HP Files Complaint Against Ink Cartridge Suppliers
A complaint filed by Hewlett-Packard with the U.S. International Trade Commission against five ink cartridge suppliers is officially under investigation. The original Aug. 1 filing was classified as “pending” until last week.
Named in the filing are NineStar Technology of China and California, an inkjet cartridge manufacturer, as well as four companies who are presumably dealers of NineStar products, butterflyinkjet.com, iowaink.com, PrintMicro.com and Inkandbeyond.com.
The complaint alleges violations that fall under section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, involving IP infringement and other unfair acts. HP has requested the USITC institute an investigation and, after the investigation, issue a “permanent limited exclusion order and permanent cease and desist orders,” according to official papers.
In March 2006, Epson filed a similar request for investigation with the USITC against 24 aftermarket ink suppliers that reverberated throughout the imaging supplies aftermarket. NineStar and butterflyink.com were also named in the Epson filing. The latest development in the Epson complaint was on July 19 when the USITC determined not to review an initial determination based on finding five respondents in default, and to have waived their respective rights to appear, to be served with documents, and to contest the allegations.