Rochester, N.Y., Eastman Kodak Company is the recipient of the 2006 Technological Innovator of the Year Award from the Flexographic Prepress Platemakers Association (FPPA). Kodak’s Graphic Communications Group received the award during the trade association’s annual conference March 12-14 in Amelia Island, Fla.

Kodak earned the Innovator Award for its PDF Compare and PDF Merge software for the KODAK PRINERGY, PRINERGY POWERPACK and PRINERGY Evo workflow management systems. The tools provide an automated way for prepress operators to incorporate last minute changes when preparing files for production, helping commercial and packaging printers save valuable time and money.

“Our Technological Innovator of the Year Award recognizes achievements within the prepress process that enhance profitability and improve productivity, operating efficiency and product quality,” said Fred Stringfellow, Executive Director, FPPA. “KODAK’s PDF Compare and PDF Merge software can make a big impact on time savings, which clearly helps users exceed customer expectations.”

Awarded a 2005 PIA/GATF InterTech Technology Award for innovation, PDF Compare and PDF Merge software provide an automated, reliable and cost effective way to manage correction cycles in a prepress workflow. PDF Compare software is a quality control tool that provides the ability to analyze two PDF files and identify the differences between them. PDF Merge software is a prepress production tool that allows the operator to extract all of the prior work that was done on the plate ready file (traps, screening assignment, geometry, overprint settings, etc.) and merge all of those elements into a new revised production file.

“PDF Compare and PDF Merge are excellent examples of KODAK solutions that help our customers grow their businesses, in this instance through increased productivity and reduced costs,” said Vic Stalam, General Manager, Packaging, Flexo Plates and Thermal Proofing Media, Prepress Consumables, Kodak. “This honor from the FPPA further validates feedback we’ve received from customers who are experiencing dramatic drops in turnaround times and improved output for clients.”