James Langley

After months of speculation, Eastman Kodak has agreed to acquire Heidelberg's digital division. This follows Heidelberg's November announcement that it would stop manufacturing digital printers as part of its realignment. "From now on, Heidelberg will strengthen its focus on the sheetfed offset business," says Bernhard Schreier, CEO of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG. Kodak will purchase Heidelberg's 50 percent interest in NexPress Solutions L.L.C., a joint venture of the two, and the equity of Heidelberg Digital L.L.C., which made digital black-and-white printing systems. Heidelberg and Kodak created Nexpress Solutions in 1997 to develop a digital color printing press. Heidelberg acquired Kodak's black-and-white digital printing