Kodak, the company that "made photography available to all," announced on July 21, 2003 that it would be acquiring PracticeWorks to cement its position in the Dental Practice Management Software (DPMS) and digital radiographic imaging market. With it, Kodak would be able to provide a full spectrum of dental imaging products and services, ranging from film, photography to digital radiography.

The traditional photography industry is under tremendous pressure from the digital alternative. Therefore, Kodak, these days, is doing everything it could to transition from the traditional film business to a more contemporary digital business. It is concentrating on the medical imaging business and is even moving into printing businessall to reduce its dependence on the waning film business. And this deal might be a hatchet to cling on to in its stormy core business of photography.

Along with the announcement of the deal, the company said that it is moving into commercial printing by hiring a HP veteran to head its new commercial printing unit. Though Kodak has been there in the commercial printing business with its NexPress digital printing system joint venture and Kodak Polychrome Graphics, the business is now given the status of a business unit with its own head. The commercial printing division is one among the company's five divisions, and the others aredisplay and components, health imaging, digital and film imaging systems and commercial imaging. Furthering the push into commercial printing, Kodak would also get into digital asset management (tracking and storing of digital files) since the market is growing because of the increasing need of companies to store information digitally. It will continue to work with its existing joint venture partners like Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG, a German printing machinery manufacturer. While it is getting into new businesses, it is also broadening its product portfolio. It acquired television post-production company Laser-Pacific Media Corp. and even the PracticeWorks, Inc. acquisition serves the same purpose.

Kodak, photography, printing, imaging business, film, business, Strategy, Digital Photography, Dental Practice Management Software (DPMS), digital radiography, traditional photography industry, medical imaging business, film business, business of photography, commercial printing unit, Kodak Polychrome Graphics, digital printing system, German printing machinery manufacturer.