The Silver Thread

Demand for photographic silver drops 1.2 percent; decline greatest in Europe
According to the World Silver Survey 2001, published by the Silver Institute, demand for silver in the photographic industry fell for the first time in eight years, by 1.2 percent, to 230.6 Moz (7,173 tons). The fall was greatest in Europe, down 6.4 percent, but demand also slipped by 2.5 percent in North America. In Japan, demand was up by 7.0 percent. Demand for silver in the United States was down largely because demand for photographic products was softer than expected, the report said. Average silver loadings in film declined, and some manufacturing of photographic products was moved abroad. The decline in exports and domestic demand accounted for a 75 percent fall in the production of photographic silver in Germany. Greater demand in the United Kingdom was not enough to offset declines in other parts of Europe. Demand for silver in Japan grew strongly despite a sharp drop in sales of silver halide cameras. The majority of printing from digital cameras is done on silver halide paper. There is high demand in the rest of the Asian region for consumer and X-ray film, and consumers are using more ASA200 and 400 film now, which use more silver.

InfoTrends predicts 18 percent digital camera penetration by year-end
InfoTrends Research Group, Boston, Mass., is predicting 18 percent of North American households will own digital cameras by the end of this year, as total digital camera ownership reaches 21 million units. For the entire year, InfoTrends predicts digital camera unit sales will reach 9.4 million, an increase of 55 percent over 2000, and nearly matching mass-market scanner unit sales