Jobo

JOBO is a German manufacturer and supplier of analog photography laboratory equipment, based in Gummersbach, North Rhine-Westphalia. Founded in 1923 by Johannes Bockemühl, the company has remained family-owned and is now led by the third generation, Johannes Bockemühl-Simon. Its name is closely associated with the "JOBO tank," a plastic developing tank for roll and 35mm film that allowed photographers and labs to develop black-and-white film themselves, and with the modular system of developing tanks and rotation processors that followed. JOBO's product range today centers on analog film processing: developing tanks and drums (including the Expert Drum for large-format sheet film, developed and patented in the 1980s), rotation processors such as the CPP and CPE series, and a full line of chemistry for C-41 color negative, E-6 color positive, ECN-2 motion-picture, and black-and-white processes. The company also sells darkroom accessories, the Chamonix large-format camera line (which it represents in Europe), fine-art printing supplies such as the artisan PLATINUM printer and ILFORD Platinum Solution, and JOBO-branded merchandise. Under the "Jobo artisan" label, launched in 2015, it runs workshops to pass on the know-how of analog photographers and fine-art printers. JOBO's reputation rests on reliability, professionalism, and innovation in the photo industry. NASA photographs of the first crewed Moon landing (Apollo 11, 1969) were developed with JOBO equipment, a fact the company highlights as proof of its role in analog photography history. The transition from analog to digital photography hit the business hard; before digital took over, JOBO employed more than 100 people in Gummersbach and the United States, whereas by 2020 it reported annual revenue of roughly 650,000 euros with just under 10 employees. The company was converted into a stock corporation (AG) in 2002, which was dissolved in 2010; Johannes Bockemühl-Simon then founded today's Jobo International GmbH, refocusing on the analog photography niche. Today JOBO positions itself as a specialist for optimal film development, serving photographers, labs, and fine-art printers worldwide. Its slogan, "analog passion since 1923," and its stated mission to help customers create the best possible image from analog film material reflect a deliberate concentration on the analog niche rather than mass-market digital imaging.

Jobo was founded in 1923 by Johannes Bockemühl in Gummersbach, Germany. According to the company's own account, Bockemühl wanted to develop photographs but had no darkroom available, which led him to develop the JOBO tank — a developing tank that allowed photographers and labs to process black-and-white film themselves. Production began in the basement of the family home and later expanded into two additional buildings on the company grounds in Gummersbach-Derschlag. In 1960, Johannes Jürgen Bockemühl joined the company and took it to the worldwide market. Among other advances, rotation development was automated, and JOBO became a competent brand in the photo industry. The company's equipment was used to develop NASA photographs of the first crewed Moon landing, Apollo 11, in 1969 — a milestone the company still cites as evidence of its role in analog photography history. In the 1980s, JOBO developed and patented the Expert Drum for large-format photography, extending its tank system to sheet film. The shift in photography technology from analog to digital hit the company hard. Before digital photography took hold, JOBO employed more than 100 people in Gummersbach and the United States. In 2001, the third generation entered the business with Johannes Bockemühl-Simon, and the company also turned toward digital technology and introduced OEM products. In 2002, Jobo was converted into a stock corporation (Aktiengesellschaft), but that entity was dissolved in 2010. Johannes Bockemühl-Simon subsequently founded today's Jobo International GmbH as a company focused on the analog photography niche. Since 2015, the company has offered a workshop program under the "Jobo artisan" name to pass on the expertise of analog photographers and fine-art printers. It also represents the large-format camera manufacturer Chamonix in Europe. By 2020, according to company figures, Jobo generated annual revenue of roughly 650,000 euros with just under 10 employees, a sharp contrast to its pre-digital scale. The company continues to describe itself as a family business in its third generation, headquartered at Kölner Straße 58a in 51645 Gummersbach, and markets itself with the slogan "analog passion since 1923." Its current catalog spans developing tanks and drums, rotation processors such as the CPP and CPE series, chemistry for C-41, E-6, ECN-2, and black-and-white processes, darkroom accessories, Chamonix cameras, fine-art printing supplies, and JOBO-branded merchandise.

• 2020

  Company reports annual revenue of roughly 650,000 euros with just under 10 employees.

• 2015

  Jobo launches the "Jobo artisan" workshop program to pass on analog photography and fine-art printing expertise.

• 2010

  The stock corporation is dissolved; Johannes Bockemühl-Simon founds today's Jobo International GmbH focused on the analog photography niche.

• 2002

  Jobo is converted into a stock corporation (Aktiengesellschaft).

• 2001

  Third generation Johannes Bockemühl-Simon joins the business; the company also turns toward digital technology and introduces OEM products.

• 1980

  JOBO develops and patents the Expert Drum for large-format sheet film photography.

• 1969

  NASA photographs of the Apollo 11 first crewed Moon landing are developed with JOBO equipment.

• 1960

  Johannes Jürgen Bockemühl joins the company and leads it to the worldwide market; rotation development is automated.

• 1923

  Jobo founded by Johannes Bockemühl in Gummersbach, Germany; production begins in the basement of the family home.

Specialist and premium provider of analog photography lab equipment and chemistry, emphasizing reliability, professionalism, and innovation; "analog passion since 1923."

• JOBO Tank

  Plastic developing tank for roll and 35mm film, enabling both manual (inversion) and rotation development; the company's best-known product.

• JOBO Expert Drum

  Developing drum for large-format sheet film, developed and patented in the 1980s.

• JOBO CPP / CPE processors

  Rotation processors for film development; the CPP and Expert Drum were used by photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto for his Seascapes series.

• Colorprocessor CPE-3 with Lift Kit

  Color processor model listed in the current product catalog.

• JOBO chemistry line

  Developers and chemistry for ECN-2, C-41 color negative, E-6 color positive, and black-and-white processes, including LAB Kit M.

• Chamonix C45H-1 4x5" analog camera

  Large-format camera from Chamonix, which Jobo represents in Europe.

• artisan PLATINUM printer and ILFORD Platinum Solution

  Fine-art printing equipment and chemistry offered in the Digital Pro Line / fine-art range.

• JOBO merchandise

  Branded items such as notebook, thermos flask, and water bottle.

1. 1JOBO - Fotolaborzubehör seit 1923jobo.com
2. 2Wir über unsjobo.com
3. 3JOBO schreibt analoge Photographie-Geschichtejobo.com
4. 4Jobo – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
5. 5Jobo – Wikidatawikidata.org