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.

View Index

ILFORD Films