Type 55 Update

For all you non believers, today it was announced on the radio in Boston that

the Polaroid plant that made the Type 55 film was closing at the end of the

year. 120 employees being let go right now and another 50 by the end of the year.

 

I told you all recently, but nobody wanted to believe it was true.

 

Better start stocking up on the film.

 

Not only was it made official on the radio, but I have a source in the plant

that was told they were out at the end of the year.

 

Paul DiModica

As you are in the know:

 

1) Is this the only plant that makes type 55?

 

2) If so, will the manufacture be transferred to another plant? You appear to assume that it will not, but do you have a reason for this?

 

3) Will other types be unaffected?

 

Steve

My source works in the plant. The film does not run if they are not around. It is done, they do not make the film anywhere else.

Here is some limited info:

 

http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2007/10/new_bedford_ins.html

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071031/NEWS/710310342

The Polaroid web site doesn't have any announcement that it'll be discontinued. I contrast that with the fact that they announced the demise of the film pack version of the same film, 665, months in advance.

 

No press release, no nothin'. The film's still on sale at their online store.

 

Could be that they had simply sold off one of their plants to downsize.

 

Maybe best to wait and see....

As the film can not be frozen and is relativley short lived, there must be some film on sale that has been manufactured after Polaroid sold the plant in August 2006. So where was this film manufactured?

 

It appears very strange that Polaroid would behave in this manner if this plant was the only plant in the world manufacturing the film.

 

Steve

It doesn't need to be frozen (perhaps 0C) to virtually stop the age process. Every degree lower in temp slows every chemical process. 19C is slower than 20C, etc.

 

Perhaps they've used the facility and people to establish a gigantic inventory and will sell that into the future.

 

Smarter, perhaps they produced like crazy, far beyond ordinary demand, distributed it all in massive shipments, left all future sales to the retailers. That way they get out of the facility, get out of the shipping business, get all the money now...time value of money etc.

For once it would be nice if people would use a telephone before spreading chicken little rumours. I just got off the pone with Polaroid where I was told Type 55 will not be at all affected by this plant closing. There are multiple coating facilities and sales of 55 are strong. It is alive and well and will continue to be.

Well done Bill. I did send an email to Polaroid UK, but no answer yet.

 

There are far too many people out there assuming that film based photography is as good as dead and trying to beat each other to be the one to "proove" it, whilst ignoring the facts. The facts are that it is not dead, and has, in all probability, a long life ahead of it. It will still be going strong when I am long gone and pushing up daisies.

 

Steve

I disregarded the earlier thread by Mr Di Modica after I posted clarification that the films would still be made.

 

 

 

I spoke to Polaroid and forwarded the newspaper article to them and this is the response I received

 

 

(QUOTE) We are shifting around manufacture for cost reasons, the following films will be discontinued

 

Type 59 asa 80 but we will continue to make Type 79 which is ASA 100

TYpe 51.

 

All other films including Type 55 will continue to be made elsewhere.

 

John Zorra

Polaroid Corporation (QUOTE)

 

 

If it were true that Polaroid did not make these films elsewhere today that doesn't mean they can't.

 

I respectfully asked that people would check their sources before making alarming posts of this nature

It is unfortunate that anybody would loose their job and at the same time photographers who buy the films would rather pay less for a box of film. that is each and every photographer.

 

And quite frankly at 74 usd for a box I'm not surprised they decided to get cost effective.

If it is true that Type 59 will be discontinued that is sad. Type 59 is very interseting to use for image transfer. Has anyone used Type 79 for that purpose?

For what it's worth, I got a box of 55 from ecamerafilm.com this morning (1/28/08) and it's got one of those yellow/orange "Product being discontinued" stickers right on the front. The box expires Nov 08.

 

I really hope everyone at Polaroid is on the same page.