Collins Inkjet Corp Wins Injunction Against Kodak

[Anonymous]

Collins Inkjet Corp Wins Injunction Against Kodak
BY Andy Brownfield

Cincinnati ink supplier Collins Inkjet Corp. has won a preliminary injunction against the Eastman Kodak Co., which it accuses of engaging in unlawful and anticompetitive behavior to force it out of business.

Collins produces ink for Kodak Versamark printers. Collins is the only company other than Kodak to make that kind of ink, according to court documents.

The printheads that use the Versamark ink are refurbished regularly by Kodak, the only company that is able to do so. Kodak allegedly charged customers who used Collins’ ink instead of its own ink more to have the printheads refurbished, defamed Collins and threatened to void the warranties of customers who use Collins’ ink.

"We are pleased on behalf of Collins on the results," Collins' attorney Bill Markovits told me. "All Collins is looking for is a level playing field where they can compete fairly."

The preliminary injunction, issued March 6 by U.S. District Court Judge Michael Barrett, orders Kodak to cease those alleged practices for six months.

“This is a preliminary decision in an ongoing case. Our focus at the moment is on informing our customers and complying with the preliminary injunction,” Kodak spokesman Christopher Veronda told me in an email. “We will provide an uninterrupted supply of inks and refurbishment services.”

Collins had an agreement with Kodak from 2001 until 2012 to have Kodak or one of its related companies resell Collins’ ink.

Collins says in its complaint that it became concerned with Kodak’s financial stability in 2011 and sought to end the relationship, which it was able to do about five months after Kodak declared bankruptcy in January 2012.

Collins Inkjet Corp Wins Injunction Against Kodak
BY Andy Brownfield

Cincinnati ink supplier Collins Inkjet Corp. has won a preliminary injunction against the Eastman Kodak Co., which it accuses of engaging in unlawful and anticompetitive behavior to force it out of business.

Collins produces ink for Kodak Versamark printers. Collins is the only company other than Kodak to make that kind of ink, according to court documents.

The printheads that use the Versamark ink are refurbished regularly by Kodak, the only company that is able to do so. Kodak allegedly charged customers who used Collins’ ink instead of its own ink more to have the printheads refurbished, defamed Collins and threatened to void the warranties of customers who use Collins’ ink.

"We are pleased on behalf of Collins on the results," Collins' attorney Bill Markovits told me. "All Collins is looking for is a level playing field where they can compete fairly."

The preliminary injunction, issued March 6 by U.S. District Court Judge Michael Barrett, orders Kodak to cease those alleged practices for six months.

“This is a preliminary decision in an ongoing case. Our focus at the moment is on informing our customers and complying with the preliminary injunction,” Kodak spokesman Christopher Veronda told me in an email. “We will provide an uninterrupted supply of inks and refurbishment services.”

Collins had an agreement with Kodak from 2001 until 2012 to have Kodak or one of its related companies resell Collins’ ink.

Collins says in its complaint that it became concerned with Kodak’s financial stability in 2011 and sought to end the relationship, which it was able to do about five months after Kodak declared bankruptcy in January 2012.

[Author]

March 20, 2014 at 11:15 AM