The ongoing stoush between Australian label press manufacturer, Rapid, and Memjet, the US-owned corporation selling the micro-inkjet printheads, has resulted in local printers running perilously short of supplies.
With Memjet refusing to supply ink to Rapid, Australian and New Zealand printers with the popular locally manufactured memjet-powered engines were directed to apply directly to the Canadian-based RTI Digital for supplies. Starleaton, one of the largest suppliers to the wide-format sector in Australia is the local agent for RTI, importing its Vortex range of memjet-powered label printers.
In response to requests from a number of increasingly desperate local label printers, Starleaton has imported a substantial amount of compatible inkjet cartridges and has begun supplying the Rapid customers. According to Ben Eaton, general manager Starleaton, the supplies will continue to be delivered at or near the original price quoted by Rapid, even though it is well below the recommended Memjet benchmark.
“I’m not across all that has gone on between Nick Mansell of Rapid and Memjet. It’s obviously a very complicated dispute. My concern now is to keep the customers supplied with ink and consumables so they can continue printing. Many of them were running very low and at least one printer had run out completely,” said Eaton.
If the dispute between Rapid and Memjet is resolved in the future, Eaton says he is quite happy to hand back all the Rapid customers. There are between 45 and 50 Rapid–Memjet customers in Australia and New Zealand, with up to 280 worldwide.
Nick Mansell confirms that negotiations between himself and the Americans have not progressed to resolution yet. He can give no clear reason for the bitter dispute and the subsequent boycott by Memjet of Rapid and its customers. Nick Mansell maintains strongly that his company, the first manufacturer in the world to launch a memjet-powered label press, is being very unfairly treated.
(For an in-depth review of the situation read Andy McCourt here.)
Industry observers speculate that Memjet’s attempts to charge more for its patented ink, with Rapid resisting the price rise, preferring to sell more machines to the production sector, may be at the bottom of the dispute. With Memjet refusing to reveal why it has cut off the Australian manufacturer, and Mansell maintaining he does not know what the problem is, that must remain as speculation.
The RTI ink cartridges imported by Starleaton are equipped with compatible chips for the Rapid machines, even though Mansell maintains this is restricted IP.
The two local suppliers are in discussion to devise a solution to the supply problem that neither is responsible for creating. As Starleaton looks to engage further with the label sector, Eaton is keen to work with Mansell on ways to incorporate Rapid finishing equipment with the Vortex machines.
Australian commonsense and cooperation is likely to be the best bet for resolving the issue for local customers.