Eastman Kodak, Graphic Communications Group

ROCHESTER, N.Y.—Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE: EK) today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Creo Inc. (NASDAQ: CREO, TSX: CRE), a premier supplier of prepress systems used by commercial printers worldwide. Based in Vancouver, Canada, Creo is the world's No. 1 provider of workflow software used by printers to manage efficiently the movement of text, graphics and images from the computer screen to the printing press. By adding Creo to its already impressive line-up of digital and traditional printing products and solutions, Kodak's Graphic Communications Group (GCG) reinforces its status as a leading industry participant able to provide customers with

FORT LEE, N.J.—Sun Chemical Corporation today announced that Eastman Kodak Company will become the sole owner of graphic arts supplier Kodak Polychrome Graphics (KPG) through redemption of Sun Chemical Corporation's 50 percent interest in the joint venture. Completion of the deal, which will exceed $800 million in cash, is expected in April. Currently, Kodak and Sun Chemical each own half of KPG, a joint venture established in 1998. "Since its inception, KPG has grown into a highly successful leader in the graphic arts market based on a sound strategy and a world-class team, and is highly valued by both partners," said

Innovative™ Creative Packaging Solutions combines a drive for perfection with state-of-the-art packaging design, printing, and converting. The result is an advanced one-stop folding carton shop. INNOVATIVE™ CREATIVE PACKAGING Solutions lives up to its name. For the past 20 years, the South Plainfield, N.J. company has been on the cutting-edge of high-quality folding carton design, printing, and converting. Led by President/Chief Executive Officer Shawn Smith, Innovative has taken a progressive approach towards producing defect-free folding cartons. With a willingness to invest in new, state-of-the-art equipment and a business philosophy of "Do it right the first time!," Innovative has become a prominent player in producing folding

Even with computer renderings aiding in early packaging evaluations, it's important not to overlook the sense of touch. YOU ARE PARTICIPATING in a specifications meeting during the early phase of a new package's lifecycle—its birth, from concept to idea. But do ideas always look better on paper? Change the term "paper" to substrate and add a three-dimensional flavor and Rob Wallace, managing partner of New York-based Wallace Church, would say, "absolutely." Wallace is on the front lines of taking a package concept to maturity—from the glimmering imagination crafted by zealous marketing professionals, to a carefully designed concept that can stand on its own

Advanced Prepress Graphics Flexo prepress tradeshop producing Cyrel high-definition flexo plates and film. Visit www.flexoprepress.com Agfa Offers the Thermostar P970-ideal for VLF applications-and the Thermostar P971 thermal imaging plate. Visit www.agfa.com ANDERSON & VREELAND Complete selection of digital prepress systems and conventional photopolymer plate processors and plate mounters. Platemaking materials include a broad range of solvent and water-wash sheet photopolymer, liquid photopolymer, rubber compounds, matrix and accessories. Visit andersonvreeland.com BASF Corp. Offers full line of nyloflex®, nyloprint® photopolymer printing plates, platemaking equipment for flexographic, letterpress, gravure applications; and K+E inks for sheetfed, web offset printing. Visit basf.com/printingsystems Beta Industries The Betaflex 334

With benefits stemming from the improved quality of digital plates, CtP for flexo is making its presence known. by Tom Polischuk, Editor-in-Chief WITH COMPUTER-TO-PLATE (CtP) technology for flexographic printing nearing its pre-teen years, its benefits are having a significant impact throughout the industry. These benefits are derived from the elimination of film and the on-press efficiencies stemming from improved quality plates. Frances Cicogna, packaging segment marketing manager for Agfa, points out a major difference between the current state of CtP for flexo vs. CtP for offset. "Computer-to-offset is a direct-image process in which the plate is exposed via the laser. Computer-to-flexo uses a digital

A 10-color press with UV capability has provided QC Packaging Systems with the tools it needs for high-quality work. by Tom Polischuk Growing pains! That's a problem most companies would just love to have right now. For QC Corporation, it's a good hurt. QC Corporation is a major North American manufacturer of bulk and consumer entertainment media products for brands such as Memorex, Fuji, Maxell, Sony, JVC, Kodak, and Radio Shack. The company has experienced a high growth cycle over the past three years due to the explosion of demand for optical media, such as CD/CDRs, DVDs, and DVD-Rs. This business growth came

These products and companies were the most sought-after in 2002 by packagePRINTING readers. Top 10: Prepress Equipment 1. Creo—PDF-based packaging workflow Prinergy Powerpack, copydot scanning systems, film imagers, and CtP devices 2. Agfa—Workflow and color management systems including the AgfaScan XY-15 Plus, Sherpa 43 Inkjet system, and Lithostar plates 3. Kodak Polychrome Graphics—Offers Digital and conventional plates, film, and proofing and color technologies including the Kodak Approval XP unit 4. BASF—Offers Nyloflex® and Nyloprint® equipment combinations for processing photopolymer flexo and letterpress plates and sleeves 5. MacDermid—Broad range of sheet, liquid, digital, and water-wash photopolymer plates, platemaking equipment, sleeves,

Can the industry adopt a common language for the approval process? by Terril McConnell, Prepress Editor In his national best seller, "Cultural Literacy, What Every American Needs to Know," author J. D. Hirsch argues our society may be suffering from a serious "failure to communicate." Not that we lack the means. The problem, proposes Hirsch, is that we don't necessarily know what to say to one another when we do connect. Hirsch explains public school systems have de-emphasized rote learning, the 3Rs, and literary classics in favor of more innovative and individualized studies on everything from basket weaving to brake shoes, graduating several generations

Here's what Digital Asset Management (DAM) really means, and how your shop can find its place in it. by Susan Friedman, Editor When it comes to pursuing Digital Asset Management (DAM), the challenge for our industry is two-fold: Converters and trade shops must first determine their place in the overall image-management scheme, and then sort out which DAM solution best suits their operations. A good no-frills definition of DAM, from consultants Cognizant Technology Solutions, pegs it as "the archival, retrieval, tracking, manipulation, re-purposing, interaction with, and transaction of all types of digital media." DAM architectures and interfaces provide valuable controls for the issues