US giant Eastman Kodak is aiming to double its presence in Asia, using China, India and Southeast Asia as its key driving markets.
As part of its transition into the digital age, the 108year old company plans to digitise 90 per cent of its operations in the next five years, up from the current 70 per cent.
Eastman Kodak vice president Gustavo Oviedo, who was in Bangkok yesterday, said the company wanted to become one of the top three players in the business. So far, 80 per cent of Kodak's revenues came from 13 marketleading products that cover three categories: graphic communications, covering printers and ink cartridges; digital products such as cameras, digital photo frames and printers; and film, photofinishing and entertainment.
"About 60 per cent of our revenue comes from businesstobusiness [B2B] deals, and 40 per cent from business to consumers. This ratio will remain the same for the next five years, or may move a little towards B2B, which should stand at 70 or 75 per cent of the company's total revenue, especially in some mature markets," Oviedo explained. He is in charge of worldwide sales and customer operations for consumer digital imaging and graphic communications groups at Eastman Kodak.
He said new innovative technology and the company's friendly ties with consumers would support the B2B side of things.
Eastman Kodak today holds 120,000 patents, with 10,000 new ones being registered every year.
Oviedo said Kodak had spent the past 108 years building a strong brand. The company has been in Asia for about 90 years, 45 of them in Thailand.
"Asia contributes to about 15 per cent of Kodak's overall revenue, with China, India and Southeast Asia being the major drivers," he said.
He added that Thailand was performing very well, that it had good momentum and intended to continue this way.
In Thailand, Kodak is the market leader in digital printing, computertoplate devices, commercial inkjet printing, retail printing, photographic paper, motionpicture imaging and printing plates.
Cristina Fernandez, managing director for Eastman Kodak's operations in Southeast Asia, said the company was planning aggressive growth in Asia, particularly China and India, which have been showing doubledigit growth in some products. However, she added, Thailand was still the biggest market in the region.