Kodak And The Olympic Games; A Legacy Of Support

July 2004 – When the first Modern Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1896, Kodak, then just 16 years old, was there. More than a century later, the Olympic Games remain the pinnacle of athletic endeavor – and Kodak, a long- standing Olympic sponsor, will again be there, this time providing security badges for all participants, digital medical imaging equipment in the athlete’s clinic, digital printing of all the tickets, and support for the more than 1000 professional photographers who will capture the drama of the world’s most photographed competition using both film and digital technologies. Indeed, all images—including film—will be digitized by Kodak for rapid dissemination.

“Kodak is in the business of capturing and sharing memories, and few world events create positive memories quite like the Olympic Games,” said Daniel A. Carp, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Eastman Kodak Company. “Over the past 27 Games back to 1896, virtually every record-breaking moment has been captured on Kodak film. These ATHENS 2004 Games, however, will mark the first primarily-digital Olympic Games in history. Kodak people are proud to play a key role in bringing digital imaging to the Games, not just as a monetary sponsor, but with products and services crucial to the conduct of the Games.”

Kodak to operate the world’s largest photo lab. An 18,000 square-foot facility within the Athens Main Media Center will provide traditional (film) and digital photographic products and services, and will digitize 100% of the estimated 3 million digital and film images (including an estimated 60,000 rolls of film) to be processed through the Kodak Image Center, making it quicker and easier to share these memorable moments with audiences around the world. Kodak will also provide photojournalists with on-site image-rich publishing, producing postcards and poster-sized prints of key images for display purposes. Using the company’s NexPress 2100 digital color press, Kodak will publish daily newsletters, invitations, and daily event guides for sponsors.

Kodak technology will help serve the healthcare needs of the athletes and staff. Kodak will supply the Olympic Polyclinic, the healthcare clinic located within the Olympic Village, with technologies enabling radiologists to electronically send digital x-ray images, CT scans, and other medical images and accompanying reports to specialists at the University Hospital in metropolitan Athens for consultation, thus helping ensure rapid diagnosis and treatment.

Kodak will also equip the Polyclinic with systems that capture x-ray images digitally in seconds; with innovative dental products to diagnose any injuries that may involve teeth, jaw fractures and dislocations; and with a broad range of services to ensure optimal integration and operation of these advanced systems and products. The Kodak dental film and equipment can be expected to serve as a primary source of dental care for many athletes from less-developed countries; for some, a first-time experience.

“Because our systems allow images to be sent electronically to remote specialists, an injured athlete will not have to travel across town for diagnostic imaging services. This is key, since rapid diagnosis and treatment can mean the difference between an athlete returning to competition or having to drop out of the Games,” said Dan Kerpelman, President of Kodak’s Health Imaging Group.

Most of the Kodak medical and dental imaging equipment has been purchased by the Organising Committee for the Olympic Games ATHENS 2004 and will remain at the Polyclinic after the Games conclude.

Security badges by Kodak. It will be Kodak systems that produce the more than 350,000 security badges and 80,000 visa credentials required for the Olympic athletes, officials, volunteers, and sponsors. Each credential will be produced in a record-breaking time of just 10 seconds.

Tickets produced using Kodak technology. Several million tickets will be printed in more than 1,200 different types and styles, each personalized with the ticket holders’ identity by a completely automated digital system using high-speed inkjet printing technology from Kodak Versamark, part of the company’s Graphic Communications unit.

Kodak to provide on-site digital services for Olympic spectators. Olympic fans can print, share, and store their Olympic memories at the Kodak Digital Picture Center, a 2500-square-foot facility located in OAKA, the main Olympic venue. “For the first time at an Olympic Games, spectators will be able to use Kodak PictureMaker kiosks to print images captured from their digital cameras or mobile phone-cameras. They can also use our online photo services, Ofoto and Kodak Picture Center Online, to instantly share their digital photos with friends and family around the world. The Kodak Digital Picture Center will also allow fans to create a personalized Olympic photo pin as a unique souvenir from the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Games,” said Bernard Masson, President of Kodak’s Digital and Film Imaging Systems group. Kodak films, one-time-use cameras, batteries, and digital cameras, memory cards, and printer docks will also be available for purchase at this facility.

“As much as the Olympic Games provide a platform to showcase Kodak products and innovation, it also offers the opportunity for both to highlight the similar pillars on which they were founded,” Carp said. “The Olympic Games have a heritage of personal excellence, fair play, cultural understanding and respect for humanity, which are perfectly aligned with Kodak’s corporate values of integrity, diversity, trust, respect for the dignity of each individual, and continual improvement and personal renewal.”

For more information, visit: http://www.kodak.com/go/olympic

SOURCE Kodak