Kodak to Acquire Image Sensor Business from National Semiconductor
Enhances Kodak’s capabilities to provide CMOS Image Sensors targeted
to Consumer Markets
Rochester, N.Y., August 24 --
Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE: EK) has signed an agreement to purchase
the Imaging business of National Semiconductor Corp. (NYSE:NSM), which
develops and manufactures complimentary metal oxide semiconductor image sensor
(CIS) devices. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
As part of this agreement, Kodak will acquire certain assets, including
intellectual property and equipment, and plans to hire approximately 50
employees currently supporting National’s Imaging business. Most of the
employees are based in Santa Clara, Calif. These assets will become part of
Kodak’s Image Sensor Solutions organization, which currently designs and
manufactures image sensors for professional and industrial imaging markets.
Kodak is a worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of high-performance
charged coupled device (CCD) image sensors, and has a long history of image
sensor innovation in both CCD and CIS technologies. Through this acquisition,
Kodak now adds additional resources and technologies (including advanced
mixed-signal circuit design) that will further strengthen Kodak’s ability to
design next generation CIS devices that promise to deliver improved
image quality with complex on-chip image processing circuitry. When combined
with Kodak’s existing CCD design and manufacturing capabilities, Kodak is now
positioned as one of the premier developers of both CCD and CIS devices.
“The growing popularity of digital cameras, camera phones and other
imaging-centric consumer electronics products has created a significant
opportunity for Kodak to leverage its portfolio of CIS technologies,” said
Chris McNiffe, general manager of Kodak’s Image Sensor Solutions organization
and vice president of its Display & Components division. “This acquisition
demonstrates Kodak’s continued commitment to CIS products, and accelerates our
longer term goal of providing CIS devices that offer the image quality of CCD
sensors while still taking advantage of the power,
integration and cost benefits traditionally associated with CMOS technology.”
As a result of the acquisition, Kodak will open a new office for the Image
Sensor Solutions organization in Sunnyvale, CA. Staffed by the former
National Semiconductor employees, this group will collaborate on CIS design
and commercialization with the existing team located at Kodak’s headquarters
in Rochester.
“Kodak’s reputation for high-quality digital imagers makes it an ideal fit for
National’s imaging customers,” said Michael Polacek, vice president and
general manager of National’s Imaging Group. “Kodak’s rich legacy in imaging
and its focus on innovation will help to assure both high-quality products and
support following this acquisition.”
The companies expect to close the acquisition, pending regulatory approvals,
in the next few weeks.
About Eastman Kodak Company and infoimaging
Kodak is the leader in helping people
take, share, print and view images – for memories, for information, for
entertainment. The company is a major participant in infoimaging, a
$385 billion industry composed of devices (digital cameras and flat-panel
displays), infrastructure (online networks and delivery systems for images)
and services & media (software, film and paper enabling people to access,
analyze and print images). With sales of $13.3 billion in 2003, the company
comprises several businesses: Health, supplying the healthcare industry with
traditional and digital image capture and output products and services;
Graphic Communications Group, offering on-demand color printing and networking
publishing systems consisting of three wholly owned subsidiaries: Encad,
Inc., NexPress Solutions, and Kodak Versamark; Commercial Imaging, offering
image capture, output and storage products and services to businesses and
government; Display & Components, which designs and manufactures
state-of-the-art organic light-emitting diode displays as well as other
specialty materials, and delivers optics and imaging sensors to original
equipment manufacturers; and Digital & Film Imaging Systems, providing
consumers, professionals and cinematographers with digital and traditional
products and services.
Kodak is a trademark of Eastman Kodak Company.
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