Eastman Kodak Company, founded by George Eastman in 1888, revolutionized photography with roll film and affordable cameras, becoming a global giant before succumbing to the digital revolution and filing for bankruptcy in 2012. This timeline traces its corporate journey from inception through innovation, expansion, decline, and modern revival attempts.
George Eastman patents a machine for coating dry photographic plates, laying the groundwork for mass production. #photography #invention
George Eastman and businessman Henry A. Strong form the Eastman Dry Plate Company in Rochester, New York. #business #photography
Eastman invents a roll film system, replacing glass plates and enabling continuous photography. #innovation
The first Kodak camera goes on sale with the slogan 'You press the button, we do the rest.' #photography #history
The company is officially incorporated as the Eastman Kodak Company in New York. #corporate #history
A smaller, portable camera expands the consumer market. #photography #innovation
The $1 Brownie camera makes photography accessible to the masses. #photography #affordable )
First overseas manufacturing plant, marking international expansion. #global #manufacturing
A popular folding camera using postcard-sized film. #photography #vintage
Allows users to write notes on the film through a small window. #innovation #photography
Formal R&D department to drive photographic innovation. #research #development
Introduces 16mm reversal film, making amateur movie making popular. #film #home_movies
Standardizes 35mm film for still cameras, a pivotal format. #photography #format
Founder George Eastman takes his own life at age 77, leaving notes for colleagues and donating his estate to the University of Rochester. #founder #history
Revolutionary color transparency film with excellent stability and saturation. #color #photography
First color negative film for prints, making color photography more accessible. #photography #color
Iconic marketing slogan associating Kodak with capturing life's memorable moments. #advertising #marketing
Reliable circular slide projector becomes a standard for presentations. #projector #photography
Easy-load film cartridge camera, a massive success with over 75 million sold. #camera #innovation
Simpler home movie format with easy-load cartridges. #film #home_movies
Kodak engineer builds a 0.01-megapixel digital camera weighing 8 pounds. #digital #invention
Compact disc-shaped film, but ultimately fails in the market. #failure #photography
Major sponsorship deal enhances brand visibility globally. #sponsorship #branding
First 1.4 megapixel CCD sensor, but management fails to pursue digital aggressively. #technology #digital
Diversification into pharmaceuticals with $5.1 billion acquisition. #merger #diversification
Digital scanning system for storing photos on CD, but fails to gain traction. #digital #failure
Former Motorola CEO attempts to revive Kodak by focusing on digital but faces internal resistance. #leadership #turnaround )
Despite early digital innovation, Kodak loses ground to Japanese competitors like Canon and Sony. #market_share #competition
Enters online photo sharing but fails to capitalize on social media trends. #acquisition #digital
End of an era as Kodak shifts focus to digital, but too late to regain dominance. #film #digital
Price cuts and new models lift sales, but unsustainable. #comeback #struggle
Kodak cuts thousands of jobs and shifts focus to digital printing. #restructuring #layoffs
Discontinuation of iconic film due to declining demand. #film #end_of_era
Iconic company files for bankruptcy protection, burdened by pension costs and failed digital transition. #bankruptcy #decline
Exits restructuring as a smaller company focused on commercial printing and imaging. #restructuring #turnaround
Modernized Super 8 camera aimed at hipsters and filmmakers. #retro #film
Attempts to pivot to cryptocurrency for photo rights, but project stalls. #blockchain #crypto
U.S. government loan under DPA to produce drug ingredients, but later rescinded amid controversy. #pharma #government
Continues downsizing and divestiture of legacy film business. #restructuring #film