KODAK and MAN Roland Combination Gives Newspapers Powerful Variable Data Tool for Late Breaking Content, Promotions and Contests

Kodak’s Newspaper 2.0 solutions extending newspapers’ communications strength

Rochester, NY.- Kodak and MAN Roland announced a combination of technologies today at IfraEXPO in Vienna, Austria, that brings on press digital inkjet printing at full speed to newspapers. The collaboration between Kodak and MAN Roland will allow newspapers to rapidly update late breaking news and sports headlines, while also facilitating customized zoned pricing for advertisers, and gaming applications for bingo and lottery contests.

“Kodak is bringing a variety of solutions to newspapers to increase their vitality for both readers and advertisers, while leveraging advanced technologies in new ways to reach wider audiences,” said H. Jack Knadjian, Vice President Publishing Market Segment, Kodak. “This alliance brings Kodak and MAN Roland technology together, enabling full speed of the press customization in a way that makes variable imaging newspaper printing possible.”

Kodak and MAN Roland have adapted the proven KODAK VERSAMARK DP6240 Printer so that it is capable of printing at 3,000 fpm on a MAN Roland COLORMAN newspaper press to add text, one dimensional and two dimensional barcodes, and images. The technology enables variable numbering or coding on any page of a newspaper, including internal pages of folded newspaper, to support a variety of news, advertising sales and promotional contest opportunities.

“Newspapers are looking for a greater level of on press flexibility. The addition of Kodak’s continuous inkjet capabilities to MAN Roland presses enables unique imaging at speeds that were previously not possible,” said Peter Kuisle, Executive Vice President of Sales, MAN Roland. “The goal is to give newspapers the ability to update editions on the fly and offer one to one marketing capabilities.”

The announcement with MAN Roland is part of a wider effort by Kodak to develop new technologies and uncover additional uses for existing technology so that newspapers are better able to compete in the evolving media market. Kodak’s Newspaper 2.0 program is aimed at using the speed advantages of continuous inkjet technology in ways that help newspaper printers enhance revenue and manage costs.

The KODAK VERSAMARK DS6240 Printing System, a 4.27 inch (10.84 cm) digital printing system, is an extremely flexible, variable data imprinting solution that is already in use for ticket, tag and label, direct mail, transactional printing, forms, packaging, and other commercial printing and spot color applications. It is ideal for personalization, graphics, addressing, barcoding and numbering.

“There is a synergy between various technologies across our portfolio that can be deployed by newspapers to take advantage of the strength of digital printing in producing highly personalized and short print runs in an economical manner,” said Knadjian. “Kodak wants to help our newspaper customers leverage digital technology with the ability of the Internet to both deliver information in a real time manner and create profit opportunities in everything from distribution to promotions. We continue to work on a variety of innovations to help accomplish this goal.”

“We believe in the power of newspapers and the effectiveness of print to reach consumers in ways and places that other types of media just cannot,” said Knadjian. “Kodak is focused on innovation, and the partnership with MAN Roland is just one indication of the types of customer focused solutions we are working on under Kodak’s Newspaper 2.0 program.”