Russian Printing Supplies Market Update

The Russian compatible office printing supplies market is growing. According to the 2017 results, there has been a growth in sales of both new-build and remanufactured compatible cartridges. The sale of toner and parts also increased. It is expected the growth will continue between 2018 and 2020.

A number of Russian companies have organized their own domestic production of compatible cartridges. This means that bidders can now claim the cartridges they offer are “Made in Russia” when submitting large cartridge procurement tenders, which significantly raises their chances of winning the bids.

Russian industry leaders are confident that the creation and development of production in Russia is extremely important, since it gives an all important competitive edge in working with large buyers in the Russian market. Almost all leaders are making the most of the domestically made, “Made in Russia” cartridges.

They talk it up in media interviews. Take CACTUS Russia, the Russian compatible cartridges market leader, for example. CACTUS Director Roman Samoilov’s interview was featured in edition 18 of BUSINESS-INFORM Review. The company is very proud of its “Made in Russia” edge.

Presentations and reports on the topic are expected during the international BUSINESS-INFORM 2018 Expo in Moscow on May 15-17, 2018.

Unfortunately, the problem of counterfeiting has significantly increased in the Russian market. Three or four years ago, this problem was mostly related to OEM cartridges. Today, however, the Russian market has become more and more critical of poor quality compatible cartridges. Buyers are better educated and the quality global brands of compatible materials for office printing, are well known to them. Consequently, quality compatible brands are being counterfeited and are flooding the Russian market. This problem encompasses toners and drums as well as cartridges.

The growth of counterfeits in the Russian market negatively impacts the image of well-known quality brands of the OEM and the compatible supplies segment as a whole. When buyers see the product of well-known brands performing poorly they don’t investigate whether it was counterfeit or not. They simply stop buying it. Further, they advise their friends and colleagues to stop purchasing those products too.

Fighting counterfeits is only possible if the sellers take a proactive position in the marketplace. They must actively demonstrate to buyers the distinguishing features and benefits of their products. Sellers must also establish a connection with the buyer in order to obtain feedback when counterfeit product is detected. The fight against counterfeiting and promotion of quality products on the Russian market is one of the main tasks that Information Agency “Business-Inform” is trying to solve. It will be dealt with at the “SUPPLIER and the LARGE BUYER—the Dialogue Continues” conference at the BUSINESS-INFORM 2018 Expo on May 16, 2018.

I call on all quality office supplies manufacturers and suppliers to take part in this event. RT Media is the co-organizer of the BUSINESS-INFORM 2018.

For more information on the Russian office printing market, take a look at the previous Realizing Russia blog.