There’s this great Internet meme based on a panel from the web comic “Gunshow” where a smiling dog enjoying a cup of coffee as flames rage around him says, “This is fine.”
It’s sort of the feeling one gets reading a June 21 press release from Ninestar matter-of-factly cataloguing exclusive G&G-brand products to “make the end-user’s life more orderly and efficient at the same time” such as handheld inkjet printers, label printers, photo printers, and photo paper for business and personal use.
Meanwhile, in the background, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has imposed a ban on importation of goods produced by Ninestar and eight of its Zhuhai, China-based subsidiary companies (see “Ninestar Imports Banned by U.S. Government Due to Forced Labor Concerns”).
Earlier this week, the European Toner and Inkjet Remanufacturers Association (ETIRA) piled on announcing support of the United States’ ban and called on businesses and public bodies across Europe to immediately stop buying from those companies banned by the United States (see “ETIRA Urges Public to Boycott Chinese Companies Hit by U.S. Ban”). Even Kentucky-based Lexmark, which is majority-stake owned by Ninestar but operates independently, said that it would no longer source supplies from Ninestar and its subsidiaries (see “Lexmark Issues Official Statement in Response to U.S. Ban on Ninestar”).
While Ninestar has issued only a couple of announcements since the U.S. ban was imposed, the company appears to be taking a business-as-usual stance. Earlier this week, the company announced it had a new compatible toner cartridge design for certain HP and Canon models (see “Ninestar Updates Its Patented Compatible Toner Cartridges for HP and Canon Devices”).
Ninestar’s latest announcement promoting the G&G products declares, “Analysts have revealed there is an increase in demand for labels, stickers, photos, and bills to be printed both for business as well as personal reasons.” Ninestar continues, “G&G asks its customers and other distributors if they have made business plans to capture this new business and generate more revenue and profits.”
Actionable Intelligence is interested to see what further announcements will be forthcoming from Ninestar. Will the business-as-usual announcements continue or will Ninestar address the ban beyond its brief June 12 Chinese-language statement acknowledging the DHS action?
