ADVERTORIAL
On a MISSION
Ninestar continues on its journey to becoming an industry leader and a truly international brand
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aving been founded in June 2000, Zhuhai, China-based Ninestar Group has fast accelerated the business through strategic acquisitions as well as organic growth. In 2014, it was listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. It is now a world-leading innovator and solutions provider in the printer and imaging supplies markets. OPI talks to Eric Zhang, General Manager of the Printing Consumables business unit, about the company, its setup, philosophy and future plans.
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OPI: Please tell me a bit about Ninestar as it stands today. Eric Zhang: Sure. Ninestar has over 18,000 employees, operates in 60 countries and provides a high-quality, environmentally-friendly and cost-saving user experience for some 200 million customers. Our annual revenues are now in the region of $3 billion. OPI: Ninestar has made a number of acquisitions in recent years. Can you elaborate on these and what they’ve done to enhance the company as a whole? EZ: In 2015, Ninestar bought Static Control, the founder of the remanufacturing industry’s quality standard. This print aftermarket supplier gave us access to cutting-edge remanufacturing technology, knowledge and experience. The 2016 acquisition of Lexmark International was another big milestone. Lexmark is one of the best printer makers in the world, incorporating outstanding components and printer technology. These two purchases have improved Ninestar’s technologies in the area of both remanufacturing and printers, which has been very helpful in terms of developing and producing high-quality products.
Eric Zhang, General Manager, Printing Consumables, Ninestar
OPI: Innovation is vital I assume? EZ: It’s in our DNA. Ninestar invests more than 6% of its annual revenues in R&D. With more than 3,000 engineers worldwide, it leads the aftermarket with 4,661 granted and 934 pending patents as of the end of December 2020. This enormous portfolio includes patents in printer, ink, chip, and ink and toner cartridge technology as well as 3D printing. OPI: Many Western resellers are cautious about dealing with the aftermarket industry,
