The long-standing court case over the use of Kodak’s Versamark printheads has ended with Collins’ ink now approved for use in the Versamark Systems “such as the D-series and 6240 range of imprinting solutions”.
While details of the settlement remain private, Kodak has said that it will offer full refurbishment services for the printhead, irregardless of whether the ink used was from Collins or Kodak. Clients without a contract can chose either ink, without the refurbishment service being affected.
Furthermore, Kodak will expand the ink index files for its DH90 and DH91 printheads to support a range of Collins inks, and allow speedier set up of custom colours and aid switchovers. Collins decided to take Kodak to court again in October 2013 for “illegally trying to stifle inkjet ink competition”, despite the companies apparently settling their differences in May 2012.
Both companies supply inkjet inks for users of the Versamark digital inkjet printing press, manufactured by Kodak, and the previous case centred around Kodak’s alleged control of the market for the ink. Collins had manufactured inks for the Versamark, with Kodak reselling it under its own brand, but Kodak sued Collins after it “tried to end the decade-old supplier agreement” amid worries about Kodak’s financial situation, with Kodak claiming Collins “was just trying to steal Kodak ink customers”.
Philip Cullimore, President of Kodak’s Enterprise Inkjet Division, said of the new settlement: “We have a long-standing relationship with Lawrence and his company, based on our ability to solve customer problems with innovative inkjet solutions – solving our disagreements that have occurred over the past couple of years has been a key objective for me.”
Lawrence Gamblin, CEO of Collins Inkjet, said: “This settlement represents great news for our customers, in removing confusion over the use of our inks in Kodak Versamark printheads and Kodak’s policy of refurbishment. In working with Kodak as a supplier of approved inks, Collins brings thousands of individual formulations each targeted towards customers’ applications and desired performance qualities, expanding the type of work that can be created on Kodak’s systems.”