Game over for Polaroid

published : Tuesday, February 12, 2008 | model : RICOH Caplio R7

Theme : Digital Photography | Compact digital camera

Polaroid is closing down its three last factories producing Polaroid film. This is the end of 70 years of a myth.

Ricoh Caplio R7 Digital Camera

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After 70 years, Polaroid is stopping producing instant film this year. I twill shut down the two remaining factories near Boston and the last one in Mexico. 150 workers will be fired which leads to a 50% job cut for Polaroid whose staff will mainly remain at the HQ in Concord (150 jobs). There are hopes the technology may be sold to a third party who would continue producing and selling Polaroid film so that Polaroid lovers could still use their Pola analog camera.

It is back in 1937 that a Young American aged of barely 20 years, has invented this revolutionary instant film. After record sales in the 60's and 70's, Polaroid started encountering problem when they contracted too heavy debts in order to gain a battle over an hostile competitor trying to buy them. Then, the company invested on other products without any success.

The future of the Polaroid brand is on Flat screen TVs and digital cameras on which products, the company will now focus. But we could also see a new range of color thermal compact printers sold by Polaroid under their own brand. Actually, Polaroid has settled an agreement with the innovative company called Zink "for Zero Ink" which has developed a printing technology with thermal color paper, without any ink or color film.