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ETIRA at Remax 2009 discusses global standardization

April 2009 - Like each year, the ETIRA annual meeting was held on Wednesday 22 April 2009 at the industry’s no. 1 trade show REMAX in Düsseldorf, Germany. After approval of the association’s 2008 finances and 2009 budget, the 50 attendees discussed global standardization issues with expert Mr Peter Hortig (Embatex, pictured).
As ETIRA promotes quality remanufacturing, we welcome standards which allow for fair comparison between OEM and remanufactured. ETIRA has meanwhile informed its Members about latest developments.

New study proves it: Carbon footprint of remanufactured cartridge is 45-60% lower than new cartridge !

February 2009: ETIRA Members met on 1 February in Frankfurt, in the framework of the Paperworld trade show. The Member's Only session was addressed by Dr Michael Gell of Xanfeon (pictured), who presented the results of his recent study measuring the carbon footprint of new cartridges against remanufactured ones. The study confirmed that carbon emissions are up to 45% lower in case of 2-4 cycles, and up to 60% lower in case of additional cycles !
The late afternoon/dinner meeting also provided great informal networking possibilities for Members. New Members from Russia (OPS), Serbia (Tutoric) and Germany were also present.

Just click below on "Read more" for a copy of the study from the UKCRA website.
Do you want to join ETIRA and meet new clients too ? Just send an e-mail to info@etira.org and we will get back to you as soon as possible.


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Strong growth of non-OEM cartridge market volumes

In September 2008 the industry's top-international market research firm Lyra published a report on the global aftermarket in printer supplies. The Report was commissioned by the American trade magazine Recharger, and in 29 pages it discusses the results of a survey among top industry executives over summer 2008.

The results of the survey show that aftermarket firms enjoyed significant growth during the period from 2000 to 2007. In terms of units shipped, worldwide aftermarket share for toner grew from about 20 percent to almost 25 percent, while share for ink jet supplies grew from 12 percent to close to 30 percent. Nevertheless, the aftermarket currently has about a 33 percent share of the monochrome toner market in terms of units shipped, but only about an 8 percent share of the color toner market.

You can order the report from Lyra, please surf to: http://lyra.ecnext.com/coms2/summary_0290-901_ITM

ETIRA networking event at Remax 2008: New Board of Directors

On 10 April 2008, approx. 70 delegates from 35 ETIRA member companies and prospect members met at Remax (the industry's #1 European trade show in Düsseldorf, Germany) for networking and latest info. They elected a new Board of Directors, and discused the new EU law on registration of chemicals (REACH).

ETIRA also launched its new standard for toner b/w. Delegates met and did new bizz at the Cocktail, kindly sponsored by The Recycler Publishing and Events.

ETIRA Paperworld 2008 meeting: Zero waste solutions are real !

ETIRA kicked off 2008 with a "Member's Only" Cocktail and Dinner on 22 January at the Frankfurt Marriott hotel. Over 40 ETIRA members attended the informal networking session ahead of the 5-day Paperworld event.
Key topic was the road towards zero waste for remanufacturers: how to dispose of our unusable empties in an environmental-friendly way. In addition to existing systems, a new method by France based-firm Enviroprise was presented to ETIRA members by its manager Gerrit Ouwens (pictured). The process involves shredding and separation of materials like toner, ferrous / non-ferrous materials and different kinds of plastics, resulting in an almost 100% cost-effective re-use/recycling solution, and even with special conditions for ETIRA Members !

Sensients’ Frank de Jonge, recently appointed as their European Business Manager Inks, briefed ETIRA Members about his company’s latest innovations. Mr Frank van Meenen presented the new structure and strategy of his industry-leading company WECARE4 (formerly KVM supplies), and Slovakia’s Goset’s Dusan Hanula showcased their new machine. All presentations are available from the ETIRA secretariat, info@etira.org.
Many thanks to our meeting sponsors Enviroprise, Sensient, WECARE4 and Goset !

June 2007: European Patent Office EPO revokes Canon patent on toner cartridge remanufacturing !

Expert lawyer Ms Katja Dauster (pictured 2nd on the left) presented the ETIRA arguments at the EPO



On 27 June 2007, the European Patent Office decided to revoke a Europe-wide toner remanufacturing patent which it had granted to Canon in 2005. The decision to kill patent EP 0632 342 was made immediately after a hearing, during which ETIRA demonstrated to the EPO-examiners that the Canon patent lacked the key element of innovation.
ETIRA had filed official opposition against this patent back in 2006, on the grounds that it did not cover anything new. ETIRA laywer Katja Dauster, assisted by Jan Luijks (Cartrec) and ETIRA's Vincent van Dijk, was able to convince the EPO that socalled "prior art" existed long before this patent was granted to Canon.
ETIRA's Vincent van Dijk welcomes the EPO-decision as another great victory for the cartridge remanufacturing industry: "These things should not have been patented in the first place. But when they are, ETIRA will fight them with all its force".
ETIRA thanks everybody who helped by supplying materials to argue the case.