"If all the printing supplies companies in Zhuhai lockout for a week, the price of global printing supplies would change significantly," said Zhang Tao, the Secretary Generalof Zhuhai Printing Consumable Industry Association. The ribbon, remanufactured cartridge and inkjet cartridge produced in Zhuhai accounted for more than 70%, 60% and 30% respectively of the world's supply. Zhuhai Print- Rite Limited is a superstar of the city of printing supplies.

Many printing supplier companies in Zhuhai suffered from lawsuits related to patent infringement. "Fifteen years ago, EPSON filed a lawsuit against Print-Rite in the U.S. for IP infringement. The case lasted for five years until reached a settlement in 2005. Since then, we realized that we can only ensure technological leadership and competitve advantage in afiercely competitive market by mastering core technologies and developing own brand. Print- Rite must lead the way in technology and innovation, because that is the only way for Print-Rite to increase its capability to avoid risks," said Print- Rite president He Liangmei.

From then on, Print- Rite focused on R&D work and developed its own innovation and IPR development strategy. The company spent nearly 10% of its yearly sale revenue and traineda group of 400 engineers and dozensof lawyers, and established some highlevel R&D centers and laboratories. A comprehensive IPR management system has been built.

In 2010, He Liangmei and his team engineered an extraordinary turnaround. In this year, EPSON's request for invalidation of two patent rights ofPrint- Rite was rejected by the Patet Reexamination Board of SIPO, whichpaving the foundation for Print-Rite in international printing supplies industry. At present, Print-Rite has obtained 2,536 patents, accounting for more than one third of the whole industry and ranked the top in the global printer consumable industry.

Facts have proved that while attaining its own development, Print- Rite has also promoted the prosperity of the whole industry. The company is also inspiring the whole industry to focus on IPR creation for nine consecutive years in a competition called Print-Rite Cup. 

(by Liu Peng)

(Source: China IP News)