Inkjet & Digital Printing
Sizzling Success for “Whats Cooking at Kodak?”
Monday 17. March 2008 - Kodaks Graphic Communications Group (GCG) customers were served an array of tasty treats and generous helpings of mouth-watering information about KODAK Solutions at a special week-long customer event at the GCGs new European headquarters in La Hulpe, held at the beginning of March.
“Whats Cooking at Kodak?” saw customers from all over the Europe, Africa and Middle East Region (EAMER) attend briefings that updated them on all the latest news from Kodak, including “Kodak cuisine at drupa” featuring all the new products that will be shown at the exhibition. With sessions dedicated to customer groups from Nordics, Eastern Europe, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, France and Benelux the needs of each group were perfectly catered for.
Bertrand Decoux, GCG Regional Managing Director and Vice President EAMER, commented: “We received an extremely positive response from customers, who found the event both enjoyable and informative. The concept had tremendous appeal and it was an excellent showcase for Kodak.”
In between the briefing sessions attendees sampled a variety of exquisite dishes created by one of Belgiums top catering companies. The gastronomic theme continued during a special “infotainment” presentation to inaugurate the new state-of-the-art Technology & Solutions Centre at La Hulpe. As customers arrived in the demonstration suite they were greeted with the sounds of a busy kitchen, and the aromas of chocolate and vanilla. The interactive demonstration that followed showed how print service providers “can benefit from a change of recipe – our menu card has to change”.
The demonstration featured “Emma Wesseling” a busy celebrity chef putting the finishing touches to her latest recipe book, Emmas Delight, and making many demands of her print service provider in the process as she issued last minute changes and instructions via KODAK INSITE Prepress Portal System, making amendments to the layout, quantities, and type of printed items she required. INSITE Portal products are part of KODAK Unified Workflow Solutions, a single optimized workflow for both conventional and digital printing.
Customers were able to see at first hand how the latest software tools can help print service providers meet customer demands for shorter turnaround times and shorter print runs, while at the same time smoothing internal processes to remove the discrepancy between makeready times and printing times that typically results from handling short-run work.
During the course of the presentation Emmas requirements expanded from books to business cards, direct mail pieces, packaging, and newspaper inserts. As a result the demonstration was also a showcase for the full range of KODAK Solutions installed at the 1,200 square metre Technology & Solutions Centre, which houses the complete range of KODAK computer-to-plate solutions from entry level devices to the larger and more complex VLF systems. The complete Unified Workflow suite of products with live MIS connectivity, together with both KODAK NEXPRESS Digital Production Color Presses and KODAK VERSAMARK Printing Solutions, and the entire range of color management and proofing software.
Afterwards, customers were able to network and take a closer look at the products on show while they enjoyed some of Emmas specially prepared desserts to mark the occasion including the delicious Nexpresso Frappé a la Amaretto, and Chocolate Versamousse .
“The event was a great way to show our customers that Kodak can provide them with a recipe for success, the comprehensive range of solutions we have here in La Hulpe allows us to demonstrate a complete end-to-end workflow,” added Gudrun Baunach, GCG EAMER Marketing Services Director.
The move to La Hulpe has provided better facilities for customers and staff alike. The new office is ideally placed to provide excellent transport connections throughout Belgium and links to the international airport and Eurostar terminals.