The digital press manufacturer has announced that its offset class digital press will be available for shipping in early 2010, with the print heads due to come to the market this year.

Kodak claims that at its current configuration, the Stream concept press can handle up to 2,500 A4 pages a minute, using a 508-660mm wide web that moves at 150-200m per minute.

The press will constitute a direct rival to HP’s Digital Web Offset press, which was announced at Drupa. Possible applications for the range of presses include short-run newspapers.

The announcement came in an annual strategy meeting with investors in which it also revealed that its loss from continuing operations was expected to range between $200m to $400m.

Kodak said that the commercialisation of the Stream technology was on track and therefore expected an early 2010 market launch for the full press.

It also revealed that its Electrophotographic Printing business, the technology responsible for the NexPress digital press, is in a unique market position but one that would "require additional investment in order to achieve [its] full potential."

The company said he will pursue alliances with other companies or make changes to its business model in a bid to "reduce risk and enhance revenue and margins."

Antonio M. Perez, chairman and chief executive of Kodak, said that while the performance of our digital portfolio was strong, the company saw "no immediate signs of economic recovery".

He said: "In 2009, Kodak will be a smaller, more profitable company, we will continue to gain share in our most profitable digital businesses, and we will enter 2010 as a much stronger competitor."