Clancy . . . overflow . . . the best bits . . . funnies

Following the loss of 600 jobs in Coburg, Melbourne comes news that the company will shed 600 more jobs in the UK, closing its Annesley, Nottingham factory in September with the loss of 350 jobs and targeting its Harrow plant in March next year affecting 250 staff. The company will still continue to manufacture graphic arts film but from plants in the US, Mexico and China.

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And on that theme, Glenn Campbell, Kodak corporate communications and public relations manager takes issue with last week’s slight on the company’s digital perspicacity. He writes, ‘In answer to the ill-informed item on your Clancy Overflow online column last week, Kodak has a long proud history with digital cameras and indeed Kodak played a key role in the invention of digital photography.

Kodak’s Steven J. Sasson, digital’s dad, developed the world’s first digital camera prototype in 1976. Weighing in at 8 lbs Sasson’s invention marked the beginning of a new era in photography.

In 1986, Kodak announced the development of the world’s first mega pixel digital sensor small enough to function in a handheld camera - a sensor that had 1.4 million pixels.

In 1994, Kodak team with Apple and manufactured and supplied the world’s first consumer-priced digital camera, the Apple QuickTake 100. Later that year, Kodak introduced its own digital camera - the DC40. In 1997, Kodak broke new ground by introducing the DC120, the world's first consumer mega pixel digital camera, priced under US$1,000.

And that’s enough of that . . . you get the message.


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Does this sound familiar? A report on www.printweek.co.uk informs that small printers on the fringes of the City of London must improve the fundamentals of their businesses to survive. It comes from Understanding the Print and Publishing Sectors in the City Fringe, a study of printing enterprises to the north and east of the Square Mile of London’s financial hub. It warns that relying on proximity to the customers won’t provide a lasting solution in the face of improved communications technology. And besides, rent and wages cost 30% more in the city than elsewhere. The report was commissioned by the City of London.

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At first glance it seemed as though something was amiss with Prism in the USA but a phone call to the local Brisbane office put it right. An MIS company called Enterprise Print Management Solutions bills itself as being formerly known as Prism USA, but it’s not quite right. It transpires that when the New Zealand founded company entered the US market it bought a company called Micro Inc that had a product called Enterprise. Since then the individual who led that company, Carol Anderson, has gone back out on her own with the Enterprise product and so the confusion.

Kathy Mitchell assures that Prism USA is going strong, even without founder Chris Johnson’s hand on the tiller.

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Everyone is moving production to China, even Japanese-based Dainippon Screen and who can blame them? According to a company release there are over 160,000 companies in the print-related industry in China. A new Screen factory at Hangzhou, will come into production this month manufacturing CTP equipment and peripherals. Sales in 2005 are expected to reach 500 million yen (AUD$6.2 million).

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And this from www.whattheythink.com the U.S. National Labour Relations Board issued a complaint against Quebecor World formally accusing the multinational printing company of intimidating, threatening, coercing, and spying on workers in Mississippi and Tennessee because of their union activities, and firing a worker for refusing to spy on his pro-union co-workers.

The company, which is perhaps the largest printing company in the world, vigorously denies the complaint and claims it is the most unionised company in the industry. We’ll keep an eye on this one.

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And finally . . . this is perhaps the actual bird that flew over the cuckoo’s nest.

Two blokes, inmates of a psychiatric institution, were sitting in the garden when a bird, – yes, that bird – flew over and dumped on Bruce’s head. A passing nurse said, “Hold on a minute, fellas, I’ll go get some toilet paper.”

They watched him disappear down the path then Wayne turned to Bruce and said, ”Geez, and they call us crazy. That bird will be miles away by the time he gets back.”