Eastman Kodak Company (‘Kodak’) focuses on global manufacturing of commercial print and advanced materials and chemicals.
The company has 79,000 patents. Kodak's products, combined with its customer-first approach, make it the partner of choice for commercial printers worldwide. Kodak is committed to environmental stewardship, including industry leadership in developing sustainable solutions for print.
Segments
Kodak’s operations are classified into three reportable segments: Print, Advanced...
Eastman Kodak Company (‘Kodak’) focuses on global manufacturing of commercial print and advanced materials and chemicals.
The company has 79,000 patents. Kodak's products, combined with its customer-first approach, make it the partner of choice for commercial printers worldwide. Kodak is committed to environmental stewardship, including industry leadership in developing sustainable solutions for print.
Segments
Kodak’s operations are classified into three reportable segments: Print, Advanced Materials and Chemicals, and Brand. The balance of Kodak’s continuing operations, which do not meet the criteria of a reportable segment, are reported in All Other and primarily represent the Eastman Business Park (EBP) operations.
Print
The Print segment consists of four lines of business: the Prepress Solutions business, the Prosper business, the Software business, and the Electrophotographic Printing Solutions business. Print segment products include digital offset plate offerings and computer-to-plate (CTP) imaging solutions, high-quality digital printing solutions using electrically charged toner-based technology, production press systems, consumables (primarily ink), inkjet components, software, and services. The Print segment serves a variety of commercial industries, including commercial print, direct mail, book publishing, newspapers and magazines, and packaging/labels. Print products are sold to customers through both a direct sales team, as well as indirectly through dealers and channel partners. Key competitors are Fuji, EC03, HP, Canon, Ricoh, and Screen. Products and services included in Kodak’s offerings are described below.
Prepress Solutions:
The Prepress Solutions business provides digital offset plate offerings and CTP imaging solutions.
The digital offset plate offerings include KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates. Instead of the traditional process in which a plate is run through processing equipment containing a solution of developer, chemicals, and water to set the image, KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates enable printers to set the image on the platesetter, then go directly to press. Processing variability is eliminated, so process-free plate users benefit from more consistent and stable plates. The solution is designed to be a much more environmentally friendly approach that could eliminate all processing chemicals, water, and excess energy and waste from the plate-making process. These plates are designed to deliver cost savings and efficiency for customers and promote environmental sustainability practices.
On September 1, 2019, Kodak established a strategic relationship with Lucky HuaGuang Graphics Co. Ltd (HuaGuang) in the People’s Republic of China. The relationship consists of an agreement under which Kodak sold its shares of the Kodak (China) Graphic Communication Co. Ltd. entity, which included the offset printing plates facility in Xiamen, China, and related assets and liabilities, to HuaGuang; a supply agreement for HuaGuang to help Kodak fulfill customer demand; and a license agreement under which Kodak licensed its plates technology, including its Sonora Process Free plates technology, to HuaGuang with the intent of expanding the plates market in China.
Prosper:
The Prosper business product offerings include PROSPER press systems and PROSPER components, based on KODAK’s Continuous Inkjet Technologies KODAK Stream and ULTRASTREAM, along with KODACHROME and KODAK EKTACOLOR Inks and KODAK OPTIMAX Primers. Examples include the PROSPER 7000 Turbo Press and the PROSPER ULTRA 520 Press, which is powered by ULTRASTREAM, Kodak’s 4th generation inkjet technology, which delivers exceptional quality at the fastest speeds, even on the most demanding jobs with heavy ink coverage on glossy and coated papers.
In addition to Kodak-branded presses, PROSPER print head components are integrated into original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partner products and systems. Applications include publishing, commercial print, direct mail, packaging, and décor. The modular and scalable design of print heads powered by the company’s ULTRASTREAM inkjet technology facilitates integration in print widths from 104 – 2500 mm (4’ – 98’) for applications on paper, film, plastic, and other substrates, expanding the footprint of inkjet printing to take on the challenges of a new age of digital printing.
Sales of PROSPER presses and components result in recurring revenue from sales of KODACHROME and KODAK EKTACOLOR Inks and KODAK OPTIMAX Primers and equipment service. The level of recurring revenue depends on the application for which the equipment is used, which drives the total number of pages printed and, therefore, the amount of ink usage. Kodak also generates revenue through the sale of other consumables, including refurbished jetting modules and service.
The Prosper business also includes KODAK VERSAMARK products, which are the predecessor products to the Prosper business. Kodak has ceased manufacturing VERSAMARK Press Systems. Users of KODAK VERSAMARK products continue to purchase ink and other consumables, as well as service from Kodak. Applications of the VERSAMARK products include publishing, transactional, commercial print, and direct mail.
Software:
The Software business offers a leading suite of solutions for print production workflow, including the PRINERGY workflow production software, by providing customer value through automation, web integration, and integration with other Kodak products and third-party offerings. Production workflow software is used by customers to manage digital and conventional print content from file creation to output. Production workflow software manages content and color, reduces manual errors, and helps customers manage the collaborative creative process. Kodak added its cloud-based PRINERGY On Demand Platform to its PRINERGY offerings in 2022.
The Software business includes digital front-end controllers, which manage the delivery of personalized content to digital presses while controlling color and print consistency.
Electrophotographic Printing Solutions:
NEXFINITY printers produce high-quality, differentiated printing of short-run, personalized print applications, such as direct mail, books, marketing collateral, and photo products.
Kodak ceased manufacturing of NEXFINITY printers effective December 2022. Kodak continues to offer ink and other consumables, as well as provide service to its installed base of printers.
Advanced Materials and Chemicals
The Advanced Materials and Chemicals segment consists of four lines of business: the Industrial Film and Chemicals business, the Motion Picture business, the Advanced Materials and Functional Printing business, and the IP Licensing and Analytical Services business. Kodak’s Advanced Materials and Chemicals products are distributed directly by Kodak and indirectly through dealers. Kodak Alaris, a professional and consumer still photographic film and chemicals customer, represented approximately 33% of total Advanced Materials and Chemicals segment revenues in 2024. Products and services included in Kodak’s offerings are described below.
The Advanced Materials and Chemicals segment includes the Kodak Research Laboratories, which conduct research, develop new products or new business opportunities, such as Kodak's growth initiatives of printed electronics, light blocking treatment for fabrics, and diagnostic test reagents, and file patent applications for its inventions and innovations.
The Advanced Materials and Chemicals segment also manages licensing of its intellectual property to third parties and is a supporting participant for any licensing of Kodak intellectual property to a third party. Kodak maintains a large worldwide portfolio of pending applications and issued patents.
Industrial Film and Chemicals:
Offers professional and consumer still photographic film, as well as industrial film, including films used by the electronics industry to produce printed circuit boards.
Includes related component businesses: Specialty Chemicals, Solvent Recovery, and Polyester Film. Specialty Chemicals include unregulated key starting materials (KSMs) for pharmaceuticals. Kodak intends to continue organic expansion of its KSM production and is exploring opportunities to further expand its pharmaceutical offerings. Specialty Chemicals also includes materials for batteries (e.g., electric vehicles (EV) and others) and specific functional materials for personal care products.
Offers specialty inks and dispersions to third parties.
Offers coating and product commercialization services; offerings include both pilot-scale and production scale roll-to-roll coating capabilities utilizing Kodak’s assets and know-how to commercialize and manufacture third-party products. This includes the growth initiative for coated substrates for components used in cell and battery pack assembly.
Motion Picture:
Includes the motion picture film business serving the entertainment industry. Motion picture products are sold directly to studios, external laboratories, distributors, and independent filmmakers.
Kodak motion picture film processing laboratories offer onsite processing services at strategic locations in the U.S. and Europe.
Advanced Materials and Functional Printing:
Advanced Materials develops solutions for component smart materials based on the materials science inventions and innovations from the research laboratories. There are multiple applications that Kodak contemplates addressing in this category, one of which is light blocking particles for blackout window treatments. Kodak has installed a production-scale machine to coat fabrics in Eastman Business Park, located in Rochester, NY. A second application is a specialized functional film being manufactured for use by a 3D printing customer. A third application is the process development work for launching Kodak’s diagnostic test reagents as preparation for the opening of a Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) facility within an existing building at Eastman Business Park to manufacture regulated pharmaceutical materials for healthcare applications.
Functional Printing concentrates on contract manufacturing, development partnerships, and/or licensing opportunities in very high-resolution micro-3D printing solutions, such as printed electronics, printed transparent heaters, and printed transparent antennas. Development partnerships may include non-recurring engineering payments for Kodak’s efforts to further develop such technologies into components or sub-systems for their products. Also, a portfolio of products is offered to enable others to utilize functional printing.
IP Licensing and Analytical Services:
Kodak actively seeks opportunities to leverage its patents and associated technology in licensing and/or cross-licensing deals to support both revenue growth and its ongoing businesses. While revenues from these licensing activities tend to be unpredictable in nature, this segment carries the potential for revenue generation from intellectual property licensing and new materials businesses. Kodak also provides a wide range of analytical services to external clients at competitive rates.
Brand
The Brand segment includes licensing of the Kodak brand to third parties. Kodak currently licenses its brand for use with a range of products, including digital, instant print, and 35mm film cameras, printing and scanning consumer use devices, eyewear, batteries, and apparel. Kodak intends to continue efforts to grow its portfolio of brand licenses to generate both ongoing royalty streams and upfront payments. Brand licensees use the Kodak brand on their own products and use their own distribution channels.
History
Eastman Kodak Company was founded in 1880 by George Eastman. The company was incorporated in 1901 in the state of New Jersey.