Rationalization has Started

Premium Commentary & Analysis

Rationalization has Started

A recent news release announced that Kodak will close its Middleway,

By Andrew Tribute

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

A recent news release announced that Kodak will close its Middleway, W. Va. printing plate manufacturing plant by the end of the first quarter of 2006. The plant was part of Kodak's acquisition of Creo Inc. earlier this year. The decision to close this facility is a result of the product rationalization activities that Kodak is undertaking as a result of the company's recent acquisitions in the graphic communications market.

Kodak will discontinue the primary products manufactured at the plant, MIRUS and FORTIS thermal plates, ETERNUS conventional plates and all associated chemistry. These products will not be available after production and inventory are depleted.

Kodak will honor all existing customer contracts and does not anticipate any interruption in supply to customers. The company will work with customers to transition to a comparable Kodak thermal plate. Kodak anticipates that the bulk of customer transitions will occur no earlier than Q1 2006.

Continue reading your article
with a WhatTheyThink membership.

WhatTheyThink Annual Membership

Less than $4/week.

Get unlimited access to in-depth commentary and analysis covering the latest trends, emerging technologies, operational strategies, and key events across every segment of today's printing industry.

Stay informed. Stay competitive. Stay ahead.

WhatTheyThink Day Pass

$5 for 24 hours

Unlimited access to all of WhatTheyThink. Get your Day Pass

Already a member?

About Andrew Tribute

10 Things PSPs Should Consider Before Adopting Robotics: What You Need to Know to Begin the Journey

Why Highly Targeted Communications Make Digital Print Essential to Modern Marketing

Wide Format in 2026: How Technology Is Reshaping Competitive Advantage

Labels & Packaging in 2026: Turning Insight into Direction

Print, Digital, and Everything in Between

View Keypoint Intelligence Reports

Recent Articles from Andrew Tribute

Andy Tribute on Ipex

Andy Tribute joins us from retirement to discuss Ipex, his local industry trade show. He discusses the challenges faced by Informa and how they transformed the event from a product driven show to a content-based show. Read More

Landa Nanographic Printing – A New Approach for Printing?

Andy Tribute reviews the nanography printing process and where Landa is with commercial availability of its Nanographic presses. How the claimed advantages of Nanographic presses compare to modern sheetfed offset and liquid toner technology and inkjet systems from Canon/Océ, Xeikon and Konica Minolta. Read More

IPEX 2014 Review

The Ipex 2014 event in London was not one for major product introductions. The size of the event was much smaller than originally planned due to the withdrawal of many of the major suppliers. Highlights include Konica Minolta, FFEI, LumeJet, Scodix, Riso and others. Read More

IPEX – A New Approach for Trade Shows

Ipex 2014, which moved from Birmingham to London, was anticipated to be the key event for availability of the raft of new digital presses announced at drupa 2012. Unfortunately Ipex was hit with two major difficulties. First the printing industry did not appear to be recovering from the recession, and second almost none of the new products announced at drupa were going to be ready for release by March 2014. Read More

Offset – Technology for the Future of USA’s Printing!

Please excuse this article coming after my retirement last year and my statement that you had seen my last article. I am taking the opportunity given to me by Randy Davidson to write the occasional guest editorial if I see a subject that I feel needs my own ‘unique’ take. Read More