New Orders Strengthen SDL's Leading Position in the Thermal Printing Market

    SAN JOSE, Calif., May 20 /PRNewswire/ -- SDL, Inc. (Nasdaq: SDLI)
announced today that during recent months it has secured orders from the Kodak
Professional Division of the Eastman Kodak Company for the supply of fiber-
coupled laser diodes.  The laser diodes are for use in Kodak's market-leading
"Approval" line of digital color proofing systems for the graphic arts market.
The orders total approximately $9 million and extend over a period of up to
two years.
    Kodak's Approval digital color proofing system uses an array of fiber-
coupled laser diodes to create color images directly from digital computer
files.  These color images are excellent representations of the images
produced by offset printing presses and they are used by commercial printers
to qualify or "prove" the digital data before going to press.  Digital color
proofing systems are key to enabling full digital prepress workflows.
    SDL and Kodak have worked closely together for many years to develop very
high-performance laser sources for several of Kodak's graphic arts imaging
systems.  According to Donald R. Scifres, chairman and chief executive officer
of SDL, "We are extremely proud of the close partnership we have developed
with Kodak over the past several years.  These new orders further enhance both
this relationship and SDL's position as a leading supplier of laser diodes to
the thermal printing market."
    SDL designs, manufactures and markets fiber optic-related products, lasers
and optoelectronic-based systems.  The company's products are used in a
diversity of markets such as telecommunications, cable television, dense
wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM), satellite communications, printing,
medical, and materials processing markets.
    Statements in this press release which are not historical, including
statements regarding SDL's or management's intentions, hopes, beliefs,
expectations, representations, projections, plans or predictions of the
future, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Such statements include statements
regarding the amount and duration of the orders, the Company's relationship as
supplier to Kodak, and its leading position in the thermal printing market.
It is important to note that the Company's actual results could differ
materially from those in any such forward-looking statements.  Factors that
could cause actual results to differ materially include risks related to
delays or cancellations of this customer's orders, competition which could
alter the relationship of SDL with Kodak and within the industry, and the risk
factors listed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports including, but
not limited to, the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and Form 10-K/A for
the year ended January 1, 1999, and quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the
first quarter of 1999.

Link to this page: