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So You Want to Remanufacture Ink Jet Cartridges?
Well, we have to admit that remanufacturing (we prefer this term to refilling) cartridges is a rapidly growing
business. We started out in the garage with a couple of syringes, and look at us now, just five years later. There is room in the industry for more, but we would like to offer some advice to those of you
thinking of joining the industry.
Things to Think About
How Dirty Can You Get? No, this isn't an introduction to a porn site--it is a genuine question. Remanufacturing cartridges is not a clean business, although
if you want to sell through a shop front you will want that
to be clean. You are going to get ink stained hands, and there will be spills. Do not consider this industry unless you or someone you employ has a large supply of old clothes. This is Art Not Just Science. We have had a number of hopeful remanufacturers who thought this business was just a case of sticking some ink in a cartridge and making
money. It is not. You would do better to think of this industry like a building trade, say like plastering. It is easy to fill a hole in the wall with some filler, but you would probably think
twice before replastering a ceiling. It is the same with remanufacturing--filling one cartridge at home is relatively easy. Producing in volume needs time and skill and techniques that take time to
learn. Where Are You Going to Sell? You need to decide what your market is before you start, because the cartridges you remanufacture will differ according to the market you
choose. Are you setting up a Shop Front or a market stall or taking a place at a computer fair? Are you setting up a Web Shop? Are you selling to businesses; to private users; or, of course, to
both? Where Are You Going to Remanufacture? As we said in point one above, actual refilling is not a clean business. If you are working in a shop, you are best off with a back
room to do the actual production in! It doesn't fill customers with confidence to see you spraying ink everywhere when something goes wrong. Although a garage is fine, I would not recommend the kitchen
(I should know--Chris tried!) If you are aiming to remanufacture for the trade, you will need at least a double garage sized space--maybe a small industrial unit. Where Are You Going to Store? You need storage space for ink; for consumables (the tools of the trade); for empty cartridges; for finished goods. How Are You Going to Test? Filling the cartridge is only part of your problem: you need to test the cartridge once it is filled. This is not so important
for little ink tanks, but is essential for the larger HP/Lexmark/Canon cartridges with an electronic foil (the gold sheet on the back).
Have We Put You Off Yet?
No? Good! Welcome aboard as a remanufacturer. Now you need some straightforward advice to get you
started. Use the links below to read some really practical advice on how to set up in this business.
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