World Trade Body Sides With Fuji Film

Outside Eastman Kodak’s manufacturing hub, workers who’ve grown weary of setbacks at the photography giant lashed out with equal venom at Kodak management and Japanese nemesis Fuji.

“Anybody using Fuji film in the United States is a jerk!” offered a 21-year-old employee who revealed only her first name, Kelly. On the other hand, she said, “It wouldn’t hurt Kodak to sell its film a little cheaper.”

Kodak was stung by a World Trade Organization ruling Friday rejecting its claim that Fuji Photo Film Co. has rigged the Japanese photographic products market since 1975 to keep foreign competitors out.

The preliminary finding, which comes almost a month after Kodak said it was shedding 10,000 jobs, was shrugged off by Wall Street. Kodak stock fell 62-1/2 cents to close at $58.87-1/2.

“I don’t think the ruling means much,” said analyst Eugene Glazer of Fortis Advisers. “I don’t think anybody really factored in significant market gains for Kodak in Japan.”

Fuji, with 70 percent of film sales in Japan, maintains Kodak’s lackluster 10 percent share stems from bad marketing, not unfair trade.