Kodak Broadens Role in OLED Industry

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Jan. 31, 2006 -- In an effort to promote commercialization of OLED (organic light-emitting diode) technology, Eastman Kodak Co. announced yesterday that it will broaden its participation in the industry through research and development, collaborating with manufacturers on design and production and pursuing more opportunities to license its OLED technology. Eastman Kodak pioneered production of the first full-color, active-matrix OLED displays.

To facilitate the company's move, Kodak has granted full control of SK Display Corp. to Sanyo Electric Co. Kodak and Sanyo formed the SK Display joint venture in 2001 to manufacture OLED displays. Kodak will continue as exclusive licensing agent on behalf of Kodak and Sanyo for certain OLED intellectual property.

OLED displays consist of self-luminous pixels, which do not require the power-consuming backlights used in LCDs. With its performance and design advantages, OLED technology is enabling a new generation of small- and large-screen display devices.

Kodak's OLED strategy initially focused on small displays for portable applications, leading to the first product to contain a full-color active-matrix OLED panel, an Easyshare zoom digital camera. The company now plans to work with a variety of partners to develop OLED products for a wide range of markets.

Kodak's enhanced participation will include display and materials research and development, collaboration with manufacturers to develop OLED infrastructure, including panel design and production; and pursuing additional licensing opportunities for both active-matrix and passive-matrix OLED display technology. To date, more than 20 companies worldwide have licensed Kodak's OLED technology.

Leading organizations worldwide recognize the potential for OLED technology to revolutionize the flat-panel display industry and change how and where people access information and entertainment. The worldwide OLED industry is expected to exceed $2.9 billion by 2011 and is growing at 29 percent annually, according to market research group iSuppli.

For more information, visit: www.kodak.com