Lexmark sues 24 cartridge makers
August 26, 2010 by Sam NarisiPosted in: Dealers & Channel, In this week's e-newsletter, Latest News & Views
It could soon get harder for businesses and consumers to find low-priced, third-party ink and toner cartridges.
Printer giant Lexmark has filed a patent infringement suit claiming 24 cartridge manufacturers stole its intellectual property.
The companies in the suit haven’t been announced, but the complaint is assumed to be connected to Chinese companies that sell Lexmark-compatible ink and toner, Network World reports. The company is seeking damages, as well as limitations placed on the unnamed importers.
Observers say filing the lawsuit is a risky move for Lexmark, because it brings to attention the pricing strategy used by printer manufacturers — sell printers for cheap, but turn huge profits on consumables sales.
Lexmark had already lost a similar case in 2003, when it sued a company for cloning the control chip embedded in toner cartridges that allows the machine to authenticate the cartridge.
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Tags: lawsuit, Lexmark, third-party cartridges
