Polychrome Corporation, a brainchild of Mr. Halpern, is now a major part of Kodak Co. and continues to live on. But the small company spirit died on Jan 1. 1998 when the company became a part of DIC-Kodak joint venture. This blog is dedicated to the memory of those who proudly call themselves "Polychromer". ..... Ken Shimazu shimazukenichi@gmail.com
Sunday, March 25, 2018
Additional memo from Mr. Gumbinner 23 Polychrome Clark
Mr. Halpern met Henry Levy and Gene Wilkerson who worked for the Dupont silver halide photograph division. They had left Dupont but kept the process manuals. Mr. Halpern hired them to start to make graphic arts photographic films. We bought a building in Clark, New Jersey from a chemical company. It had several labs with hoods. Next to it was L’oreal. In order to install the spiral coater which they said was needed we had toad a three story annex. Mr. Halpern thought we would be able to install some of the aluminum plate lines; but when made the plans for the silver halide films there was not enough room. We did install the solution making equipment in one corner. I believe we acquired a small company that made solutions for the graphic arts. After we started to coat the film, the Hunt brothers of Texas tried to corner the market for silver and the price of silver went from 5.00 dollars an ounce to 50.00.