PMI Sells Several HundredDKS

Photo-Me International PLC 18 September 2000 PMI SELLS SEVERAL HUNDRED DKS DIGITAL MINILABS TO KODAK Repeat sales a possibility Photo-Me International plc of Bookham, Surrey, UK (PMI) has signed a three year OEM agreement with Eastman Kodak Company of Rochester, New York, USA (Kodak) to supply several hundred of its newly-launched DKS (Digital KIS System) photo development minilabs, for sale by Kodak as System 88 in parts of Asia. This rapidly growing area represents approximately 12% of the world market for minilabs and offers high potential for digital products. PMI expects to complete delivery of the initial several hundred Systems 88 in the next 12 months. After that, PMI is committed to supply Kodak with whatever Systems 88 it needs to meet market demand. From PMI's perspective, we see this as a long-term strategic partnership, said Serge Crasnianski, PMI's CEO. Kodak's Director of Digital Retail Systems, Rick Rommel, said, Our strategy is to distribute the System 88 in Asia during our initial roll-out. After that, we anticipate strong demand and will consider other markets appropriate for the technology. PMI's Board estimates the world market for minilabs at over 150,000 units, three-quarters of it in the USA, Japan and Europe. Kodak and PMI should capture a substantial proportion of this valuable global market. The contract underscores the acceptance of PMI's patented LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) booster technology, which translates digital information into an image. Relative to the rival laser technology, the LCD booster technology has important advantages in terms of quality, reliability, serviceability, size and price. This technology also has applications outside photography, for instance in the area of printing. DKS minilabs, which have a UK unit retail price of £80,000 + VAT, process optical as well as digital inputs (such as flash memory cards, floppy disks, CD-Roms and Internet), produce consistently high quality images with silver halide paper, are user friendly and inexpensive to use and support an on-line service via the Internet. The ability to develop, store and share photographs via the Internet will have a profound effect on photography. Over time, virtually all images will be touched by digital technology, either capture, processing and sharing, or output. System 88 units, like the DKS minilabs, are being manufactured by Photo-Me at Grenoble (France). Serge Crasnianski, CEO, stated, This OEM relationship with Kodak is significant. With its patented LCD booster technology, PMI is now firmly established as a technology manufacturer sought after as a partner by major global corporations. Enquiries: Photo-Me International plc 01372-453399 Serge Crasnianski (CEO) Bankside Consultants Limited 020-7220 7477 Charles Ponsonby
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