ILFORD

Ilford’s Film Stocks

Ilford Timeline

Ilford Photo is a UK manufacturer of photographic materials best known for its black-and-white film, papers, and chemicals, and the discontinued line of Ilfochrome and Ilfocolor color printing materials.

Source: ilfordphoto.com

The 1800’s

• 1879 founded by Alfred Harman making Dry Plates
• 1891 became the Britannia Works Company making 4 kinds of plates and 6 kinds of paper
• 1897 sold by Alfred Harman who retired due to ill health
• 1898 became known as The Britannia Works (1898) Limited
• 1899 first Ilford Manual of Photography

1900 to 1940

• 1902 changed the name to Ilford Limited
• 1912 Ilford started to produce roll films
• 1920 Selo Limited formed incorporating Ilford, Imperial, Gem, and Amalgamated Photographic Manufacturers
• 1928 Mobberley (Rajar) factory purchased
• 1932 infrared plates
• 1935 cine film

The 1940’s

• 1940 first Multigrade paper introduced (3 filters)
• 1945 the Ilford works hit in the “London Blitz”
• 1946 triacetate base production by Bexford Limited
• 1948 Ilford entered the camera market with the “Witness”

The 1950’s

• 1951 Australian Company formed
• 1954 next version of Multigrade introduced (5 filters)
• 1959 ICI took control

The 1960’s

• 1960 first color neg film produced
• 1960 Ilfoprint stabilization paper introduced
• 1962 process paid color film with free contact strip
• 1963 share acquisitions by Ciba Ag
• 1966 the Monopolies Commission proposed restrictions on process paid-color film sales that forced reduced prices and reduced import duties on Kodak product
• 1967
  • ICI and Ciba acquire all shares
  • Ilfobrom even spaced graded fiber-base paper introduced
• 1968 FP4 film introduced
• 1969 Ciba became sole owners

The 1970’s

• 1970 first Queens Award to Industry
• 1974 Ilfospeed System introduced
• 1976
  • HP5 film launched
  • Ilford site closed and HQ moved to Basildon
• 1978 much improved new Multigrade papers introduced (11 filters)

The 1980’s

• 1980 worlds first chromogenic film introduced – XP1
• 1983 Ilford HQ moved to Mobberley, Cheshire
• 1986 Multigrade made available in fibre-base paper
• 1989
  • sold to International Paper Corporation of America
  • HP5 Plus film introduced

The 1990’s

• 1990 FP4 Plus film introduced
• 1990 first Delta film introduced based on core-shell crystal technology
• 1991 XP2 Single Use Camera replaces XP1
• 1992
  • Pan F Plus film introduced
  • 100 Delta added to the range
• 1994
  • improved Delta Professional films
  • improved Multigrade IV RC printing paper
• 1996 UK Sales & Admin moved from London to Mobberley
• 1997
  • MULTIGRADE IV RC PORTFOLIO introduced
  • Multigrade Warmtone FB introduced
• 1998
  • acquisition of the company by Doughty Hanson
  • Delta 3200 added to the range
  •  introduced third-generation chromogenic film – XP2 Super
  • Multigrade Warmtone RC added
• 1999 Multigrade Cooltone RC added

2005 to today

• 2005
  • management buy out – HARMAN technology Limited trading as ILFORD PHOTO based at Mobberley, Cheshire, England.
  • new Cooltone and Warmtone Developers introduced
• 2007 HARMAN technology Limited acquires Kentmere Photographic Limited
• 2010 HARMAN Direct Positive Papers introduced
• 2011
  • ILFORD MULTIGRADE Art 300 paper launched.
  • HARMAN HOLO FX holographic plates introduced
  • HARMAN TiTAN 4×5 Pinhole Camera and ILFORD Pinhole Photography Kit introduced
• 2012
  • Black & White Single Use Cameras re-introduced
  •  35mm Cassette manufacture commenced at Mobberley, England
• 2013
  • HARMAN TiTAN 8×10 Pinhole Camera introduced
  • Obscura by ILFORD 4×5 Pinhole Camera introduced
• 2015 HARMAN technology/ILFORD PHOTO purchased by Pemberstone Ventures Ltd.

ILFORD Films

Kentmere Pan 100

Kentmere Pan 400

Ortho Plus

Delta 3200

HP5 Plus 400

Delta 400

XP2 400

SFX 200

FP4 125

Delta 100

PANF 50