Dell does Kodak and Xerox/Fuji
Rochester�s two most-recognizable employers are looking to make friends with the Dell dude � Michael Dell, that is. PR on Fuji Xerox follows.
Both Eastman Kodak Co. and a Xerox Corp. subsidiary have signed technology development agreements with Dell�s company, Dell Inc., the world�s second-largest maker of personal computers.
Kodak and Xerox International Partners, the Xerox subsidiary, will help Dell �significantly expand�� in imaging and printing products this year, Dell announced Thursday at the massive International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Xerox owns 51 percent of International Partners, a joint venture that sells components and finished printers and copiers to third parties.
Just what the two companies will do for Dell was shrouded in a bit of mystery, however. Dell, Kodak and Xerox all declined to comment on what types of products they would be working on or when they would become available.
�All of these companies have a wide array of technologies to expand our presence in the printing market,� said Michael Dell, Dell�s chief executive officer and founder, according to a Bloomberg News Service report.
The agreements, including a separate alliance with Samsung, come as Dell approaches the first anniversary of its decision to begin selling home printers under its own brand name.
An independent analyst said she believes that both Kodak and Xerox will provide technology for different types of Dell-branded printers.
Xerox, for instance, will likely offer monochrome and potentially color laser printer technology for the office, while Kodak may work with Dell on photo printers, said Angele Boyd, analyst for IDC Corp. in California.
Kodak sells digital cameras through Dell�s Web site and catalog, and is looking to invest in new initiatives in both home and commercial printing.
�The way this typically works is, Dell has zero interest in research and development and manufacturing of imaging and printing products,� Boyd said.
�They are interested in working with partners to build machines that are right for the Dell customer.�
Xerox views the alliance as a huge plus financially.
It offers access to potential customers, revenue and profit through a company that has a household and universally respected name, said Xerox spokeswoman Christa Carone.
Dell was ranked as the most trusted technology brand in a survey of consumers by Forrester Research last fall.
�This agreement will change the competitive landscape,� said Sunil Gupta, president and chief executive officer of Xerox International Partners.
FUJI XEROX
anuary 08, 2004 01:43 PM US Eastern Timezone
Xerox International Partners and Fuji Xerox Align with Dell to Expand Imaging and Printing Marketplace
2004 International CES
LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 8, 2004--
Partnership Highlights Fuji Xerox Leadership in Imaging and Printing Technology
Xerox International Partners, a majority-owned subsidiary of Xerox Corporation (NYSE: XRX), Fuji Xerox Co. Ltd., and Dell Inc. have entered into an agreement that will leverage Fuji Xerox's imaging technology and expertise and accelerate the growth of Dell's printing and imaging business. Through Xerox Corporation's ownership stakes in both XIP and Fuji Xerox, this agreement with Dell creates additional revenue-generating opportunities for Xerox and broadens its market reach by providing new choices to more customers worldwide.
Under the agreement, Fuji Xerox will build on its strong patent portfolio, which is shared with Xerox Corporation, and manufacturing capabilities to provide world-class technology based on Dell's strategy and specifications. Dell will acquire the products through Xerox International Partners, a U.S.-based joint venture between Fuji Xerox Co. Ltd. and Xerox Corporation. XIP offers digital marking engines, including printers and other document imaging systems, for resale under other companies' brand names.
Dell Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Michael Dell announced the technology agreement today during a presentation at the 2004 International Consumer Electronics Show.
"Dell's new relationship with Fuji Xerox and XIP provides access to a heritage of world-class technology that will fuel the continued expansion of our printing and imaging business," said Tim Peters, vice president and general manager, Dell Imaging and Printing. "Fuji Xerox is known for innovation and leadership and will contribute significantly to Dell's goal of providing a superior customer experience."
Sunil Gupta, XIP president and chief executive officer, said the agreement will help deliver alternatives to customers and provide new revenue and market opportunities.
"This agreement will change the competitive landscape. Xerox and Fuji Xerox together hold one of the strongest and most enviable intellectual property and patent portfolios in the imaging industry," said Gupta. "Combining our expertise with Dell's complements Xerox's growth strategy to expand market coverage and broaden access to industry-leading imaging technology."
Xerox operates research and technology centers in the United States, Canada and Europe. Its work is strategically coordinated with that of Fuji Xerox, which has research labs in Japan and the United States. Xerox and Fuji Xerox have consistently rated among the world's top technology innovators, together earning nearly 800 U.S. patents in 2003.
Details of the partnership agreement with Dell were not released nor were the descriptions of products that will come from this relationship.
Established in 1991, Xerox International Partners is owned jointly by Xerox Corporation, a 51 percent partner, and Fuji Xerox, a 49 percent partner.
Fuji Xerox, incorporated in 1962, is a joint venture with Xerox Corporation and Fuji Photo Film Co. Ltd., and it is the hub of Xerox operations in the Japan and Pacific Rim markets. Xerox owns 25 percent of Fuji Xerox while Fuji Photo Film owns 75 percent.
Dell Inc. is a premier provider of products and services required for customers worldwide to build their information-technology and Internet infrastructures.
NOTE TO EDITORS: This release contains forward-looking statements and information relating to Xerox that are based on our beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to us. The words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "will" and similar expressions, as they relate to us, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements. Information concerning certain factors that could cause actual results to differ materially is included in the company's third-quarter 2003 Form 10-Q filed with the SEC. For more information on Xerox, visit www.xerox.com/news. For more information on Dell, visit www.dell.com.
Posted by Craig at January 9, 2004 06:33 PM