After six years at the forefront of the fledgling high speed inkjet web business, Kodak will sell its high speed inkjet business springing a surprise on the industry.
The company plans to divest its inkjet business as soon as possible, currently negotiating with rival developers and their financiers over a sale.
Kodak has provided no names of possible purchasers though possible contenders include Ricoh, HP, Konica Minolta, Canon, Screen and Fuji Xerox, who all have their own systems. EFI may also feature as it has cash to spare and no inkjet web of its own.
Kodak says further development of its inkjet platforms Prosper, Stream and Ultrastream, which it will launch at drupa, will should go to a new owner which has a larger sales and distribution channel.
With around than 50 Prosper printing lines in use around the world and are none in Germany, a handful in the UK, and two each in France and Italy, Kodak sees little chance of grwoing its popularity under its present set up.
The sale of inkjet will leave Kodak with its offset plates and CTP business, which looks unlikley to grow, though its packaging plates and CTP business has some room for growth. It also has its toner based NexPress digital press.
