Atlantic Inkjet and Re-Inks expand businesses
May 20, 2013
The remanufacturer and refiller have both announced their growth in terms of both sales and location.
Atlantic Inkjet stated that it has achieved the “highest selling record” for toner refills since it began, with “more than 200,000 customer[s]” now using the company’s products as a result of its “prominent search engine positioning”.
The company added that its Uni-Kit toner refill brand has allowed it to become a “leading retailer” with “more and more people considering the environmental benefits” of recycling, refilling or remanufacturing cartridges. It adds that it believes it has “become one of the largest resellers of toner refill kits”, and that it is aiming to “strengthen” its position in the North American market.
Re-Inks in turn reported that it intends to take its business “to the next level” by selling ink cartridge refill products “to the worldwide market”. The move to a global basis is a “big deal”, with the company adding that by expanding “beyond the US and Canadian borders” it will need to “invest significantly in marketing and website technologies”.
Re-Inks added that it hopes the move to a global basis will get “its name inked in the global market”, having already seen a “steady upsurge” in the industry. The company added that its “passion to grow and keep expanding its product offering” goes hand in hand with its “efforts to improve its business and reach out globally”.
Categories : Rank 3
Tags : Business North America Remanufacturing
Canadian remanufacturer’s premises close unexpectedly
May 16, 2013
Former employee tells of surprise upon discovering closure of Ribbons Recycled Inc.’s premises due to unpaid rent.
The Chronicle Herald reports how Darren Woods discovered that Ribbons Recycled Inc., his employer for six years, had been closed following the termination of its property lease due to unpaid rent amounting to $39,837.34 (€30,977.72).
The Canada-based cartridge remanufacturer, which was founded in 1993 and has clients in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Ontario, allegedly owes money to some of its 14 employees as well as to its landlord, with Woods claiming that “thousands of dollars” were owed in “bonuses, back-wages and vacation pay” and one employee claiming to be owed $10,000 (€7,700) in bonuses. As a result, Woods and other employees are planning to meet with the provincial Labour Board to file a complaint against the company.
However, Mr. MacKinnon, who runs the business with his wife, has denied his employees’ claims, stating: “They will be paid in the next few days, and most of them have been. There’s very little left.” He added that the company’s closure was “not a certainty yet” and that he was trying to resolve the matter.
While the closure of the premises in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia came as a shock to Woods, he claims that his employer “knew it was coming because he had a notification from the landlord that he was going to come in and change the locks if they didn’t pay the rent, but he never told us”, adding that he and his colleagues “were pressured to meet a higher and higher quota each month”.
According to the article, Ribbons Recycled Inc. has had previous financial difficulties and was found to have liabilities totalling $476,798 (€370,760) in 2009, when the company filed for a commercial proposal.
Categories : Rank 3 Uncategorized
Tags : Business Remanufacturing Ribbons Recycled Inc.
UK trade association signs agreement for access to Chinese environmental market
May 15, 2013
Landmark agreement signed by UK’s Environmental Industries Commission (EIC) with the Chinese Society of Environmental Sciences (CSES).
The Environmental Industries Commission has announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will allow UK environmental firms to gain easier access to Chinese markets, with EIC member companies gaining the ability to seek accreditation with the CSES, providing a platform from which to offer their products and services into the Chinese market.
The MoU was signed by Dr Nelson Ogunshakin OBE, Chairman of the EIC, and Secretary General of CSES Mr Ren Guan-Ping at the Shanghai International Environment Expo (IE Expo), which was attended by 30,000 people across three days.
Commenting on the agreement, Ogunshakin, who also presented the benefits of a closer Sino-British collaboration on environmental concerns at the event, said: “Today marks a new opportunity for EIC in creating tangible export prospects for its members to take advantage of the growing market in China. The exchange of this MoU with the CSES positions EIC’s member companies closer to decision makers in China, securing a competitive advantage for UK companies operating in the growing environmental sector in China.”
Speaking on behalf of CSES, Guan Ping said: “We are pleased with the opportunity to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the UK Environmental Industries Commission. We welcome EIC Members to China and to work closely in bilateral partnership on mutual environmental challenges and environmental protection.
“Secondly, we share a goal to grow green innovation and the green economy, developing new opportunities to work in collaboration between our respective Members. There are great opportunities for EIC Members in China to work with and assist us in creating a beautiful China. We regard the Environmental Industries Commission as our friend; we share a common goal, and a common dream:
“Two families coming together to sign the Memorandum of Understanding: Two families, One Dream.”
Categories : Rank 3
Tags : Business China Environment
Western European hardcopy market declines in first quarter
May 14, 2013
IDC reports drop in hardcopy market of 14.5 percent in 1Q13 as European economy fails to improve.
The overall hardcopy market fell in the first quarter of the year to just over five million units, compared to 5.8 million units a year ago, with market value also declining by 9.5 percent to $2.6 billion (€2 billion) compared to $2.9 billion (€2.2 billion) in 1Q12.
IDC attributes intense competition and sluggish markets as the reasons for the decline, while Arnaud Gagneux, Director of IDC’s Western European Imaging Hardware Devices and Document Solutions Group, added that the decline in shipments “reflect[s] the lack of improvement in the economic fortunes in Europe” which has led to businesses cutting costs in their operations and turning to MPS and document solutions to improve efficiencies.
Phil Sargeant, Program Director of IDC’s Western European Imaging Hardware Devices and Document Solutions Group, noted that “consumer markets are particularly hard hit. Consumer confidence is low, unemployment is high, economies are fragile and suppliers are battling with other consumer IT vendors for share of consumer spend”. He added that despite shipment of laser devices increasing in some countries, “growth rates are small when considering the declines of the previous year”.
In terms of vendor performance, HP remained the market leader with 35.9 percent of all shipments, despite year-on-year decline; followed by Canon which increased its sales to reach a market share of 18 percent. Brother also saw year-on-year increases for its major technology areas with a market share of 12.6 percent; while Epson captured 12.1 percent and followed by Samsung’s 8.7 percent.
While total inkjet markets contracted by 20.5 percent year-on-year, mainly in the consumer market, the A3 inkjet MFP market showed growth. Similarly, the A3 colour MFP markets and A4 monochrome MFP markets saw growth despite the overall decline of the laser market, suggesting that businesses are turning to MFPs.
Looking at how different countries fared, Germany, France and the UK accounted for 59.2 percent of all Western European shipments, although this is slightly lower than it was a year ago. The German market declined by 14.8 percent, with consumer markets declining by a quarter and laser markets remaining flat. However, the country’s colour laser market increased by 2.6 percent and the growth of A3 inkjet products increased by almost a quarter, with Germany accounting for 35.6 percent of all Western European A3 inkjet shipments.
In France, the market declined less that the overall Western European average, dropping 11.3 percent, with both consumer and business markets showing losses. Again, A3 MFP inkjet shipments increased despite the overall inkjet market declining 13.8 percent, while the laser market fell by 5.2 percent.
Of the ‘Big Three’ countries, the UK saw the largest decline, with sales falling 23.1 percent and the consumer inkjet market seeing the largest declines so that shipments were on par with France. Contrary to Germany and France, the UK also saw A3 inkjet shipments decline. However, the laser markets grew by 2.9 percent, with increase in colour A3 markets and both A4 monochrome printers and MFPs, but declines in colour A4 shipments.
Categories : Rank 3
Tags : Europe IDC Market Data
ClozDloop cartridge material recycling plant to open in Belgium
May 13, 2013
Belgian recycling company’s “new and innovative” production line now assembled, with commercial production scheduled for June.
ClozDloop has announced that it will commence the launch of a trial production at its new cartridge material recycling plant later this month as it prepares for commercial production to begin in June, with the assembly of the production line, supervised by Toshiba Dieppe’s Toner Department Manager, Mr M. Mebtoul, now complete.
The company acquired a patent exploitation license from Toshiba TEC Cooperation in March 2012, and together with Toshiba TEC Europe Imaging Systems S.A. designed and assembled a new production line for the material recovery from end-of-life printer cartridges.
The new production line will enable 6,000 tons of used products to be processed per year, with the installation audited by ISMA and a second audit scheduled before the end of June.
Gerrit Ouwens, CFO of ClozDloop, commented: “By using the Toshiba patent, we obtain clean plastic fractions of 8mm size after product processing, enabling us to re-use even a higher volume of recovered materials after further recycling. This is a unique feature for these kind of production lines.
“The effectiveness of the process has been demonstrated during lab tests at the production site of Toshiba and we look forward to continuously improve quality of services to our OEM customers. Our customers challenge us every day to offer more efficient solutions for material recovery and recycling. We work hard to meet their expectations and our desire to excel drives us to invest in further vertical integration.”
Categories : Rank 3
Tags : ClozDloop Europe Recycling
$200,000 of counterfeit HP printing supplies seized in Malaysia
May 9, 2013
Credit MIS Asia
Over 2,000 fake toner cartridges were seized by Malaysian law enforcement officials.
MIS Asia reports that HP has conducted further counterfeiting raids, this time in Malaysia where law enforcement officials have seized thousands of counterfeit toner cartridges worth almost $200,000 (€152,000).
According to a statement from HP, the ongoing investigation aims to “identify the entity’s downstream customers, upstream suppliers and any related facilities”; with Jimmy Kwok, Anti-Counterfeit Manager, Printing and Personal Systems at HP Asia Pacific and Japan, explaining that “counterfeit print cartridges run several risks, ranging from substantial print quality to printer downtime due to damage by inferior counterfeit supplies”, adding that the OEM “will continue to work closely with local authorities to combat the fraudulent manufacture, distribution and sale of counterfeit HP supplies products and protect our customers”.
Kwok added: “HP appreciates the commitment and support of the Malaysian authorities in protecting consumers and businesses against the illegal actions of counterfeiters, who deceive customers into thinking they are buying genuine goods.”
In the Asia Pacific region alone, HP claims to have seized over 25 million units of counterfeit cartridges and components in the last four years, with Kwok noting: “On a global level, HP maintains an aggressive approach to anti-counterfeiting and has conducted more than 4,600 investigations in 88 countries over the last four years. This activity has resulted in the seizure of more than 36 million units of counterfeit printing cartridges and components worldwide over the same period.”
The Recycler has recently reported on HP’s anti-counterfeiting activity, with raids being conducted by HP and law enforcement officials in Russia (http://www.therecycler.com/posts/truckloads-of-counterfeit-cartridges-seized-in-russia/), Saudi Arabia (http://www.therecycler.com/posts/hp-seizes-67000-counterfeit-products-in-saudi-arabia/), and India, where consumables dealers claimed that they were being wrongly harassed by the OEM and that HP had not followed correct procedures (http://www.therecycler.com/posts/hp-makes-false-counterfeiting-claims-in-india/).
Categories : Rank 3
Tags : Counterfeiting HP Malaysia
Cartridge World franchise owner talks about industry
May 8, 2013
Jeffrey Rosenzweig of Florida discusses how he finds his cartridge retail business to be a profitable second career.
In an article on Florida news website Sun Sentinel, 51-year old Jeffrey Rosenzweig discusses how he moved from a two decade-long career in the New York textile industry to owning a Cartridge World franchise in Florida, explaining that he wished to move into an industry that was “relevant to today’s economy” as well as being environmentally friendly.
With the Cartridge World store employing two full-time and five part-time members of staff, Rosenzweig says that the business has been growing ever since it was set up in 2005, despite the recession, which he said helped rather than hindered the business: “We actually thrived when other businesses were suffering because they were looking for ways to cut their overhead. They were still printing, and we provided them with a cheaper way to do that necessary aspect of business.”
Asked if he was expecting the industry to suffer due to the decline in printing, Rosenzweig said: “People are faxing and printing less, but there is still a very strong need for ink and toner. This is something I’m concerned about in the future, but not right now […] businesses are still printing invoices, files and contracts.”
He added that people’s growing awareness of environmental issues should also benefit the business: “One thing is the fact that President Obama recently announced a renewed effort to combat climate change and to protect our environment. I don’t think people realize how much of an impact printer cartridges have. It takes about 450 years for one laser cartridge to decompose, and most cartridges used around the world are currently being thrown out. So, recycling and reusing printer cartridges can actually help reduce your carbon footprint.”
With 70 percent of the business dealing with business-to-business (B2B) purchases, Rosenweig says that the company is able to “deliver to our customers and they never even see the store”, which he believes “is a convenience that helps keep us competitive”. He added that to attract business “we advertise in newspapers, and I network for B2B business in several chamber of commerce and leads groups”.
Categories : Rank 3
Tags : Business Cartridge World USA
Toshiba President and CEO exits company
May 7, 2013
Mark Matthews announces he is leaving Toshiba after 20 years of working for the company.
Industry Analysts reports on the exit of Matthews from Toshiba America Business Solutions, Inc. (TABS) after working for the company since 1993; with Noboru Sawada acting as interim CEO for the company until a replacement is announced.
During Matthews’ role as President and CEO, the company experienced significant growth in its managed document services (MDS) business; as well as becoming the first manufacturer to partner with Close the Loop Inc., which recycles imaging consumables “regardless of manufacturer”. It has also been awarded several industry accolades including the Business Technology Association’s “Channel’s Choice” award for Superior Performance and Marketing Research Consultant’s “First in Class” awards.
At the time of Matthews’ departure from TABS, the company has seen recent revenue growth and increased profitability at the end of the financial year in 2012, a year of double digit growth for its MPS and professional services business during 2012 and this year intends to launch a new generation of A4 and high speed colour products.
Categories : Rank 3
Tags : Business North America Toshiba
IBM remanufactures IT equipment for reuse
May 3, 2013
The IT manufacturer has revealed that it reuses and remanufactures IT products in its data centres.
Business Green reported that the manufacturer’s Global Asset Recovery Services (GARS) can “remanufacture just about any kind of IT equipment”, whether or not IBM manufactured the equipment in the first place.
The system, which has been in place since 1999, has remanufactured nearly 68 million kilograms of technology equipment, with 2012 alone seeing 250,000 units remanufactured – the site adds that “if you were to stack all the laptops IBM processed in 2012, they would reach 4.2 miles into the sky”, and 99 percent of the ‘demanufactured’ equipment was recycled or reused.
The website notes that this operation makes IBM “a standout in a technology industry where companies have been charged with deliberately undermining the longevity of their products to force users to buy newer models sooner”. The site contrasts IBM’s approach with that of Samsung and Apple, the former carelessly placing components so that they are not easily recovered, and the latter embroiled in legal battles over whether it intentionally “withheld existing technology” in order to release newer versions of its iPad for monetary gain.
Business Green noted in turn that technology manufacturers “long have been charged with building obsolescence into their products, a practice that is not only ethically dubious but environmentally harmful”, and GARS, part of IBM’s Global Financing Business, is designed to help companies “in need of a short-term technology solution or that lack the capital for expensive equipment”.
IBM’s John Muir, who leads the GARS sales team, stated to the news outlet: “We’re continually looking and working with engineers on how to best design products that will enable us to keep upgrading and upgrading and upgrading. We’re able to keep the technology as new as we possibly can, keep it as fresh as we possibly can, and to minimize the amount of waste.”
The programme also helps clients “use the money they save” to “cut energy usage” and “improve water efficiency with help from IBM’s Big Data services. The manufacturer itself benefits from GARS, with its Data Centre in Portsmouth, UK receiving a 50 percent increase in storage capacity from using remanufactured or reused server units, as well as saving money and energy.
The manufacturer was championed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Centre fo Climate and Energy Solutions, the Climate Registry and the Association of Climate Change Officers in the USA last year for leading the addressing of climate change, and also led Newsweek’s 2012 Global Green Rankings chart.
Categories : Rank 3
Tags : Environment IBM Remanufacturing
Kodak announces post-bankruptcy plans
May 2, 2013
OEM to sell film and printing businesses and focus on selling printing equipment and services.
BBC News reports that Kodak is expecting to exit bankruptcy by July or later, emerging as a “commercial imaging firm”, with the company securing a deal at the end of April to sell its film and printing businesses for £419 million ($652.4 million/€495.5 million) to its UK pension fund.
As Kodak remains on-track to emerge from bankruptcy later this year, it has announced a new strategy to focus on – selling printing equipment and services to businesses; although approval from creditors and the US bankruptcy court is still required. Should the strategy be approved, it will then be subject to a vote by creditors.
In documents filed with a New York court, Kodak said that it is expecting to “issue new stock and appoint a new board” as well as new directors.
The Recycler recently reported Kodak’s first quarter results, which showed that the company has achieved consolidated net earnings of $283 million (€214.5 million) compared to a loss of $366 million (€277.4 million) in the first quarter of 2012.
Categories : Rank 3
Tags : Business Kodak North America
