Thursday, September 24, 2015

Kodak Presents Digital Hub with 2015 SONORA Plate Green Leaf Award at GRAPH EXPO 15

Kodak Presents Digital Hub with 2015 SONORA Plate Green Leaf Award at GRAPH EXPO 15

Award recognizes customers exhibiting extraordinary commitment to environmental practices

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Tuesday, September 15, 2015 --
Digital Hub, a digital graphics and printing company, is the 2015 SONORA Plate Green Leaf Award honoree for the United States and Canada. Sponsored by Kodak, this award recognizes customers at the forefront of the commercial printing industry’s efforts to achieve significant reductions in their environmental footprint. Digital Hub is being recognized as a user of KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates whose environmental practices extend beyond their plate applications and include production of printed projects using 100 percent wind power, responsibly harvested paper, vegetable based printing inks and ultra-low V.O.C. pressroom chemistry.
Beyond their use of SONORA Plates, Digital Hub has exemplified what it means to be a servant of the environment. All printed materials are produced “in-house,” which enables them to have complete control over the paper, inks and chemistry used to produce printed materials. Digital Hub has partnered with numerous green organizations to jointly promote sustainable environments, including American Forests to plant trees on behalf of clients and Renewable Choice Energy to offset 100 percent of energy used with renewable energy credits from American wind farms. Similarly, they work with Clean Air Counts, a northeastern Illinois regional initiative to reduce ozone-causing emissions, along with Carbonfund to offset more than 300 percent of their carbon dioxide emissions by investing in renewable energy, energy efficiency and reforestation projects. To date, Digital Hub has planted and saved approximately 3,800 trees and avoided releasing nearly 300,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere.
Significant growth in the demand for process free plates has coincided with the commercial print industry’s devotion to developing and integrating sustainable solutions. The award is named for KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates, renowned for yielding dramatic environmental and economic benefits for customers without sacrificing quality and output. SONORA Plates remove the need for the plate processor, which requires chemicals, water and energy while generating waste. Kodak is seeing rapid growth in SONORA Plate adoption, with plate volume increasing by 66 percent last quarter from that time last year, with an expected growth rate of more than 50 percent by the end of 2015. In August, Kodak opened a manufacturing line in Columbus, Ga. to drive a transformation that can help more printers take advantage of SONORA Plates’ capabilities. Kodak’s SONORA Process Free Plates will be on display at GRAPH EXPO 2015 at Kodak’s booth #823.
Executive Quote 
"The enthusiasm of our customers to promote sustainable printing has been impressive and exciting," said Brad Kruchten, President, Print Systems Division, Eastman Kodak Company. "The quantity and quality of the submissions we received for this award are reflective of an industry committed to sustainable operation, with SONORA Process Free Plates at the foundation of this movement. As printers look to maintain green operations, process free plates represent the ideal present and future of offset plate technology."
About the SONORA Plate Green Leaf Award 
The SONORA Plate Green Leaf Award, launched in 2014, is a program recognizing excellence among Kodak customers that are leaders in environmental initiatives. Award entrants are judged on a range of criteria, including management practices to improve energy and water efficiency, participation in local community sustainability initiatives and the use of eco-conscious materials and supplies. All submissions are reviewed with scores determined by a panel of Kodak judges.
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For updates on Kodak’s activity during GRAPH EXPO 15, follow the @KodakPrint and #KodakGraphExpo on Twitter. For media inquiries and/or more information regarding Kodak’s presence at GRAPH EXPO 15, please contact nicholas.rangel@kodak.com orpaul_doyle@lpp.com.
About Kodak 
Kodak is a technology company focused on imaging. We provide – directly and through partnerships with other innovative companies – hardware, software, consumables and services to customers in graphic arts, commercial print, publishing, packaging, electronic displays, entertainment and commercial films, and consumer products markets. With our world-class R&D capabilities, innovative solutions portfolio and highly trusted brand, Kodak is helping customers around the globe to sustainably grow their own businesses and enjoy their lives. For additional information on Kodak, visit us at kodak.com, follow us on Twitter @Kodak, or like us on Facebook at KodakNow.
(KODAK and SONORA are trademarks of Eastman Kodak Company.)
2015