The Recycler Issue 316

FEATURE
Coming together and embracing the challenges: Remanexpo 2019
Away from Brexit, the other main
challenge being discussed at
Remanexpo was the behaviour of the
OEMs, and what this might mean for
the future of the remanufacturing
industry. 2018 saw increasingly
hostile behaviour from the big
companies towards the aftermarket,
with HP’s recent spate of cease-anddesist
letters following Canon’s wideranging
legal crusade to clamp down
on patent infringement and IP
violations.
However, Freckles’ Peter Stefanov
had a different explanation: “I think
it is more of a money-making plan for
the OEMs, than a serious attempt to
put people out of business,” he opined.
This was just one of a diverse range
of opinions on the OEMs’ behaviour of
the past twelve months, with some
defending it, and others saying it was
necessary for the health of
remanufacturing companies.
Frances Chen, of GPI/Cartridge Web,
stated her belief that “the OEMs have
been getting very aggressive,” but
explained her company’s commitment
to compatibility without infringement.
“IP protection will make our product
more valuable,” she explained, adding
that the company was always prepared
to support its customers were they to
have any issues.
“If we can keep our relationship with
the OEMs more neutral, and more
comfortable, that would be perfect,”
Chen added, acknowledging that
confrontation between the OEMs and
the aftermarket was part of “the
nature of the industry.”
Many exhibitors were nonchalant
about the ‘threat’ posed by the OEMs,
explaining that this was based upon
their confidence in their own products.
“We are not worried by the OEMs,” said
Ninestar’s Ruby Wei, “because we
respect their intellectual property, and
that has always been a must.” ECS’
Adam Lighton said similar, revealing
that the British company has “put a lot
of time and effort into making sure
that all the remanufactured products
we offer are completely noninfringing.”
“Before we even look at developing
new products, we have to be aware
of all the various different patents that
go into all the products we offer,
so we have part of the Research
& Development team specifically
focussed on researching the patents,”
explained Lighton, who said the
OEM pressure “doesn’t particularly
worry us.”
“As long as we put that effort in, and
that effort into the research, it will only
put us in a stronger position.”
Adele Berionni of Ecoservice di
Santarelli Paolo echoed this, believing
that the behaviour of the OEMs was
“always the same,” but as they had no
IP-infringing products, “we are not
really feeling the pressure.”
Mito Color Imaging’s Wendy Duan,
on the other hand, thought the OEMs
were being “too aggressive,” although
Benjamin Young of Speed Infotech said
he was “not worried,” explaining that
“the rules change, and so we need
change as well. The company needs to
be adjusted, but I do not worry too
much.”
Static Control’s Paul Needham was
also confident, explaining that as far as
his company was concerned, “we
welcome it, and we’d like to see more
of it.”
“Any OEM activity which eliminates
anyone that doesn’t recognise or
respect IP or design patents, thostnte
companies deserve to be held up and
held accountable. We’ve been in
existence for over thirty years, and we
have always put IP, quality and safety,
at the forefront of what we do.”
“Things like IP are, and should be, of
the utmost importance,” Needham
continued. It was a view shared by
both Ian Copsey, and Simon Weiss,
who said that while he was “a bit
surprised, initially,” by the moves made
by the OEMs, there was also “a positive
effect for our own activities.”
“Our cartridges are IP-friendly,”
Weiss continued, “so it helps us to
promote our cartridges, and it puts us
in a strong position with our products,
which respect these IP rights.”
38 THE RECYCLER • ISSUE 316 • MARCH 2019