ADOX produces photographic baryta papers, PE photographic papers, 35mm films, roll films, sheet films, photochemicals, and much more. The goal is to offer a comprehensive range of classic photographic materials even after the "digital revolution."
We dared to take a look into the past and the future with Mirko Böddecker, CEO of Adox. We also discuss the production of color films, with a glance towards Italy, and why we should buy photographic papers.
How was 2013 for Adox?
ADOX started producing its own products about 2 years ago. Due to the complexity of manufacturing analog photographic materials, we are still largely busy implementing processes and optimizing them step by step.
Even though some areas of the market have stabilized at a certain level, suppliers are still dropping out, raw material prices are constantly rising, and we now have to produce many things ourselves that we originally thought we could buy in.
For example, in 2013 we had to take over our packaging manufacturer, start producing roll film backing paper ourselves, and ramp up chemical production faster than planned because the previous supplier was no longer able to produce such "manageable" quantities industrially.
Overall, we all face the problem that current market prices do not reflect all these efforts.
Prices—especially for film—remain at the level of the 1980s (adjusted for inflation). Only today we produce barely 1/1,000 of that.
In the long run, this is dangerous for the existence of manufacturers. None of the bankruptcies in recent years were inevitable. If prices had risen in line with costs, everyone could still be in business and produce smaller quantities. Consumers would have a wider choice but would have to pay more per film.
However, consumers chose a different option, which is not surprising. The supply is still very large, and in the short term, this behavior yields returns. The decision was therefore rational and expected.
How has the film market developed over the past two to three years?
Film is largely stable. Revenue is declining in paper, and unfortunately dramatically so. But paper keeps the factories alive because it involves volumes that finance the "background noise." No one can live from film alone.
This is not a problem unique to analog photography. Ilford-Switzerland, a technologically leading manufacturer of inkjet materials, just went bankrupt.
People generally print less and view images more on digital display devices.
But I am confident that a counter-movement will soon emerge in this area as well.
If you nail an iPad to the wall, it still breaks.
Will Adox ever produce its own color film?
You can still buy color films for 79 cents at the Aldi checkout today.
We cannot even finish a pre-coated film for that price. We must and can leave this cutthroat and ruinous business to the dying giants.
Ultimately, it is a question of quantity, price, and quality. No one will introduce a new quality color film. The entry barriers are far too high. Even with the current business, you can barely cover replacement investments. Start-up investments are unthinkable.
If a niche opens up, we will use it. ADOX already produces one color film: the Color Implosion.
Ferrania is targeting a similar niche. They already have a lot of know-how in stock, and with manageable effort, something can be made of it. The quality may not be at Ektar level, but at least it is available. Fuji and Kodak don't even talk to us. They float somewhere in another sphere and announce product discontinuations by decree. For a Kodak or Fuji manager, the biggest nightmare must be contact with a living customer.
In a cooperation with Ferrania, I could imagine many exciting products in the color range. We have been making plans together for months and drinking copious amounts of espresso.
What can we as photographers and customers do to keep analog photography alive?
Buy ADOX photographic paper and developer. Preferably no films. The film business has been marginal or loss-making for years.
Just kidding. Just buy something and have fun taking pictures. We'll handle the rest behind the scenes.
What is planned for 2014?
Too much to write down. Let's just take the last few days since the beginning of the year:
- The ADOX enlarger is online
- The Analog Starter Set "Fotolabor-Komplet" (with enlarger) is available
- FX-39 is back
- We have three new sheet film formats
It will continue like this. In the short term, a larger offering will be built from the existing range (more sizes and packaging for papers and chemicals). We can now do this thanks to our own manufacturing facility, and it meets the changing market requirements.
Then comes the MCC in matte, hopefully the Polywarmton, the CHS 100 II roll film, new developers, hopefully the first products from the cooperation with Ferrania, and everything I can't even think of today :-)
