CHICAGO -- The commercial inkjet platform of the future is available today, as Kodak rapidly advances its breakthrough Stream Inkjet Technology. In commercializing the S10 Imprinting System, formerly referred to as the Stream Printhead, Kodak also announced it is branding all products using Stream Inkjet Technology under the KODAK PROSPER family name.

The new KODAK PROSPER S10 Imprinting System, the first product deploying Stream Inkjet Technology, is successfully installed at customer beta sites worldwide and is now commercially available. The monochrome continuous inkjet solution for inline digital printing on high-speed web devices delivers offset class, variable data printing with significant savings on production costs for direct mail, catalogs, magazines, newspapers, inserts, and transactional documents.

"The KODAK PROSPER S10 Imprinting System opens a new world of opportunity for the commercial print market," said Kevin Joyce, Worldwide Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Digital Printing Solutions, Kodak. "The PROSPER name captures the business opportunities Stream Inkjet Technology provides-new markets, more revenue, and better margins."

Kodak is now offering a unique new spot color matching service for the S10 Imprinting System that provides custom dye inks developed to match specific logo colors or corporate brand colors. The service will be available later this year and leverages Kodak's long history of imaging science expertise. The service allows commercial printers to expand their capabilities and add even more value for their clients.

The KODAK PROSPER S10 Imprinting System, which features flexible mounting options, integrates seamlessly with web offset presses and web finishing equipment to add variable data to offset printed materials. Operating at 1,000 fpm (305 mpm) with a resolution of 600 dpi, it allows users to print variable data inline, saving time and money over a traditional, two-step process that combines offset pre-printed forms and offline laser imprinting.

"For the many thousands of commercial print businesses around the world with web presses, installing KODAK PROSPER S10 Imprinting Systems inline is like putting a digital gas pedal on existing equipment," Joyce said. "With little change to their operations, the S10 Imprinting System opens new markets for variable data print in direct mail, catalogs, magazines, newspapers, inserts and transactional documents. As print's important role in multimedia evolves, Stream Inkjet Technology is exactly the right solution at the right time."

Early S10 Imprinting System Users Improve Efficiency and Gain Revenue

The KODAK PROSPER S10 Imprinting System is already operating at print businesses in the United States, Germany and England, and soon, China.

"The S10 Imprinting System enables us to offer our customers personalization with the quality of laser at the lower cost of inkjet. Our clients appreciate the quality advantages of this novel inkjet technology, such as higher resolution and significantly better rendering of details and gray levels," said Achim Groth, Production Manager, Finishing, at meiller direct in Schwandorf, Germany, one of Europe's leading providers of direct marketing services. "What's more, the new technology integrates seamlessly into our existing systems and we benefit from its high reliability in continuous operation."

With a print width of 4.16 inches (10.56 centimeters) and pigment-based inks that offer fade, scratch, and water resistance, the S10 Imprinting System increases throughput and eliminates the need for additional standalone print devices. In addition, output from the S10 Imprinting System achieves outstanding permanence with no additional coating needed.

Wilen Direct, which has installed four S10 Imprinting Systems, is outputting 80,000 pieces per hour, or 1.6 million pieces per day, on just one of its presses. "The shift occurring in the communications industry makes it tough to be a print-only provider. You have to be solutions- oriented," said Kevin Wilen, Executive Vice President, Wilen Direct. "We manage complex direct marketing programs from concept to execution. With the S10 Imprinting System we are able to produce Inline Letterpak pieces in a single process without the need for time-consuming laser and inserting steps. This technology lets us create full variable data print through our offset presses, and it does it three to four times faster than a traditional high-speed roll-to-roll system. As a result, we can move faster than ever while increasing quality."


Customers Invited to Become PROSPER Press Market "Pioneers" and "Leaders"

As Kodak's PROSPER Press with Stream Inkjet Technology advances ahead of schedule, the company is engaged with more than 50 customers worldwide to help them transition from their current printing processes to the PROSPER Press Platform. A full color continuous inkjet press using Stream Inkjet Technology will be available for customer installation in early 2010. At the PRINT 09 trade show in September, Kodak will update the market on plans for its PROSPER Press Platform.

Kodak is working with customers and prospects under two programs: PROSPER Press Market Pioneers and PROSPER Press Market Leaders. PROSPER Press Market Pioneers will be the first users of a PROSPER Press, with installation targeted between the first and third quarters of 2010. PROSPER Press Market Leaders are expected to go online starting in the third quarter of 2010. Both programs help Kodak customers successfully capitalize on the capabilities and market opportunities enabled by Stream Inkjet Technology.

"Customers can now engage with Kodak experts in their own production environments to formulate end-to-end solutions around the PROSPER Press Platform," said Joyce. "We collaborate on a complete solution spanning workflow, finishing, business model, and market acceptance of the final printed product. The Market Pioneer and Market Leader programs are another way Kodak is using its unmatched inkjet innovation and imaging science expertise to help customers."

To learn more about KODAK PROSPER, visit www.prosper.kodak.com. For more information about Kodak at PRINT 09, visit www.kodak.com/go/print09.

KODAK Products are backed by KODAK Service and Support. KODAK Service and 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 and Support professionals are uniquely qualified to provide services that control costs, maximize productivity, and minimize business risk.