipates this facility can finish wide-format roll stock, as demand dictates.

Finally, Ilford announced that its Studio RIP 2.1 software will now be available via dealers throughout the US and Canada. The RIP”?designed for high-quality output on Epson Stylus Pro 4000, 7600, and 9600 printers”?had previously been available only as part of a system that included an Epson Stylus Pro printer and related hardware. The RIP is user-installable. MSRP: $799.95 US ($999.95 in Canada). (Ilford Imaging USA: www.ilford.com)