Actionable Intelligence’s new white paper, which is available as a free downloadable PDF, provides analysis of recent patent-infringement lawsuits that have significantly impacted the aftermarket supplies industry—from Epson’s litigation in the United States that blazed a path that other OEMs would follow, to Canon’s complaint that recently won it a general exclusion order from the U.S. International Trade Commission, to Lexmark’s latest efforts to target the remanufacturing industry and empties brokers. The white paper also offers advice for players in the third-party consumables industry who wish to avoid being named as defendants in the next OEM lawsuit.
“To remain successful, remanufacturers, dealers, and empties brokers must be certain that they have done everything possible to avoid the next lawsuit. And one thing is for certain: there will be more lawsuits,” says Charles Brewer, founder and president of Actionable Intelligence. Mr. Brewer states that OEMs own patents on virtually every component in a cartridge and are increasingly scrutinizing all components of remanufactured and compatible cartridges to find evidence of infringement and ultimately to protect the revenue and profit they derive from their consumables. “It has never been more critical than it is today to know that all of the components in your products are non-infringing and that your suppliers will take care of you if trouble does arise.”
“Supplies under Scrutiny: Why Third-Party Supplies Vendors Face So Many Lawsuits and How You Can Avoid Them” provides the crucial industry history the aftermarket needs, along with advice on choosing and evaluating suppliers. “Knowledge is power,” observes Mr. Brewer. “Aftermarket firms that bury their heads in the sand, don’t pay attention to the industry’s recent legal history, and don’t demand more of their suppliers run the risk of being named in the next industry lawsuit.”
