Some of you have probably seen the "Prince Caspian, Chronicles of Narnia" Disney posters being passed out by Kodak at drupa 2008 in Dusseldorf. Or you may have heard that they were printed live, in front of over 100 customers, at an open house during the FTA forum in Dallas, Texas. And I'm sure you've heard that they were printed at an outrageous 300+ lpi.

So you ask, why is this so outrageous? Because they were printed using flexo plates on an offset press! But not just any flexo plates - they were printed using Kodak Flexcel NX Digital Flexographic Plates.

For those attending this event, the big draw was the application of the technology. They wanted to see something never before done in the history of flexographic printing. More specifically, they came to see Kodak Flexcel NX System technology applied to a Heidelberg hybrid offset/flexo sheet perfecting press. While the press technology stands alone in its own right, the addition of Kodak imaging and flexographic plates provided the capability to print this poster-sized image using direct flexography in 4/C process reproduction at an unheard of 307 lpi with solid ink densities all above 2.0.

The combination of all aspects provided for something that had never been technically achieved in flexographic printing industry. Attendee comments ranged from "I have never seen anything like this ever before" to "the detail is amazing!." Simply stated, it had never been done before and we can't wait to do it again, all over the world.

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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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