Contact Center Solutions Industry News

[February 09, 2005]

Kodak Polychrome Graphics Taps VeriCenter to Host SAP Platform Serving Facilities on Four Continents

HOUSTON --(Business Wire)-- Feb. 9, 2005 -- VeriCenter Inc. announced today that Kodak Polychrome Graphics (KPG) has outsourced its U.S.-based managed services and enterprise hosting requirements to VeriCenter as a cornerstone of KPG's replacement of 40 legacy systems with a single SAP platform. KPG expects to realize a $12.5 million return on investment in this solution over four years.

Since KPG's inception, a large global IT services company had managed KPG's applications development and data center hosting. Then, in 2002, KPG made a strategic decision to deploy SAP and in-source certain IT functions.

"The whole thing became a 'can of worms' and forced us to reconsider our initiatives," said Sandra Daignault, head of IT for the Americas, Kodak Polychrome Graphics. "What we outsourced and what we kept in-house required realignment with overall business goals."

After analyses by outsourcing experts TPI Inc. and industry analyst Gartner Inc. in 2004, KPG decided to change its managed services and enterprise hosting provider. VeriCenter now administers the data centers and help desks for KPG, and hosts the SAP system, while the company retains LAN administration, application development and desk-side support. The SAP system is used by KPG facilities on four continents, including North America, Asia, Europe and South America.

"The results of using VeriCenter have been outstanding. Kodak Polychrome Graphics has experienced stepped-up service levels, zero outages and speed-to-implementation, as SAP drives our business for planning, manufacturing, distribution and financials," Daignault said.

Among its enterprise hosting responsibilities for KPG, VeriCenter manages 70 dedicated servers, a storage area network and SAP, Ceridian, Hyperion, Exchange and utility applications at its data centers. VeriCenter has received SAS-70 Type II certification, an internationally recognized standard of adherence to policies, procedures and business processes designed to ensure a secure and stable data center environment that safely monitors and manages customer data.

Norwalk, Conn.-based KPG has 2,500+ employees worldwide and revenues of $1.7 billion in 2004. Eastman Kodak Co. announced earlier this month the company is acquiring the other 50 percent stake in the jointly owned commercial graphic arts business from Sun Chemical Corp. The acquisition expands Kodak's global distribution network for digital printing systems and places a strategic emphasis on filmless technology -- from digital cameras and online photofinishing to photo kiosks and minilabs, X-ray systems and commercial printers.

"Kodak Polychrome Graphics is among the leading companies recognizing the value of predictable cost, reliable service and utility-like access all from one source," said Gray Hall, VeriCenter president and CEO. "We centrally deliver flexible, cost-controlled, secure enterprise IT solutions that customers can easily tap into."

Recent Saugatuck Technology research (April 2004) indicates that nearly one-fifth of firms in the U.S. are already taking advantage of some form of utility computing, mostly in the form of "pay as you go" outsourced IT functions, or outsourced business processes and applications that ride on top of the IT infrastructure.

About Kodak Polychrome Graphics

Kodak Polychrome Graphics provides one of the broadest portfolios of digital, conventional and business solutions available in the graphic arts industry today. Products and services include a wide range of computer-to-plate and conventional lithographic plate products, digital halftone, virtual, inkjet and analog proofing products, digital printing applications, color workflow tools, business solutions and Kodak branded graphic arts films. With headquarters in Norwalk, Conn., USA, KPG serves customers around the globe with regional offices in the United States, Europe, Japan, Asia Pacific and Latin America. Additional information regarding Kodak Polychrome Graphics may be found on the company's Web site: www.kpgraphics.com.

About VeriCenter Inc.

VeriCenter is the IT infrastructure and managed services company that provides a comprehensive range of secure, reliable, enterprise-level IT operations. These inclusive enterprise services are centrally delivered through automated systems to our nationwide data centers or customer locations. VeriCenter's OpCenter(TM) solutions help maintain and improve all levels of enterprise service and support while extending IT departments' in-house capabilities. VeriCenter customers rely on the company's expertise for hosting, security, monitoring, OS & database administration and storage & tape backup requirements. Customers benefit from scalable, cost-controlled, high-quality IT services and infrastructure all from one source. For additional information on VeriCenter and the OpCenter scalable solutions, visit: www.vericenter.com or call 866-411-8287.

VeriCenter and the corporate logo are registered trademarks of VeriCenter Inc. -0- *T VeriCenter Inc. Headquarters 757 N. Eldridge, Suite 200 Houston, TX 77079 *T

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