Kodak Enjoys Huge Success at IPEX 2010

Company unveils PROSPER 5000XL Press; new TRILLIAN SP Plates, Print Genius, FLEXCEL Direct System, and Print Practice Consultancy at the show

BIRMINGHAM, UK -- Leading print industry trade show, Ipex 2010, has been a huge success for Kodak. Highlights from the event included successfully launching the KODAK PROSPER 5000XL Press including a comprehensive paper strategy, generating a raft of KODAK NEXPRESS Digital Press sales, and showcasing industry experts in the K-Zone. Great interest was shown in KODAK TRILLIAN SP Thermal Plates, KODAK FLEXCEL System’s line of flexo solutions for package printing and KODAK Unified Workflow Solutions with new Print Practice Consultancy.

Delegates flocked to Ipex 2010 from around the world, establishing the exhibition as the most international business-to-business show in the UK. On the penultimate day of the event, visitor attendance stood at just under 50,000 from 135 countries.

Thousands of delegates visited the Kodak stand, where the Pipeline of Innovation, an interactive digital display, showed them the various applications enabled by Kodak products, and how the company’s latest innovations can help them improve operations and generate revenue.

Kodak launches industry-changing PROSPER 5000XL Press

Kodak unveiled new solutions at Ipex 2010. The most notable was the KODAK PROSPER 5000XL Press, which was unveiled officially on the first day at a packed press conference hosted by Antonio M. Perez, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Eastman Kodak Company.

Based on the innovative KODAK Stream Inkjet Technology, the PROSPER 5000XL Press delivers offset-class output with 100 percent variability, enabling print and marketing service providers to maximize production and supply chain efficiencies.

Kodak announced its comprehensive paper strategy for the KODAK PROSPER Press Platform, encompassing development programs with world-leading paper mills to produce paper optimized for inkjet printing; an in-line paper pre-treatment module for the PROSPER Press to allow the use of offset and existing inkjet paper stocks; and a paper certification program to help printers confidently and reliably select appropriate paper stocks for various applications.

The KODAK PROSPER S10 Imprinting System with process color capability also made its debut at Ipex.

Printers invest in KODAK NEXPRESS Presses

With the advanced systems demonstrating their extensive capabilities, it was no surprise that delegate interest soon turned into sales. A key feature of the NEXPRESS SE Platform is the Print Genius, a suite of customer solutions delivered through quality control tools and options for managing and maintaining peak quality throughout a production run.

The first ones signing up for Kodak’s well-reputed NEXPRESS Presses were UK-based printing companies Alito and Headley Brothers. Both invested in a KODAK NEXPRESS SE2500 Digital Production Color Press with Fifth Imaging Unit and new KODAK NEXPRESS Dimensional Printing System.

The NEXPRESS Press will be the first digital press installed at Alito, and will spearhead the company’s new digital department: “The array of personalization options offered by the NEXPRESS Press will help us meet customers’ variable data printing needs and create high-impact color documents, no matter how small or large the print run,” says David Collins, Managing Director at Alito.

Experts debate print industry issues at the Kodak K-Zone—Awards Give and Take

One of the highlights of Kodak’s stand was the K-Zone. Using a live talk-show set, it gave delegates the chance to hear from print industry experts, peers and marketing professionals on the trends driving the print industry. These lively, unscripted debates took place daily, and covered amongst others sustainability, workflow, profitability and social media—presented by experts like Frank Romano, Laurel Brunner, Chris Jordan, Jim Hamilton and many others.

All the K-Zone sessions were recorded and can be viewed at www.kodak.com/go/ipex by clicking the ”Video Gallery” tab.

In addition to hosting debates, the K-Zone was also the backdrop for presenting Kodak’s second annual Print Ambassador Lifetime Achievement Award. This year, the Rt. Hon. Lord Heseltine CH, Chairman, Haymarket Group Limited, landed the prestigious prize.

Kodak also picked up some prizes of its own—a coveted EDP Association Award. The company scooped the Best Production Cut-Sheet Colour (High Production) Award for its KODAK NEXPRESS SE3600 Digital Color Production Press.

Dan Gelbart, Creo founder and the father of modern CTP technology, was awarded with the prestigious Champion in Print Award during the Ipex Opening Ceremony. This Award issued by IRR acknowledges the huge contributions of those who have influenced and shaped the development of the printing industry

Great interest in new KODAK TRILLIAN SP Thermal Plates, KODAK FLEXCEL Systems and KODAK Unified Workflow Solutions with new Print Practice Consultancy

Visitors appreciated the KODAK TRILLIAN SP Thermal Plates for offset printers, the next revolution in high-performance no-preheat printing plate technology. Also KODAK Unified Workflow Solutions, which are solutions to help customers organize and manage their production processes, enjoyed a high attention level at Ipex. The newly introduced Print Practice Consultancy service helps customers identify and address the challenges in their individual environments, and deliver specific, targeted client solutions.

At Ipex, Kodak also announced the expansion of its flexo solution for package printing applications, adding the KODAK FLEXCEL NX Wide System, the KODAK FLEXCEL Direct System and the KODAK FLEXCEL SRX System.

John O’Grady, Managing Director, Europe, Africa and Middle East Region, and Vice President, Eastman Kodak Company, comments on Kodak’s Ipex 2010 experience: “Kodak came to Ipex 2010 to introduce a raft of innovative new products to help its customers grow their businesses. The response has been huge. The interest in our new Digital Printing Presses, Workflow and Flexo Solutions and Thermal Plates underline the excitement in the industry. Ipex 2010 exceeded all our expectations. The stand’s innovative and virtual design attracted thousands of visitors, and proved the perfect platform to build on our long-standing customer partnerships.”
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