Cartridges Are Us grew out of Steve Iocco’s frustration with the low-quality remanufactured toner cartridges his employer was getting from other companies.
Iocco began refilling the cartridges himself. As his hobby drew interest from co-workers wanting the same high-quality refills for their own printers, Iocco spotted a niche market.
So in 1997, Cartridges Are Us was born, and by 2000, his son Dominic came on as CFO and general manager to help run the rapidly growing business.
Currently, CAU has more than 60 employees and ships cartridges to 20 countries. The company’s commitment to quality — the issue that put Steve Iocco in business in the first place — was recognized when it won awards for “Best Quality Inkjets” and “Best Customer Support Service.”
When Steve Iocco started the company, there were already companies in existence that sold remanufactured cartridges, but most focused on toner cartridges. Toner cartridges are easier to refurbish because a somewhat standard remanufacturing process can be utilized and most of the components can be replaced with ease.
Inkjet cartridges require more time, not all components can be replaced and no standardized process can be used.
The Ioccos have used their knowledge of the industry to develop machinery in-house. The machines they helped to design and develop create a higher-quality remanufactured cartridge and gives the company an advantage in quality.
Nicknamed the “Cartridge Family,” the employees at CAU are paid by the piece, so ambitious workers can earn more than $20 per hour with hard work and help the company keep up with the steady demand.
How to reach: Cartridges Are Us, www.cartridgesareus.com
