A terrible earthquake rocked the northeastern portion of Honshu, Japan’s largest island a month ago, and it seemed that the printer and supplies industry would be seriously impacted and there would be shortage of some key products, such as chips and components used in printer Inkjet Cartridges.

Manufacturing across Japan has been seriously affected due to the calamity. A lot of factories in certain areas were busted straight away after office buildings and equipment were damaged seriously and workers were injured or killed. Manufacturers faced crippling blackouts with energy disturbances and the supply chain unable to keep pace with the demand. In less than a week, universal attenuated supply chains have forced manufacturing production to be restrained or curtailed completely in every major market, including the Americas, Asia, and Europe.

Japan being the paternal nation of printer and copier of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and imaging chemical and parts suppliers; it is the center of the printer and supply industries. It is the main center of production for everything from raw materials and components to finished printer hardware and cartridges. The earthquake and tsunami in Japan will adversely impact almost all of the vendors and the hardware manufacturers that have ties to Japan.

Major printer manufacturing companies like HP and Canon are apparently expecting to see some shortages and they are taking necessary steps to control the impact by rationing distribution of Toner Cartridges. It is expected that the earthquake will surely affect the hardware and supplies industry all together for the rest of this year, however if not longer.