Photo chemistry manufacturer and supplier Tetenal Europe GmbH is reportedly set to close up shop after a prolonged search for new investors failed to secure its future. Under voluntary insolvency protection since last October, the German-based firm is set to complete its current production run and close its doors at the end of the financial year on April 1st, according to a report on the German imaging + foto contact website.
The closure could have serious consequences for the film processing industry as Tetenal manufactures chemicals under its own name as well as for many third party brands across Europe. It is also the main supplier of materials for the Kodak Express chain across the continent and the only supplier of consumables and service for Konica Minolta minilabs. It is also the distributor of Kodak Aerial Imaging Films and Chemicals in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
The company can trace its roots back to 1847 when drug wholesaler Theodor Teichgraber started distributing chemicals for wet collodion plates. Since then it has moved into the production of film chemistry for professional, high street and home users. It also has branched in to other chemical areas, such as agriculture, but has also become an important distributor for Epson, Eizo, Kodak and a range of inkjet and dye sub media.
The company had a change of management in April 2017 when Matthias Holder in 1960.
It isn’t clear at this stage how the closure of the Europe HQ will impact subsidiary companies in France, Poland and the UK. For more information see the Tetenal Europe GmbH website.
. dpreview.com2019-1-30 01:57