Kodak spin offs assure VARs everything is hunky dory

Recently acquired imaging businesses thank resellers for loyalty during recent bankruptcy drama

Kodak Alaris – a firm recently formed following Kodak's emergence from bankruptcy – has thanked its channel partners for their commitment in recent months.

In January 2012 Kodak filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy – a part of US bankruptcy law that allows for the company to reorganise itself – and yesterday announced the process was completed.

The company's former business-focused Document Imaging (DI) and consumer-targeted Personal Imaging (PI) divisions are now combined into one newly created firm – Kodak Alaris – which was bought out by Kodak Pension Plan (KPP) last night. KPP is a trust established to pay pension benefits to Kodak's current and former UK employees, and, while it uses the 'Kodak' brand, it is a separate entity.

The new Alaris business employs more than 5,000 staff worldwide, is worth more than £1.3bn and partners with hundreds of resellers across the EMEA region.

Martin Birch, Kodak's EMEA managing director of DI, said amid the bankruptcy problems all of its channel partners remained loyal and not one of them abandoned the then-troubled business.

"Chapter 11 is an unsettling process for anybody, it causes uncertainty," he said. "Our end users and channel partners showed loyalty in that period and the message we have for them now is that that uncertainty is gone.

"We're on a solid base with a long-term plan and [Alaris is formed of] two profitable businesses that will go forward and grow faster. The channel has been loyal to us and we intend to be loyal back."

Birch added he was keen to stress that it is now business as usual for its channel army, which makes up about 80 per cent of its EMEA sales force.

"It's wonderful that we didn't lose any channel partners during that period, and we're very grateful for that. We hope to reward them with new products that come faster to market to help them grow," he said.

"[The KPP] acquisition is a win for KPP, a win for employees of the DI division and big win for channel and end users. It's a rare occasion where everyone is a winner!"