James Continenza on technology transition
From Eastman Kodak Co Q4 2022 Earnings Call · · AlphaStreet
“Just to be clear what I stated earlier: the digital print is not a total replacement for offset — it will continue to manufacture plates and CTPs and supplying our customers; it is a mitigation of risk and a new technology to help drive new business at lower cost.”
On , James Continenza, Executive Chairman & Chief Executive Officer at EASTMAN KODAK CO, spoke about technology transition during Eastman Kodak Co Q4 2022 Earnings Call on AlphaStreet.
About James Continenza
James Continenza, Executive Chairman and CEO of Eastman Kodak, has emphasized the company’s focus on its core businesses of print, film, and chemicals, describing the company as “a chemical company first” and stating that it had “lost its way” before his leadership. He has highlighted efforts to stabilize Kodak’s balance sheet, reduce debt, and improve operational efficiencies, noting that the company reduced net debt by $294 million compared to March 2019. Continenza has also pointed to revenue growth in all segments in 2021 and improvements in gross profit in 2022, attributing these results to cost-cutting, pricing actions, and a strategic plan implemented over the prior four years. In 2020, Continenza announced Kodak’s intention to produce pharmaceutical ingredients, with the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation signing a letter of interest for a potential $765 million loan. He described the loan as repayable over 25 years and said Kodak would repurpose existing buildings at Eastman Business Park to reduce costs. Continenza later stated that the application process had been placed on hold but that Kodak would continue expanding its pharmaceutical business regardless, though the scale and speed would depend on capital availability. He has also discussed investments in digital printing technology, including the release of the Prosper Ultra 520 press, and the construction of a facility to manufacture reagents for health care applications. Continenza has said he is “out” on Kodak’s prior venture into cryptocurrency, stating it is “not what we do.”