Fujifilm has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Eastman Kodak Company, in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.
Pitted against each other for decades, the rivals are due to butt heads once more – though despite them both producing some of the best 35mm film, the lawsuit has nothing to do with film stock.
"Fujifilm has asserted four patents (US Patent Nos 10,427,443, 10,525,696, 10,875,346, and 11,294,279) pertaining to various aspects of processless lithographic printing plate technologies, including method and apparatus claims," reads a statement released by Fujifilm.
"Fujifilm is seeking remedies including damages and injunctive relief related to Eastman Kodak’s unauthorized commercial manufacture, use, offer to sell, or sale within the United States, and/or importation of its processless lithographic printing plate products that infringe the four asserted patents, including those sold under the product name 'Sonora X' and the brand umbrella name 'Sonora Xtra'."
I must admit a little research was needed to understand what this means, but I have found that the infringement comes in the form of computer-to-plate (CTP) plates. Processless CTP plates are an imaging technology used in modern printing processes where an image is created on a computer and mounted directly onto a printing plate without needing a processor, chemicals, or water, dramatically reducing waste. Fujifilm claims that Kodak's Sonora X and Sonora Xtra technologies infringe on its Superia ZD.
Fujifilm's Superia ZD processless CTP plates enable a fast and efficient printing option that also offers all the benefits of 100% savings on resources needed for processing, making it incredibly valuable to its users – so you can see why Fujifilm is being protective over its rights.
This is not the first time that Fujifilm has recently sued Kodak. In separate instances in October and December 2023 respectively, Fujifilm sued Eastman Kodak’s European subsidiaries, Kodak GmbH, Kodak Graphic Communications GmbH, and Kodak Holding GmbH, for "infringement of the related European counterparts of the US patents in suit in the Unified Patent Court and in Germany".
Toyoyuki Katagiri, division president of Fujifilm North America Corporation states, "We will continue to protect our intellectual property in processless lithographic printing plates, to the benefit of our customers, including small, family-owned printing businesses, as well as medium- and large-sized printing businesses”.
Fujifilm also makes some of the best hybrid cameras, the best medium format, and the best compact cameras on the market.
