Fujifilm to close plant near Albany
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- April
- 2
Fujifilm U.S.A. Inc. is pushing ahead with plans to close a color processing plant in the Albany area that employs 193 workers.
The Japanese-based film giant, whose U.S. operations are based in Valhalla, filed the notice of the plant closing today with the New York State Department of Labor. The plant closing comes at a time when the company has faced sharp declines in its traditional film business as a result of consumers shifting their picture taking from film-based cameras to digital cameras.
The plant is expected to close by July 1.
“Fujifilm has for some time been consolidating wholesale photofinishing operations due to the shift from film processing to digital imaging,” the company said in an e-mail statement. “As this market-wide transition continues to take place, we are able to meet our customers’ needs more efficiently with fewer, strategically located facilities.”
Fujifilm has operated the plant in the Albany suburb of East Greenbush for nearly a decade, according to the Associated Press.
Morningstar said that the outlook for Fujifilm is “dim,” partly because the company has lagged behind the competition in develpoing the digital camera market as the successor to its film franchise.
“With tough industry conditions and no clear strategy of how to address them, it’s no surprise that Fuji’s imaging business is faltering,” a Morningstar research report said.
Fujifilm did not respond to requests for additional comment.
This entry was posted
on Thursday, April 2nd, 2009 at 4:07 pm by Jay Loomis.
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Category: Layoffs
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