ILFORD Press Release

As the 10 million dollar investment programme in the ILFORD Swiss manufacturing site reaches its final stages, ILFORD looks back over an eventful year and towards a rosy future.

Marly, Switzerland, 30 October, 2006 – the future of ILFORD, a major player in the development and manufacture of photo quality media for inkjet printing and photographic processes, has never looked better. Following the overwhelming success at this year’s Photokina and the launch of several exciting new inkjet products, ILFORD is now in the final stages of part one of its expansion programme currently underway in Switzerland. Part two of the investment programme will begin in early 2007.

The manufacturing site in Marly, Switzerland – where the world-renowned ILFORD branded GALERIE paper is made – produces over 100 different types of inkjet photo media and professional colour photographic media. With over 400 employees, the site makes enough coated paper per year to encircle the world once over! Thanks to Oji’s backing, ILFORD has further advanced its technological capabilities and its coating processes resulting in increased capacity and a streamlined converting and packaging operation. Furthermore, ILFORD has invested in several strategic R&D projects combining the strength, market knowledge and experience of Oji and ILFORD: from the tree plantation and the manufacture of paper pulp in Japan to the complicated coating and finishing process in Switzerland. Today ILFORD can provide the market with a highly advanced A-Z solution.

“I’m delighted to see how ILFORD is thriving since Oji’s acquisition in 2005”, said Dai Jones, Managing Director of ILFORD. “This demonstrates how well established the ILFORD name is in the Imaging market. With the ongoing dedication of its customers and the backing from Oji, the company will continue to build on its legacy, ensuring its performance meets the requirements of tomorrow’s marketplace”, he concluded.

“The continuous drive of ILFORD to improve product performance was just one of the key reasons that we acquired all the assets of ILFORD Imaging Switzerland GmbH in 2005”, said Kimiyoshi Uranishi, the CEO of ILFORD Imaging Switzerland GmbH. He went on to say, “We are heavily investing in the company’s manufacturing facilities in Switzerland as we believe ILFORD has a strong future in the development and production of inkjet and colour products. This strategic alliance will help position us as the leading worldwide manufacturer of photographic quality media”, he added.

About Oji Paper Group
Founded in 1873, Oji Paper Group is the largest pulp and paper manufacturer in Japan and one of the ten biggest in the world. Today the company owns 33 mills worldwide, primarily in Japan, and employs over 18,600 people, producing some 8.1 million tonnes of paper per year.

Oji Paper’s core mission is to provide a reliable and stable supply of high-quality paper products by combining good business practices with strong ethics. The company has become increasingly active in protecting and preserving the world’s natural heritage and has developed a sustainable recycling-oriented business model based on the twin principles of “forest recycling” and “paper recycling”.
For more information on Oji Paper, please visit http://www.ojipaper.co.jp/english/

About ILFORD
Founded in 1879, ILFORD is a leading player in the development and manufacture of photo quality media for both inkjet printing and photographic processes.
ILFORD Imaging Switzerland GmbH., the manufacturing operation, together with the ILFORD world-wide Digital Imaging and Colour Photo businesses, has been owned by OJI Paper, Japan, since July 2005. ILFORD now operates as a fully owned subsidiary within OJI’s Communications Paper Division, enabling the ILFORD capabilities to run all the way from raw paper through to the highly sophisticated product design and manufacturing processes incorporated in the end product made in Switzerland.
The ILFORD Black and White Photo business, including the UK Manufacturing facility, was acquired by HARMAN technology Limited. Trading as ILFORD Photo, HARMAN is licensed to use the ILFORD brand in association with traditional Black and White silver halide products only.

The ILFORD name is well established in the history of Imaging and today it continues to be associated with cutting edge technology thanks to its strong R&D, technical know-how and manufacturing capabilities.
For more information on ILFORD, please visit www.ilford.com