Canadian packaging printer improves efficiency, boosts quality with new solutions

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Dec. 11—With the purchase of the KODAK PRINERGY POWERPACK Workflow System and the KODAK THERMOFLEX Wide CTP Platesetter, Hood Packaging in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, is improving efficiency, reducing turnaround times and boosting quality.  As a result, Hood Packaging can better meet the demanding needs of its customers.

“The PRINERGY POWERPACK Workflow System and THERMOFLEX Platesetter give us the ability to streamline our process while delivering high quality work,” said Gary Sutherland, General Manager, Hood Packaging. “After seeing these KODAK solutions in action at a local label printer, we were blown away by the technology and what it could do for the growth of our business.”

For more than 100 years, Hood Packaging has been a market leader in the design and manufacture of packaging materials. The company manufactures industrial packaging materials, including plastic, film and bags, multi wall paper bags and coated papers, from 16 manufacturing plants in Canada and the United States.

The PRINERGY POWERPACK Workflow System helps Hood Packaging create a predictable and reliable manufacturing process that automates steps, reduces errors and streamlines operations. The software delivers specialized packaging prepress tools needed to build and preflight packaging files. It also includes a job management feature to track jobs from receipt of files to proofing, approval and platemaking.

The KODAK THERMOFLEX Platesetter features KODAK HYPERFLEX Ready Imaging Technology to help turn prepress into a controlled, digital manufacturing process and allow Hood Packaging to enhance print results, reduce cycle times, and improve process control. 

Sutherland credits Hood Packaging’s dealer, Williamson Printing Materials Ltd., a partner for more than 50 years, in helping it find the right KODAK package printing solutions for his Calgary plant.

“We take great pride in our relationship with Kodak and Williamson, as they both continue to provide us with the right expertise and solutions to improve our company,” added Sutherland.

KODAK products are backed by KODAK Service and Support, Kodak’s worldwide service organization. Named Best Support Organization at the 2006 International Business Awards, KODAK Service and Support includes more than 3,000 professionals in 120 countries. These professionals are fully qualified to help customers control costs, maximize productivity, and minimize business risk.

About Eastman Kodak Company

Kodak is the world’s foremost imaging innovator, providing leading products and services to the photographic, graphic communications and healthcare markets. With sales of $14.3 billion in 2005, the company is committed to a digitally oriented growth strategy focused on helping people better use meaningful images and information in their life and work. Consumers use Kodak’s system of digital and traditional image capture products and services to take, print and share their pictures anytime, anywhere; Businesses effectively communicate with customers worldwide using KODAK solutions for prepress, conventional and digital printing and document imaging; Creative Professionals rely on KODAK technology to uniquely tell their story through moving or still images; and leading Healthcare organizations rely on Kodak’s innovative products, services and customized workflow solutions to help improve patient care and maximize efficiency and information sharing within and across their enterprise. More information about Kodak (NYSE: EK) is available at www.kodak.com.

For more information about Kodak’s Graphic Communications Group, visit www.graphics.kodak.com.

(Kodak, Prinergy Powerpack, ThermoFlex and HyperFlex are trademarks of Eastman Kodak Company.)

2006