The future cartridge associations

Though scattered and largely unorganized, the cartridge re-manufacturers and
refillers have found a medium to voice their opinions. Associations like Indian
Cartridge Remanufacturer and Resellers Association (ICCRA), Cartridge Recyclers
and Traders Association Of India (CRTAI) and Computer Media Dealers Association
(CMDA) are collaborating with them in order to ensure that re-manufacturers and
refillers get equal opportunity to do business and provide quality products.
These bodies are engaging in a flurry of activities starting from events to
seminars and traveling to foreign countries to delve deeper into the various
aspects related to the trade and the scope it offers to a large section of
people in India

Even as they are growing in strength, the road ahead is full of challenges
for cartridge re-manufacturers and refillers. The challenges lie in meeting the
demands of business and threats posed by OEMs. Hence, in their efforts to enjoy
a fair share of business and further more provide their customers with quality
products, the associations are undertaking a number of initiatives.

Puneet Singhal President, CMDA

“We want to do business the ethical way and will promote all the cartridges available in the market starting from a remanufactured one to refilled or the original OEM product”

Bengaluru-based ICRRA is one body that has always worked in the direction of
promoting the printer cartridge re-manufacturing industry.

In the first place the association has been opposing the OEM practice of
curbing the re-manufacturing industry's growth. Unwilling to lose a fair share
of business, the OEMs are relying on various means to stop the re-manufacturing
industry from expanding. Thus ICRRA ensured that the issues were raised with the
government.

CMDA

Based out of Delhi, CMDA is an association that has been religiously working
in the direction of highlighting the problems affecting the media and
consumables trade. The association at present has close to 115 members and has
been offering training and support to the cartridge refillers.

Talking about the future initiatives, Puneet Singhal, President, CMDA stated,
“We want to do business the ethical way and will promote all the cartridges
available in the market starting from a remanufactured one to refilled or the
original OEM product. We want to promote this trade as a whole and do not wish
to support only one aspect of the business.”

CRTAI

Mumbai-based CRTAI is yet another association that has been supporting the
re-manufacturer's and the refiller's cause. The association has been
relentlessly working in the direction of imparting knowledge amongst its
partners about good quality refill techniques at affordable rates. The
association has also been helping partners dealing in cartridge and other
related products by giving suggestions on legal matters pertaining to patents
and IPR issues.

“There are so many printer manufacturers and refillers and reaching all of
them is not an easy task. Besides, at least 10 times in a day the
remanufacturers and refillers need to refer to various websites to find
information related to their industry. One of the sections in our association's
website will be completely dedicated to the same,” said Shashank Ruiwale,
Chairman, CRTA.