According to this post from Ilford/Harman on APUG, Ilford will not assume production of Polaroid’s discontinued black and white peel-apart/pack films:
Dear All,
I have been out for a few days and several of you have sent me PM’s re POLAROID : Please see below :
April 18th, 2008, Mobberley, Cheshire UK and Minnetonka, MN, USA — HARMAN technology Limited and its monochrome brand, ILFORD Photo and Polaroid Worldwide have been in discussions about ILFORD Photo taking on production of Polaroid’s black and white professional instant sheet film. Despite their best efforts, together the prospective partners have determined that they can not find a commercially viable way forward.
HARMAN’s Chairman and Managing Director, Phil Harris said. "The processes involved in the manufacture and assembly of professional instant sheet film products are very demanding and it would require substantial investment to re-establish them at HARMAN technology’s site in Cheshire, England. When compared with current and projected sales for the products, it was clear that such an investment could not be justified."
Phil Harris continues: "While we had hoped to work together on continuing the production of instant sheet film, it is cost prohibitive to meet the declining demand. As a company, we are saddened that such an inspirational form of expression will disappear, but we will always remain staunchly committed to the long term future of monochrome photography in all its facets and we will continue to do everything we can to support it".
Simon ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited
I’m not worried. Fuji’s FP-100B and FP-3000B are drop-in replacements for Polaroid’s ISO 100 and 3000 black and white pack films, and they’re cheaper! And personally, I like them better anyway. (Fuji also has an ISO 100 color pack film, FP-100C. Same goes: still available, cheaper, and IMO nicer. It’s the loss of Polaroid’s integral films, 600 and Spectra/779 that I’m crying over.)
the film they were looking at is the film i don’t even use so it doesn’t affect me directly. but like you i’m sad over the loss of 600 film. i’ve decided i’m going to break down and pick up a fuji instax camera and see how i like that. sadly, my polaroid 450 seems to be having problems.:(
Even though I’m not as into the panoramic aspect ratio, I’ve been thinking Instax, too, but film seems totally unavailable in the US. Go figure.
I hope you can get your 450 back into shape!
I bought two packs of the Fuji b/w to play with – I’m glad to hear you like it. I’m happy to still be able to make prints from slides, but no more 779 is like losing a finger or two.
Yeah, no kidding. 600, too; I’m totally in love with the SLR680. :(