Vision Globale Canada Joins Kodak Imagecare Program

Kodak Motion Picture Film Processing Laboratory in Montreal: Vision Globale is a newest member of the KODAK IMAGECARE Program and the first Canadian lab to be accredited by Kodak for this program. This is a quality program for motion picture film processing laboratories with member labs in 23 countries worldwide.

The KODAK IMAGECARE Program includes quality standards that assure member labs adhere to established practices with full documentation of procedures and calibration. Kodak works very closely with laboratory personnel to assure these standards are met and maintained.

In 2001, Vision Globale opened a small, independent boutique film laboratory to expand their range of services to the entertainment industry. They have now received KODAK IMAGECARE Program accreditation in Phase I, Camera Negative Processing operations, indicating to filmmakers that critical film handling techniques and quality processing standards are being maintained by the facility.

“Over the years, Kodak has been a great partner in the ongoing task of achieving consistency,” said Paul Dion, Director of Operations at the lab. “The Kodak Imagecare Program accreditation gives us credibility and instant recognition of our continuous commitment to the highest quality standards and assurance that all assets entrusted to us will be handled with the highest level of expertise. Throughout the process and right up to the final audit, we had the continuous support of Kodak. Our commitment to the highest-quality services has rewarded us with repeat business from enthusiastic filmmakers who count on us to bring their wildest projects to life. In a sense, the existence of a strong infrastructure is necessary to promote film as a superior medium.”

“We are delighted and proud to welcome Vision Globale as the first Canadian laboratory into the Program,” says Diane Carroll-Yacoby, worldwide manager of the KODAK IMAGECARE Program. “They are committed to excellence and delivering the best that film can offer a customer.”

For details on Vision Globale visit their website at www.visionglobale.com

Visit www.kodak.com/go/imagecare for further information on the KODAK IMAGECARE Program.

Kodak: Chapter 11 Business Reorganization

Eastman Kodak Company announced today that it and its U.S. subsidiaries filed voluntary petitions for chapter 11 business reorganization in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.

The business reorganization is intended to bolster liquidity in the U.S. and abroad, monetize non-strategic intellectual property, fairly resolve legacy liabilities, and enable the Company to focus on its most valuable business lines. The Company has made pioneering investments in digital and materials deposition technologies in recent years, generating approximately 75% of its revenue from digital businesses in 2011.

Kodak has obtained a fully-committed, $950 million debtor-in-possession credit facility with an 18-month maturity from Citigroup to enhance liquidity and working capital. The credit facility is subject to Court approval and other conditions precedent. The Company believes that it has sufficient liquidity to operate its business during chapter 11, and to continue the flow of goods and services to its customers in the ordinary course.

Kodak expects to pay employee wages and benefits and continue customer programs. Subsidiaries outside of the U.S. are not subject to proceedings and will honor all obligations to suppliers, whenever incurred. Kodak and its U.S. subsidiaries will honor all post-petition obligations to suppliers in the ordinary course.

“Kodak is taking a significant step toward enabling our enterprise to complete its transformation,” said Antonio M. Perez, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “At the same time as we have created our digital business, we have also already effectively exited certain traditional operations, closing 13 manufacturing plants and 130 processing labs, and reducing our workforce by 47,000 since 2003. Now we must complete the transformation by further addressing our cost structure and effectively monetizing non-core IP assets. We look forward to working with our stakeholders to emerge a lean, world-class, digital imaging and materials science company.”

“After considering the advantages of chapter 11 at this time, the Board of Directors and the entire senior management team unanimously believe that this is a necessary step and the right thing to do for the future of Kodak,” Mr. Perez continued. “Our goal is to maximize value for stakeholders, including our employees, retirees, creditors, and pension trustees. We are also committed to working with our valued customers.

“Chapter 11 gives us the best opportunities to maximize the value in two critical parts of our technology portfolio: our digital capture patents, which are essential for a wide range of mobile and other consumer electronic devices that capture digital images and have generated over $3 billion of licensing revenues since 2003; and our breakthrough printing and deposition technologies, which give Kodak a competitive advantage in our growing digital businesses.”

Mr. Perez concluded, “The Board of Directors, the senior management team and I would like to underscore our appreciation for the hard work and loyalty of our employees. Kodak exemplifies a culture of collaboration and innovation. Our employees embody that culture and are essential to our future success.”

Kodak has taken this step after preliminary discussions with key constituencies and intends to work toward a consensual reorganization in the best interests of its stakeholders. Kodak expects to complete its U.S.-based restructuring during 2013.

The Company and its Board of Directors are being advised by Lazard, FTI Consulting Inc. and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP. In addition, Dominic DiNapoli, Vice Chairman of FTI Consulting, will serve as Chief Restructuring Officer to support the management team as to restructuring matters during the chapter 11 case.

More information about Kodak’s Chapter 11 filing is available on the Internet at: www.kodaktransforms.com. 

Kodak will be filing monthly operating reports with the Bankruptcy Court and also plans to post these monthly operating reports on the Investor Relations section of Kodak.com. The Company will continue to file quarterly and annual reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which will also be available in the Investor Relations section of Kodak.com.

This document includes “forward–looking statements” as that term is defined under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

(c)2012 Eastman Kodak Company

Kodak Nexpress Photo Platform with Print Genius presented at Photokina 2010

Kodak presents its all-new Kodak Nexpress Photo Platform with Print Genius at Photokina 2010

Photo © Eastman Kodak Company

The all-new KODAK NEXPRESS Photo Platform with Print Genius is designed for the printing of high-quality photo products, whether these products originate on a desktop, online, on a Kodak Kiosk, or at a retail outlet like a KODAK EXPRESS store or retail partner. The solution is based on proprietary intellectual property and Kodak's expertise in image science, materials, digital technology, software and hardware.

The NEXPRESS Photo Platform features photo quality output and productivity for the production of printed photo products, including hard and soft cover photo books, calendars, greeting cards, 4x6 prints, magnets, and other photo products. Designed to deliver effects such as raised printing and matte or gloss coating, the NEXPRESS Photo Platform is a good solution for photo specialty printers, photo labs, commercial printers, and others who serve customers in the photo space.

The NEXPRESS Photo Platform is a complete solution that includes Kodak Creative Production Software for consumer photo products or Kodak Professional Digital Print Production Software (DP2) for professional labs. These software packages come preloaded with photo product templates such as photo books and calendars, and come with KODAK PERFECT TOUCH Technology algorithms for auto-correcting images for consistent, high-quality photographic products.

The solution includes a new KODAK NEXPRESS VI Photo Front End which enables class-leading RIP technology that optimizes processing to keep files moving to the press. This capability provides significant advantages in photo workflows where extreme productivity is needed to meet seasonal demand. The NEXPRESS VI Photo Front End also includes advanced photo screens and noise filter options.

Other features include new small particle-sized dry inks that increase quality and reduce ink usage, a new fifth imaging unit light black ink to optimize grain, a higher density black dry ink for darker blacks, a new Matte Fuser Roller option for a matte finish that enables smoother tones and less gloss, and the ability to print on longer sheets-up to 26 inches or 660 mm. Longer sheets enable larger book covers and more impositions per sheet for higher productivity (up to 131 ppm).

The second generation KODAK NEXPRESS Intelligent Calibration System (ICS) delivers consistently high quality that minimizes downtime and costs by minimizing parts replacement. The ICS is at the core of a closed-loop quality control system that maintains accurate color reproduction and increases image quality. In addition, the system uses industry-leading LED imaging heads, an inline scanner, and software based on Kodak's proprietary image science to allow for automatic color management while the press is printing.

Like all NEXPRESS Presses, the NEXPRESS Photo Platform is designed to reduce environmental impact. Prints are de-inkable using standard industry processes, and Dry Inks do not contain lead or phthalates above limits for children's products established by section 102 of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008.

Built on proven KODAK NEXPRESS Press technology with Print Genius, the new family of presses features a monthly duty cycle in excess of 4,000,000 pages and supports more than 600 different substrates. With longer sheets, the different models print at speeds of 91, 109, or 131 ppm.

Kodak Products are backed by Kodak Service and Support in about 120 countries. It is a multi-vendor integrated services provider, delivering consulting, installation, maintenance and support services for commercial printing, graphic communications, document imaging, data storage and retail industries. 

Kodak New General Manager, Worldwide Sales and Customer Operations

Eastman Kodak Company has named Gustavo Oviedo as General Manager, Worldwide Sales and Customer Operations. In that role he oversees worldwide sales and customer support for the company’s Consumer Digital Imaging and Graphic Communications Groups. Oviedo is a Kodak vice president.

Oviedo previously was Managing Director for Kodak’s Asia Pacific Region and Managing Director for the Graphic Communications Group for that region. He held the latter role since 2006, when Kodak acquired Kodak Polychrome Graphics (KPG).

“We have consolidated our sales and customer operations for Kodak’s digital businesses into one organization that presents a single face to the customer, maximizing our value proposition to customers,” said Philip J. Faraci, Kodak President and Chief Operating Officer. “Gustavo’s international career spans more than 25 years working in South America, Asia, Europe and North America, and he brings fluency in several languages to his interactions with our customers.”

Before joining Kodak, Oviedo, who will report to Faraci, worked for Schneider Electric in increasingly responsible positions managing logistics, sales and marketing, business development, and mergers and acquisitions. He holds a business degree from the University of Salvador in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

“I am looking forward to meeting our customers worldwide, as well as the opportunity to introduce others to the broad range of solutions offered by Kodak for consumer and commercial applications,” said Oviedo.

www.kodak.com