NEWS OF THE MICROFILM INDUSTRY
JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 1987 No 3
Is there such a thing as coincidence? The Micrographics Market Place was originally conceived and brought into being because there was considered to be a complete absence of a publication aimed at the people who actually use microfilm, rather than use outside services or buy the equipment for someone else to use. The publications in the microfilm area tended to be more interested in optical disk and the future evolution of microfilm, rather than its day-to-day use and the practical ^Pmirements of the actual equipment users. The various journals appeared to allow their microfilm side to become thinner and thinner with each edition and their optical disk side thicker and thicker. Optical disk was in; Microfilm was out; and that was the way of the world. Perhaps our lead article in the first edition “ Who’s afraid ot optical disk” had a larger effect in the market place than we expected. All the latest versions of these other magazines have now beefed up their microfilm side considerably - even name changes have taken place. In the Microfilm Industry the potential customers, and the potential suppliers of these customers, have at last realised that microfilm is not dying. The bread and butter side is expanding nicely both through equipment purchased and the use of service bureaux. The much feared optical disk, CAR, etc., rather than killing microfilm seem to be opening up new areas of expansion for it. Everyone in the industry now has confidence to go ahead. There are other factors within the market place that show ^fe'se changes of thought and concept. In this edition you will articles concerning Bell & Howell selling their COM manufacture and reader manufacture divisions (with Xidex buying the reader manufacture division) there is also information about Microgen increasing its investment in COM and Laser printing. Perhaps one of the most interesting comments from Mr. Gerald Schultz, Bell & Howell’s Vice President, was that the archival microfilm business is maturing. There is no doubt that the microfilm industry in the UK and Europe was pioneered by the likes of Kodak, 3M, Agfa and Bell & Howell. These days however, because they have increased the market to a reasonable size, smaller less capitalised firms can encroach on the areas which were, until recently, the sole preserve of the big multinationals. Most of these major manufacturers are looking very closely at what section of the market they are going to be in and how they are going to sell within it. The biggest question they seem to be trying to answer is: Should we sell direct, through dealers or a combination of the two? The Micrographics Market Place firmly believes that the market is becoming mature, there is plenty of space for small and medium size companies and this must be to some extent at the expense of the big multinationals. The big boys seem to See Pages 4 and 5 for INFO’87 Preview The Micrographics Market Place
like to be in areas which require large amounts of financial investment where they are only competing with other large organisations with the same overhead structures as themselves. Because of these huge overheads they can never compete financially, where large financial investment is not required, with a small or medium sized company which has a much lower overhead structure. The other area of contention is whether the market place is maturing and growing or stagnating and getting smaller. The acknowledged result of either course is increased competition. That the market place has in plenty. The editor will be pleased to receive editorial material that can express other opinions on any of the items mentioned above. We feel that knowing where the market place actually is, and where it is likely to go, is of vital importance to everybody in the industry. The more people who express their points of view (whether right or wrong) the better able we will be to chart our course into the future.
Now you CAN take it with you! A new concept in Fiche Filing
These new "Fiche Files" act as a base unit for most Microfiche Readers holding up to 160 fiche (105 x 148mm). The units make it simple to keep the fiche, with the Reader, dean and easily accessible. There are three versions. The first one neatly sits under the Reader and can be used as and when required, the second has a locking device which means that at the end o f the day the unit can be locked up for security. It also turns the unit into a carrying case so that the Fiche can be carried anywhere - ideal for service engineers or the executive who takes work home. The third variation has a built-in turn table so that the Fiche file, with the Reader on top, can be swivelled round for convenience. The units can be stacked on top o f each other, thus increasing the amount o f Fiche available to the Reader. The price o f the standard unit is £51.00 with £5.10 extra for a lock and £8.30 for the built-in turn table.
Tel Nuneaton (02031 383998 381196 Telex 311603 Genneg
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