Rochester, N.Y. - With the opening of a new offset plate finishing and packaging operation at its facility in Brazil, Kodak will greatly enhance its ability to serve local customers quickly and efficiently. The new digital offset plate finishing and packaging operation will leverage existing Kodak infrastructure to address the growing demands of the local Latin America Regions' markets.

The local finishing capability means that Kodak will cut, stock and supply any size digital offset plate that is required without having to order new sizes from the U.S.A. or Europe. In addition, local operations enable lower costs and improved customer service, while reducing overall delivery times and increasing customer satisfaction.

"Digital offset plate demand in the Latin America Region is strong and growing rapidly. Our customers need fast, flexible and reliable service that meets their production needs and keeps their presses running with quality and consistency," noted Gilberto Farias, Managing Director, Latin America Region, South Cone, Kodak. "This is a first step in moving our offset plate manufacturing closer to our Latin America customers and will help us to be more competitive by responding quickly to their varying needs."

As a leading worldwide supplier of digital offset plates, Kodak offers solutions for commercial printing, publishing, and newspapers. Customers in Brazil and the greater Latin America Region now have broader access to plate sizes and quantities, and can respond more quickly to unexpected rises in demand as work volume increases. This new presence offers Brazilian and Latin American print service providers and graphic dealers a strong alternative to the existing local suppliers.

"Brazil and the greater Latin America Region represent a significant growth opportunity for Kodak. This investment will better position Kodak to be a leading supplier to this dynamic growth marketplace," said Doug Edwards, General Manager, Prepress Solutions and Vice President, Kodak. "We understand how important it is to know that you can count on your supplier to be there for you as your business grows. Kodak is excited about the future in Brazil and the greater Latin America Region and is committed to being a true partner to our rapidly growing base of customers in that area."