Friday, July 7, 2023

Polychrome legacy continues

Those ex Polychromers who did not follow the world of presensitized plates past Kodak Polychrome Grahics days may be interested in learning how our past efforts are still influencing the industry today. Today the three former Polychrome production sites in the USA, Europe and Japan are all in production and the China 2FF plants we licensed our technology in 80' and are active now under the Lucky Huaguang Graphicsname boast production capacity of 175msqm in their web site. (http://hg.luckyfilm.com/en/Page/index.html?cate=330). On the other hand once mighty Agfa ceased production in Branchberg NJ, Leeds UK and recently announced the sale of entire Agfa Graphics to a private investment company Aurelius group (https://www.agfa.com/corporate/news-item/agfa-gevaert-group-completes-the-sale-of-its-offset-solutions-division-to-aurelius-group/). Announcements were made on the closure of Fuji plant in Europe and the USA (https://www.printcan.com/news/2022/20221130984.shtml, https://petapixel.com/2021/07/01/fujifilm-to-close-four-u-s-photo-equipment-plants-and-cut-400-jobs/#:~:text=Fujifilm%20has%20announced%20that%20it,by%20the%20fall%20of%202022.) making the Columbus factory of our Polychrome (now Kodak) to be the only plate factory in the US. This all happened within the quarter century since the name Polychrome disappeared from the American Stock Exchange, it will be interesting to see what change will come during next quarter century! (My goal of living till age 100 years with good health is not sufficient to see this change!)