KODAK TO SHOW INKJET AND OFFSET AT DRUPA

At drupa in two months’ time, Kodak will showcase its digital technology and traditional print solutions, all designed, it says, to help printers increase productivity and profitability.

The Kodak Prosper ultra 520 Press, powered by Kodak Ultrastream Continuous Inkjet Technology, will take center stage at Kodak's booth A02-2 in Hall 5. Driven by the Kodak 900 Print Manager and integrated with the Kodak Prinergy Workflow Platform, the high-speed press will be demonstrated with newly launched versatile Kodak manufactured pre and post finishing solutions.

During drupa, the Prosper Ultra 520 Press, which uses Kodachrome Inks, will be printing various high-quality applications at full production speeds of up to 152mpm on a range of substrates live every day, highlighting new business opportunities printers can pursue with Kodak continuous inkjet.

Debuting at drupa will be the new wide-width Kodak Prosper imprinting solutions for hybrid packaging and commercial print applications. This inkjet innovation can be integrated into offset, flexo and gravure presses, as well as postpress and converting systems for what Kodak says is flexible, high-quality digital imprinting of custom packaging, security, and commercial print applications. Kodak's imprinting technology enables printers to enhance their existing analogue equipment with flexible digital capabilities and offer value-added services to their customers.

The Kodak Prinergy Platform will play an important role at Kodak's booth, as it provides a single, integrated and future-proof workflow solution that consolidates production across digital and analogue printing processes. The Prinergy Platform is compatible with virtually all third-party software and equipment and connects with the broadest range of digital presses. It can act as the central hub of a smart print factory enabling centralised management of jobs using an intuitive interface to create, submit, manage and quality control jobs. Show attendees will be able to learn more about the new Prinergy version 11.0, which has just been announced.

Visitors to Kodak’s booth can also experience Kodak Prinergy Business Solutions, a fully integrated MIS/ERP, e-commerce and collaboration software solution that Kodak says is seamlessly compatible with any workflow solution. Powered by Prinergy and backed by Microsoft Azure, Kodak has combined print-specific software applications into a single integrated solution.

Additionally, the Kodak team will showcase the cloud-based Kodak Prinergy Access content management solution, which combines Prinergy’s high-performance automation and customer portal tools with the versatility of connectivity to any digital press and any on-premise workflow.

Kodak is also committed to driving continued innovation in offset printing. This year, the company is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its line of Kodak Sonora Process Free Plates. According to Kodak, Sonora Plates can reduce costs in both prepress and the pressroom and improve sustainability without compromising quality or productivity.

Industry partner Koenig & Bauer (Hall 16/A31-1 – A31-5) will be using Kodak Sonora Process Free Plates for printing a wide range of applications on its Rapida Presses during the show. At Koenig & Bauer, a Kodak Magnus Q800 Platesetter with T-Speed Plus (up to 84 B1 plates per hour) and a Multi-Pallet Loader will image Sonora Plates. Kodak claims the Magnus Q800, is the industry’s fastest 8-up CTP system. It will be driven by Prinergy Workflow Software.

Komori Corporation (Hall 15/E02) and Ryobi MHI Graphic Technology (RMGT, Hall 16/E11) will also run live print demonstrations on sheetfed offset presses with Sonora Plates. In addition, Kodak will unveil further product innovations in offset solution categories at the show.

“With our presence at drupa 2024, we will demonstrate our commitment to innovation across our complete portfolio of both traditional and digital solutions. At the Kodak booth, printers will learn how Kodak can help make their business more efficient and profitable,” stated Jim Continenza, executive chairman and chief executive officer, Kodak. “For being able to serve their customers comprehensively and be successful in the market, printers today need both innovative digital technology and modern, highly automated solutions for traditional offset. That’s exactly what Kodak offers them from a single source.”