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TAKEOVERS:

Kodak finalise purchase of Bowe Bell + Howell

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Chicago-based Bowe Bell + Howell first announced the impending takeover of its Scanner Division by Kodak in January 2009. Kodak has now completed its acquisition of this important supplier of document scanners.

Spectrum, Truper, Sidekick, Infinity models
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Bowe Bell + Howell's portfolio of document scanners consists of complementary products in respect to Kodak Business Solutions & Services' document imaging product range. Kodak is believed to have previously supported many Bowe Bell + Howell scanners. The scanner division will be a part of Kodak's Document Imaging Business, within the Business Solutions and Services Group. Approximately 50 Bowe Bell + Howell employees have joined Kodak. The cost of this takeover was was not disclosed.

Much of Bowe Bell + Howell's business was in document scanners for EDM (electronic document management) and EDC (electronic data capture) applications in the general office, healthcare, financial services, insurance, government, legal and service bureau markets. However, about two years ago it acquired the rights to sell WideTEK large format scanners from Germany's Image Access under the Infinity WF name. These Image Access scanners are among the most sophisticated large format scanners available today, a fact that is underlined by their much higher than average sales price.

Image Access recently announced the WideTEK 36 DS, the first large format duplex scanner capable of scanning two sides of a document at once. While there is not a huge requirement for such a system in AEC, CAD and GIS, it does provide a useful solution to newspapers, press clipping services, libraries and archives. Duplex scanning has been at the heart of Bowe Bell + Howell's traditional small format market. A large format duplex scanner is an excellent complement to their small format range. We look forward to seeing what Kodak will do to sell the Image Access range more effectively.

It is difficult to predict what the future will hold. Kodak is not a company with a track record in large format scanning. The unique, albeit expensive, benefits of the Infinity WF range deserve to be fully exploited and rewarded in the USA and elsewhere. As a company, Kodak has a brand name as big as any and is well-placed to set Image Access on the road to greater market share, if it has the determination to do so.

Dolores Kruchten, General Manager, Business Solutions and Services Group, and Vice President, Eastman Kodak Company, said "This acquisition will provide end users worldwide with exciting and broad choices in document capture products, along with industry-leading service and support to help them increase business efficiencies and realize timely returns on their investment.

"Kodak is a world leader in document imaging. Completing this acquisition further demonstrates Kodak's commitment to end-user customers, channel and software partners, the document management industry, and is consistent with our corporate strategy to grow digital revenue and earnings."

For more information on Bowe Bell + Howell's Scanner Divisions' final days, see:
www.bbhscanners.com

For further information about Kodak Document Imaging Scanners and Services and the future, see:
www.kodak.com/go/docimaging