Kodak On the Move

The Building of a Giant

Kodak's push to strengthen its graphic arts presence has its roots in the decline of the photo film business on which it built its reputation.

Founded in 1881 as the Eastman Dry Plate Co. by George Eastman—the inventor of roll film—along with businessman Henry Strong, the company brought photography to the masses. It grew steadily, weathering the suicide of Eastman in 1932 and going on to become a multinational giant in the imaging business. Today, with sales of $13.5 billion (in 2004), the company has four main businesses: