Eastman Kodak

This week in Düsseldorf, Germany, about 100 trade journalists from all over the world gathered for a preview of some new innovations.

Several in-plant managers trekked to Washington, DC last week for the debut Digital Printing in Government & Higher-Ed Conference, hosted by In-plant Graphics. Many attendees have since expressed their appreciation for the day-long conference.

PRINERGY Workflow 7 from Kodak has been released. The new software improves automation in several key aspects of the printing process and provides the ability to integrate with third-party technology.

“Just being in the room when decisions are being made, a lot of times, is the biggest challenge” for in-plants, declares Chuck Werninger, director of Administrative Services at the Houston Independent School District (HISD). “A lot of shops are deleted from the plan before they ever hear about the plan.”

The University of Tennessee in-plant stays on the cutting edge of technology with a new Kodak NexPress SX3900. The NexPress SX3900 had only been up and running for a few weeks when IPG spoke with him, but Jack Williams, director of University Printing and Mail, says he hopes to soon see it producing brochures, landscape saddle-stitched books, perfect-bound books and posters.

The founder of an international print finishing equipment manufacturer, C.P. Bourg Group, has died. Christian-Pierre Bourg, who started the company in 1960, was 89. Bourg passed away in Boston, not far from his company's U.S. headquarters in New Bedford, MA. Even though he no longer oversaw the day-to-day business of his company, he still made a point to go to the office every day.

Ever since Missouri State University Printing Services added a Kodak NexPress 2500, the Springfield, Mo., in-plant has been able to take on more work than it did in 2009—back when the shop still had five full-time employees.

Kodak's new Single Cassette Unit feature will enable Kodak Trendsetter and Achieve Platesetter lines to run unmanaged for up to seven and a half hours. The unit allows automated plate loading and unloading of up to 240 plates with slip sheet removal and automatic plate rotation.

Effective June 15, 2014, John McMullen has been named executive vice president and CFO of Kodak. The Board of Directors has elected McMullen a corporate officer of Kodak, and he will become a member of the company’s Executive Council

Kodak, Agfa and Heidelberg have joined together to file petitions with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (PTO) in an effort to combat patent licensing demands made on their customers by CTP Innovations.