Federal judge backs Kodak in ink supplier lawsuit

By The Associated Press
Posted: 3:27 am Mon, November 7, 2011

A federal judge has backed Eastman Kodak by barring an Ohio printer-ink manufacturer from cutting off supplies to the embattled photography pioneer for its older line of commercial printers.

Cincinnati-based Collins Ink Corp. said last month it was ending a 10-year-old agreement to supply ink for the Versamark high-speed inkjet presses under Kodak’s brand name as well as its own.

Instead, Collins said it would sell the ink directly to Versamark customers.

Kodak sued for breach of contract in a federal lawsuit in Rochester that sought to compel Collins to resume ink supplies under the contract’s original terms.

In a preliminary ruling issued Friday, U.S. District Judge David Larimer enjoined Collins from “dishonoring its contractual obligations” and from terminating the contract. He ordered the companies to confer within two weeks.