By now you may have heard some rumblings about Kodak's new Stream technology from industry analysts or press releases. You may have heard that it is the only new inkjet technology that will be demonstrated at drupa. And certainly there have been statements discussing where Stream fits into the print continuum in relation to offset printing. All these things are very good, but what do they really mean to you?

Let me start off by saying that I am relatively new to Kodak and Stream myself, having been with the company just shy of one year now. While my time with Stream is relatively short when compared to many fellow Kodakers, I have witnessed many impressive strides in its development. Image quality is the primary focus area of my work in the research and development of this technology. These are important footnotes to put my perspective into context.

Now let's back to the question of what this all means to you. To be completely honest, I think that Stream offers many impressive promises that make it possible for the technology to mean something different to everyone. Yet no matter what benefits you find the most compelling, there are likely key capabilities offered by Stream that serve as the foundation for those benefits. Glossy commercial substrates, striking image quality and detail, unsurpassed productivity. You will be able to witness these capabilities on the Stream Concept Press at drupa.

So what importance does my time with Kodak have in this discussion? When it comes to things like glossy substrates and image quality and productivity, I have seen such strides in just one year that it is impossible to not be excited by Stream. Images have been printed on both the Stream Concept Press and offset presses and when you put them side by side it is clear we have a technology that can compete in commercial printing. You will be able to view such comparative samples in the Kodak booth at drupa. Take a moment to envision offset-class image quality off a digital press that will print completely variable data and it often feels like the sky is the limit for Stream.

I hope you have the opportunity to come to drupa and see the Stream Concept Press being demonstrated by Kodak to the world for the first time. While I cannot put words in the mouths of others, if I could step out and speak for the hundreds of people working on Stream I think there would be one common message. And that message is that we are all proud to be part of this promising new digital printing technology and excited to have the chance to share Stream with you.

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Ever been to a giant tradeshow? GraphExpo? Print? IFRA? ChinaPrint? CEBIT? They are massive enterprises, and drupa, the massive print show that happens every four years in Dusseldorf, Germany is a giant tradeshow. I will be there in a number of roles in the Kodak booth, staying close to the Data Printing Gallery, but first I have to get there!

While this is the 14^th drupa, for me it's the 5^th. It's just as exciting this time as it has been in the past! I leave on Memorial Day in the US, May 26^th, and arrive in the afternoon of May 27^th. Like me, many of the Kodak team will stay in West Seestern, an economic development area across the Rhine River from the fair grounds where drupa unfolds. I drew the Novotel as my home away from home for 16 days. The fitness center even has a sauna; that could be good after show days!

The trick for a show like this is shoes. Whether you are working the show or coming to browse the halls, good shoes are essential. We're in Hall 5, which is a bit of a walk from the main gate. My approach to shoes is to pack several pairs of shoes and usually to change shoes in the middle of the day. Heels and flats are all onboard, which means I'll be anywhere from 5'1" to 5"4" during the show.

While there will not be a lot of time for exploring during the show, I hope to get to the Ko Gallerie in the Koenigs Allee shopping district to check out the latest in shoes (detect a theme?) and the Aldstat (Old Town) just to browse. I'm addicted to museums, and the Kunstmuseum always has great exhibitions, but their hours don't dovetail to my drupa schedule this trip! You'll find me in booth D01, hanging out with our massive workflow hub, platesetters, Digimaster and NexPress solutions, and the latest in technology from the Inkjet Team, including Stream!

Come back after May 29^th for pictures and to share in our opening day excitement as Kodak opens our 2008 drupa booth!

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I drive a lot of people crazy about new media.  I get an idea or see something cool going on and I say, "Hey, we should be doing something like that."  I do it because it's changing the way all of us do business. 

Of course, we all live in a multi-tasking, hyper speed world ... and not everyone gets enthused about each new project.  But this one - the new GrowYourBiz blog - well, it was easy to get people to sign on.  When word got around that we were setting up a blog about Kodak's GCG and building a site for customers and Kodak employees to be able to exchange ideas and information, the response was overwhelming - people jumped in and said they'd contribute. 

They want the chance to share what they're thinking about what's going on in the business.  Might be their point of view on a new technology.  Could be a question they want to ask about what's going on in the marketplace.  Maybe they went to a conference and want to share what they saw.

Like me.  I'm posting this message from Dusseldorf on the opening day of drupa 2008. It's great coming to events like drupa. I love talking with customers, and seeing old friends.  Lots of shop talk and I usually pick up a lot of new ideas.  I want to hear more of what our customers are thinking and doing.  I want to be able to stay in touch on a weekly, daily or even hourly basis.

So welcome to GrowYourBiz.  Internet communities are not just for fun anymore, they're a place to discuss the meaningful aspects of our lives, business and it's future.  Don't leave us hanging.  Speak your mind.  Ask questions. Disagree.  Tell me to go eat a Meatball Sundae.  Whatever you do, participate.  We can have fun at the same time that we learn some things that may help all of our businesses.

What do you think?  Let me know.

Kevin

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