Kodak to acquire image-sensor business from National Semiconductor

AUGUST 24--Eastman Kodak Company (Rochester, NY; www.kodak.com) has signed an agreement to purchase the imaging business of National Semiconductor Corp., which develops and manufactures complementary metal-oxide semiconductor image sensor (CIS) devices. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

As part of this agreement, Kodak will acquire certain assets, including intellectual property and equipment, and plans to hire approximately 50 employees currently supporting National's imaging business. Most of the employees are based in Santa Clara, CA. These assets will become part of Kodak's Image Sensor Solutions organization, which currently designs and manufactures image sensors for professional and industrial imaging markets.

Kodak designs and manufactures high-performance charged-coupled-device (CCD) image sensors and has a long history of image-sensor innovation in both CCD and CIS technologies. Through this acquisition, Kodak now adds additional resources and technologies (including advanced mixed-signal circuit design) that will further strengthen its ability to design next-generation CIS devices that promise to deliver improved image quality with complex on-chip image processing circuitry. When combined with Kodak's existing CCD design and manufacturing capabilities, Kodak is now positioned as one of the premier developers of both CCD and CIS devices.

As a result of the acquisition, Kodak will open a new office for the Image Sensor Solutions organization in Sunnyvale, CA. Staffed by the former National Semiconductor employees, this group will collaborate on CIS design and commercialization with the existing team located at Kodak's headquarters in Rochester.

The companies expect to close the acquisition, pending regulatory approvals, in the next few weeks.