14 DAY TRIAL // Makers and resellers of inkjet printer cartridges polled at the CeBit show in Germany this weekend have criticized Seiko Epson Corp. for hitting them with lawsuits to protect its lucrative cartridge business.
Japan's Epson, the world's number two printer maker, filed complaints against 25 companies in the U.S. and U.K. in February seeking to bar the manufacture, import, or distribution of aftermarket ink cartridges in those countries.
Aftermarket cartridges typically cost much less than official cartridges and threaten the printer maker's business, which relies on selling a low cost printer and making profits from future sales of ink.
Epson fought similar battles successfully in 2005. It reached settlements with Multi-Union Trading of Hong Kong, UK's Environmental Business Products and CybaHouse that saw all three companies stop importing and selling Epson-compatible cartridges in the US and UK markets.
Udo Rossner, head of sales at JR Inkjet Deutschland GmbH believes Epson will never be able to completely control the market, especially because of its international nature, but thinks it might be easier to control the market through legal means in the US than in Europe.