It’s not just big things like mainframe add-on memory that IBM Corp gets heavy about: it and Lexmark International Inc are suing three companies, accusing them of violating IBM’s trademark and copying its packaging design in connection with the remanufacturing and reselling of used printer toner cartridges; the defendents are Lasertek, a company that modifies and refills spent printer toner cartridges and distributes them to printer supply dealers and consumers, and two of its dealers; the suit alleges that Lasertek reconditioned and refilled one-time-use IBM LaserPrinter toner cartridges and remarketed them in packages designed to mimic genuine IBM toner cartridge packaging; it also charges that Lasertek falsely claimed the refilled toner cartridge carcasses met IBM and Lexmark specifications and performance standards, and that Lasertek portrayed itself as an authorised reseller of genuine IBM cartridges.
