Kodak is now lending its name through a licensing deal to a range of remanufactured inkjet cartridges, and I think it is good news, and something that the other OEMs should embrace.
After all, the volume of ink and laser printer cartridges being sold is declining year-on-year, and with steady remanufacturing numbers, and some toner and ink suppliers reporting very modest growth in sales volumes. So if the OEM sales volumes are declining, but the aftermarket is steady or even growing, the results are either good news or bad news.
Good news if you make toner or ink, because more remanufacturers are refilling cartridges – I saw an OKI cartridge in a Romanian refill shop that had been refilled 17 times. Bad news if you are an OEM, because you have declining cartridge sales and you are missing out on the licensing opportunity, or bottom line revenue.
Imagine a world where you could earn fifty cents on each refill…