There's an interesting thread at the Film and Darkroom Users Group (FADU) about the recently-introduced Ilford Classic FB multigrade paper, specifically the fact that it's just about unobtainable in the UK at the moment.
A few tentative theories were advanced as possible explanations - most correct in some part - but now Matthew Wells, who runs AG Photographic, has stepped in to shed some light on an issue that only affects Classic and not the Cooltone or Warmtone FB versions.
Matt says the first batches of Classic were coated on the small coating line at Mobberley which is reserved for experimental runs but can also be used for small production runs.
He added, "When they (Ilford/Harman) tried to scale production and coat on the larger coating line, it wouldn't work - don't know the detail here - so they are trying to work out why.
"In the meantime, they have reverted to making the MGIV FB but I believe they are still coating the Classic on the small line but for the USA only.
"Steven Brierley, sales director at Harman and one of the six managers who mounted the management buyout in 2004, is going to be at our Open Day on Friday, April 11, and, no doubt, he will have some better detail on this for anyone interested (and) attending the day."
It would have been nice had Ilford/Harman decided to support the home market with the limited quantities of Classic but I suppose most effort has to go towards looking after the biggest market.
One can only imagine the frustration at Ilford when the successful launch of a popular new paper is stopped in is tracks like this.
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It looks as if Ilford are offering mgiv fb in place of the classic until they get their problems sorted out. I'll bet they are still charging full whack for it though. A discount would have been good!
ReplyDeleteSo far this has been a PR disaster for Ilford. They need to get the truth out there straight away and stop messing people around. You cant get classic here at all at the moment. And as an Ilford FB user I need to know when the changeover will happen to re-calibrate my darkroom process. I cant be investing in FB IV if its on its way out and can get any Classic so I am stuck.
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