Package Printers Drive Adoption of KODAK Digital Prepress Solutions with Quest to Boost Efficiency, Improve Color Capability

Sales of KODAK THERMOFLEX Platesetters and KODAK PRINERGY POWERPACK Workflow Systems grew significantly in 2006, exceeding previous year totals by more than 40 percent, as package printers seek solutions to increase efficiency and improve color quality.

“The package printing industry is growing and competition is increasing. Our customers are facing business pressures such as condensed cycle times and increased focus on producing colorful packaging that grabs the consumer’s attention,” said Vic Stalam, Director of Market Segments and Vice President, Packaging Products, Kodak’s Graphic Communications Group. “To exceed these expectations and grow their businesses, these printers are turning to KODAK solutions such as the THERMOFLEX Platesetter and PRINERGY POWERPACK Workflow System to turn prepress into a controlled, digital manufacturing process.”

According to NAPL, productivity improvement in the printing industry has lagged the overall nondurable manufacturing sector, growing only half as fast. To grow revenue and increase profit, package printers are looking for consistent, stable, repeatable print that delivers high impact results on the store shelf.

The Robinette Company is a full service flexible packaging and specialty converting manufacturer committed to serving the food, beverage, construction, textile and healthcare markets. Located in Bristol, Tenn., The Robinette Company installed a THERMOFLEX Platesetter in mid 2005 to improve productivity.

“We were looking for a digital flexo plate device that offered the best print quality improvements. The THERMOFLEX Platesetter was the best we tested,” said Gene Martin, Manager, Graphics Division, The Robinette Company. “Adding the THERMOFLEX Platesetter has enabled us to improve the ROI of our printing business by reducing prepress turnaround time, bringing jobs up to color faster with clearer printing and less downtime for plate washing.”

The THERMOFLEX Platesetters, available in narrow, mid and wide formats, give printers and converters outstanding imaging quality and process control. All devices feature industry leading imaging systems, including KODAK HYPERFLEX Ready Imaging Technology for flexo, to deliver high impact, repeatable print results.

KODAK THERMOFLEX Hybrid Platesetters, available in narrow and mid formats, give printers outstanding flexibility to deliver high quality printing on a wide variety of substrates. The hybrid platesetters provide the flexibility to image offset, flexographic and letterpress plates, as well as film, all on one device. All devices feature industry leading imaging, including KODAK HYPERFLEX Ready Imaging Technology for flexo, to deliver high impact, repeatable print results.

With the purchase of the PRINERGY POWERPACK Workflow System and the THERMOFLEX Wide CTP Platesetter, Hood Packaging in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, is improving efficiency, reducing turnaround times and boosting quality. As a result, Hood Packaging can better meet the demanding needs of its customers.

“The PRINERGY POWERPACK Workflow System and THERMOFLEX Platesetter give us the ability to streamline our process while delivering high quality work,” said Gary Sutherland, General Manager, Hood Packaging, a market leader in the design and manufacture of packaging materials for more than 100 years. “After seeing these KODAK solutions in action at a local label printer, we were blown away by the technology and what it could do for the growth of our business.”

The PRINERGY POWERPACK Workflow System creates a predictable and reliable manufacturing process that automates steps, reduces errors and streamlines operations. The software delivers specialized packaging prepress tools needed to build and preflight packaging files. It also includes a job management feature to track jobs from receipt of files to proofing, approval and platemaking.

Kodak provides market leading technologies, products, services, and solutions for packaging printers, converters and trade shops of all sizes. KODAK packaging solutions help customers deliver high impact packaging and accurate brand colors—across all substrates, through any print process, anywhere in the world. Customers can access an integrated suite of KODAK products, including workflow software, digital color proofing systems, digital plate imaging and printing plates.

KODAK products are backed by KODAK Service & Support.KODAK Service & Support is made up of more than 3,000 professionals reaching more than 120 countries. It is a leading multi-vendor integrated services provider, delivering consulting, installation, maintenance and support services for the commercial printing, graphic communications, document imaging and data storage industries. KODAK Service & Support professionals are uniquely qualified to provide services that control costs, maximize productivity, and minimize business risk

About Eastman Kodak Company
Kodak is the world’s foremost imaging innovator. With sales of $10.7 billion in 2006, the company is committed to a digitally oriented growth strategy focused on helping people better use meaningful images and information in their life and work. Consumers use Kodak’s system of digital and traditional products and services to take, print and share their pictures anytime, anywhere; Businesses effectively communicate with customers worldwide using KODAK solutions for prepress, conventional and digital printing and document imaging; and Creative Professionals rely on KODAK technology to uniquely tell their story through moving or still images.

More information about Kodak (NYSE: EK) is available at http://www.kodak.com.

For more information about Kodak’s Graphic Communications Group, visit http://www.graphics.kodak.com. For downloading photos from Kodak’s image library, visit: http://www.kodak.com/go/gcg_images.