Kodak Eliminating Nearly 900 Jobs Overseas

Tuesday, October 5th 2004, 10:04 am

By: News On 6

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) _ Eastman Kodak Co. announced Tuesday it will cut nearly 900 jobs at three of its manufacturing facilities in Europe as part of the company's shift from traditional film production to digital photography.

The layoffs at the three plants are part of the 12,000 to 15,000 job cuts the Rochester-based photography giant announced earlier this year as part of its strategy to accelerate the transition from film-related products to digital imaging.

Kodak said it will eliminate 250 jobs at its site in Harrow, England and will shut down its film production plant at Annesley, England, eliminating another 350 jobs.

The Harrow facility will become the headquarters for operations in Britain, with about 300 jobs being transferred to the site from Kodak's other operations in the United Kingdom, the company said.

The layoffs in Harrow will result from the closing, by the end of March 2005, of a facility that sensitizes film for the graphics industry.

Kodak said it will also cut jobs in Chalon, France, where 270 positions will be eliminated when production of consumer film and color photographic paper ceases at that site by the end of September 2005.