Kodak and Fujifilm



Kodak and Fujifilm

Fujifilm Holding Corporation

Fujifilm Holding Corporation is Japanese multinational imaging and Photography Company. It's headquarter is in Tokyo, Japan and is commonly known as Fujifilm. The core business of Fujifilm is about photographic film, photofinishing, digital cameras, medical imaging equipment, color paper, arts material and equipment, optical devices, printers, flat panel displays and photocopier. Fujifilm do development, production, sale and servicing of all these products.

Fuji photo film co. ltd was the first Japanese company who was producing photographic films was established in 1934. Company did hard work in this area for 10 years and achieved the production of photographic films, X-ray films, motion picture films in Japan only. Fujifilm entered into the market of lenses, optical glasses and equipment market in the year 1940s (FUJIFILM Holdings Corp).

Company diversified after the Second World War into X-ray diagnosis, electronic imaging, magnetic materials and printing. In 1962 they did a joint venture. This joint venture was between Fuji Photo and Rank Xerox Limited which is a UK based company. From 1950s Fujifilm tried to expand their business globally. The biggest competitor of Fujifilm was Eastman Kodak. Eastman Kodak was dominating the market of United States and Fujifilm was enjoying its monopoly in Japan. In the Olympics of 1984, Fujifilm established its factory in United States and offered cameras in low prices. Due to this Fujifilm got a large market share of United States. On the other hand Kodak did not succeeded in getting good market share in Japan (FUJIFILM Holdings Corp).

In 1995 a petitioner was filed by Kodak with US commerce department that due to its bad performance in Japanese market was a result of unfair practices done by Fujifilm. In 1998 World Trade Organization rejected complains of Kodak against Fujifilm (FUJIFILM Holdings Corp).

Eastman Kodak Company

Eastman Kodak Company is American company and its headquarter is in Rochester, New York. Eastman Kodak is normally known as Kodak, it is photographic equipment, multinational imaging, services and Materials Company. It was established in year 1889 by George Eastman.

Kodak is mostly known for its photographic film products. In 20th century Kodak enjoyed playing dominant role in photographic films. In 1976 Kodak had the almost 90% of United States market shares. The ubiquity of the Kodak was seen by their tagline “Kodak Moment” (Hiltzik, 2011).

In 1990s Kodak started to face financial losses because of its low sales in photographic film and slow adoption of digital photography. In 2007 they invented the core of digital cameras and started to make profits. In January 2012 Bankruptcy protection file was filed by Kodak. In the month of February they took decision that they will further won't product pocket cameras and digital cameras and now will only focus on corporate digital imaging market. In the month of August they announced that they are selling some of their companies like commercial scanner and Kiosk division. The motion picture film will still be owned by them (Hiltzik, 2011). 

Strategies of Fujifilm

In 21st century digital technology application in cameras took great ...