Calumet Photographic, which has stores across the globe, has announced that it will stop selling Leaf cameras and backs in all its territories and will instead focus solely on the distribution of Hasselblad products in the medium format market.
According to Calumet, the decision has been made following high–level talks with both Leaf and Hasselblad and will come into effect at the end of the month.
Joe Clark, Calumet MD, explaines: 'The decision has been taken to focus exclusively on one high-end supplier in the medium format marketplace – and we believe the Hasselblad solution best fits our strategic plans for the future in this segment.'
As part of the deal, Calumet will offer support and rental services to Hasselblad users. The retailer will also be 'working more closely with Hasselblad on a programme of promotional and marketing activity through 2009,' says Clark. This will start with a Hasselblad Week from 30 March that will see experts demonstrating Hasselblad’s H3D-II and Phocus software in Calumet stores across the country.
Calumet has already started writing to all its Leaf customers to explain its decision. 'We are fully committed to helping our Leaf users in any way we can in coming weeks and months,' says Clark. 'Leaf has appointed a new dealer and London-based Peartree Rental will be appointed our service and warranty partner when our commitment to Leaf concludes at the end of the month.'
The announcement did not come as a surprise to Leaf, according to Alex Granat, regional sales manager at Leaf Europe. 'We were in discussions to appoint our own UK dealer when Calumet made its decision,' he tells BJP. 'We’ve appointed Keyphoto to become the primary Leaf dealer in the UK.'
Keyphoto provides digital solutions, training and personal support to UK institutional buyers, imaging technicians and students.
Leaf has also announced that Peartree, which has been selling, renting and servicing Leaf cameras and backs for five years, will now provide support to all other Leaf customers. Peartree ‘will serve as the primary sales, service and support providers for all Leaf commercial photography customers in the UK,’ Leaf says.
Seth Greenberg, director of marketing at Leaf, adds that its relationship with Peartree worked better than with Calumet. 'It just wasn’t the right match,' he tells BJP. 'Our customers need close handling and a very specialised service. We’ve found that with Peartree.'
