A number of significant legal disputes have taken place in the past couple of months: 1) In May, Canon took legal action against 5 Korean OPC drum manufacturers-Park & OPC, Alphachem, Baiksan OPC, CEMS, and Neophotocon;
2) On June 28, Canon filed a complaint with the US ITC against Ninestar and nineteen other companies, claiming that two of its laser cartridge patents were infringed. It’s not the first time Canon has brought a third-party laser cartridge manufacturer to court, but the impact of this wave of legal actions taken by Canon will probably have more impact than ever before.
Laser printing has become more commonplace as the price for laser printers, especially monochrome printers, has dropped. But the price for the cartridges is still relatively high for end-users. In recent years, especially during the world wide economic recession, third-party toner cartridges have claimed more of the OEM market share. Canon is the largest manufacturer of laser printers and laser cartridges. So, it is no surprise they will protect their market share and market advantage. I think Canon will also try and stop compatible toner cartridges before they become rampant in the market.
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