Materials & Packaging Materials & Packaging

Kodak Opens Facility For Zero-Water, Zero-Chemical, Low-Energy Print Solution

Kodak today opened a new manufacturing line at its Columbus, Georgia facility that will produce its KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates. Kodak says SONORA Process Free Plates deliver the productivity, quality and print capabilities of mainstream processed plates while eliminating the water, chemical and energy use required by processed plates, without sacrificing quality or productivity..

By Sustainable Brands | Published 9 years ago | About a 2 minute read

Kodak today opened a new manufacturing line at its Columbus, Georgia facility that will produce its KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates. Kodak says SONORA Process Free Plates deliver the productivity, quality and print capabilities of mainstream processed plates while eliminating the water, chemical and energy use required by processed plates, without sacrificing quality or productivity..

“Today’s opening of this new manufacturing line keeps us on an accelerated pace toward our goal of helping printers become more sustainable with SONORA Process Free Plates,” said Jeff Clarke, CEO of Eastman Kodak Company. “Kodak is committed to providing solutions that increase the sustainability of the printing industry, while also reducing printing costs. This is good business and good for our environment.”

The state-of-the-art manufacturing line is designed to meet increasing demand for the SONORA Plates, which Kodak says help its customers be competitive, save money and reduce environmental impact without compromising quality. Printers use SONORA Plates to produce a variety of print applications including commercial print, books, newspapers and packaging.

Because SONORA Process Free Plates don't use processing chemistry, printers can remove their processing equipment. Without processing equipment, printers can completely eliminate their water, chemical and energy usage related to processing plates, which saves the average printer using 20,000 square meters of plates up to $99,000 annually.

“To remain competitive in an evolving market, companies such as Kodak need access to high-quality resources that can be found in Georgia,” said Georgia Governor Nathan Deal. “Kodak’s decision to expand existing facilities here speaks to the strength and vitality of Georgia’s business climate and labor force.”

Another facet of improving the printing industry involves sustainable sourcing of the materials being printed upon: The Blueline Report 2015, published in June by environmental not-for-profit Canopy, ranks North America’s major printers on a set of 29 sustainability criteria. It is the tool to help companies discern if their printer is an environmental leader or just slick at "green" marketing.