WOONSOCKET, R.I. and ROCHESTER, N.Y., June 2 --
CVS/pharmacy and Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:EK) today announced a new
long-term agreement naming Kodak as the national chain’s provider of in-store
photo processing systems, including the KODAK Adaptive Picture Exchange (APEX)
dry lab system, KODAK Picture Kiosk, and Kodak Service and Support.
The agreement enables CVS/pharmacy to build on its leadership position
within the photo retailing category by providing customers with multiple
in-store photo service options and an expanded portfolio of premium, high-value
photo products, such as KODAK Picture Movie DVDs and Photo Books. The renewed
agreement ensures that CVS/pharmacy will continue to bring customers the
newest, most innovative Kodak solutions well into the next decade.
“CVS/pharmacy has a long standing reputation for quality products and
services, and consumers recognize and trust the quality associated with the
Kodak brand. We believe our strong relationship with Kodak will continue to
resonate with our consumers and help us to continue our growth in this
important category,” said Grant Pill, Vice President, CVS/Pharmacy.
An integral strategy for CVS/pharmacy will be to implement Kodak’s latest
G4X consumer kiosks in stores and to significantly expand its fleet of KODAK
APEX dry lab systems. The KODAK APEX system is a modular, behind-the-counter
thermal dry lab system, which combines a number of new products into one
powerful, integrated and industry-leading retailer solution. APEX provides
CVS/pharmacy with unprecedented adaptability, ease-of-use, flexibility and
scalability to quickly and easily produce high quality photo products, while
dramatically reducing costs and complexity.
APEX also provides an environmental lift to CVS/pharmacy. The systems are
energy efficient, consuming 70-90% less energy than today’s wet-labs. Since its
initial roll out in 2008, CVS has deployed hundreds of APEX units in its stores
and has plans to significantly increase its dry labs in 2009.
“CVS/pharmacy has been a great business partner for Kodak. This new
agreement will build on our already successful partnership by enabling more
growth in premium photo products and by broadening the reach of Kodak’s
state-of-the-art APEX system at CVS/pharmacy locations,” said Mike Saturnia,
Vice President of Sales, Eastman Kodak Company. “Kodak is proud to be working
with this innovative retailer to optimize its photo services fleet with
advanced dry lab and photo kiosk systems.”
In 2008, CVS/pharmacy was the first national retailer to offer customers
both KODAK Picture Movie DVDs and Photo Books. These innovative photo
processing products turn customers’ photos into hard-cover books and movies in
minutes using the KODAK Picture Kiosk. Both of these products are now available
in more than 5,600 CVS/pharmacy stores nationwide.
About CVS/pharmacy
CVS/pharmacy, the retail division of CVS Caremark Corporation (NYSE: CVS),
is America's largest retail pharmacy. The Company operates more than 6,900
CVS/pharmacy and Longs Drugs stores. CVS/pharmacy is committed to improving the
lives of those we serve by making innovative and high-quality health and
pharmacy services safe, affordable and easy to access, both in its stores and
online at CVS.com. General information about CVS/pharmacy and CVS Caremark is
available at www.cvscaremark.com.
About Kodak
As the world's foremost imaging innovator, Kodak helps consumers,
businesses, and creative professionals unleash the power of pictures and
printing to enrich their lives.
To learn more, visit http://www.kodak.com and follow our blogs and
more at http://www.kodak.com/go/followus.
More than 75 million people worldwide manage, share and create photo gifts
online at KODAK Gallery --join for free today at www.kodakgallery.com.
KODAK is a trademark of Kodak.
