Major revamp for Kodak operations

Kodak chief Jeff Clarke is implementing a new business structure that will result in the departure of one long-serving executive at the business, as well as promotions for two familiar names in the UK.

Kodak currently has two overarching business units: Digital Printing and Enterprise headed by Doug Edwards; and Entertainment and Commercial Films, lead by Brad Kruchten.

Clarke’s new structure, which is effective from the new year, replaces these units with five “market-focused” divisions.

Edwards, whose graphic arts career stretches back to Kodak Polychrome Graphics and before that Horsell and Ilford, is not part of the new structure and will leave the business at the end of the year.

A spokesman said he had “elected to leave the company”.

The new divisions are: Print Systems (incorporating litho plates and platesetters, electrophotographic digital printing, OEM toner and equipment service); Enterprise Inkjet Systems (inkjet printing including Prosper and Versamark products, OEM ink products, and the PODS digital frontend business); Micro 3D Printing and Packaging (functional printing, Flexcel NX systems and plates, and touch-sensor films); Software and Solutions (includes Unified Workflow, Design2Launch brand management, brand protection, as well as capitalising on innovations from Kodak Research Labs); and lastly, Consumer and Film (consumer inkjet, motion picture and commercial films, brand licensing).

Kruchten will lead Print Systems.

Philip Cullimore, currently regional managing director of Kodak’s business in EAMER, will become president of the new Enterprise Inkjet Systems division. In the past he had worked at Kodak’s now defunct Encad wide-format inkjet business.

He told PrintWeek he was “really looking forward to being involved with inkjet systems again” in his new global role.

Cullimore will also head up the Micro 3D Printing and Packaging wing on an interim basis.

Eric-Yves Mahe will run the new Software and Solutions division, while Steven Overman, Kodak’s recently appointed chief marketing officer, will have the Consumer and Film division added to his remit.

Alongside the new divisions, Kodak is also consolidating its sales organisation from four regions to two giant sales operations: EUCAN covering Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand; and ALMA covering Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa.

As a result of this change, there will be four cluster managers in Europe.

The UK’s Martin Mayo, currently cluster director for the UK and Nordics, will have Australia and New Zealand added to his remit.

Chief executive Clarke, who joined in March, said the changes would allow the business to deploy its strengths to drive growth.

“We designed this structure to sharpen our focus on performance, predictability and accountability for business results,” he stated.