Rochester

A federal judge in Ohio has temporarily stopped Eastman Kodak Co. from charging different prices for refurbishing a piece of printing equipment depending on whether those customers use Kodak-made ink or a competitor's.

Collins Inkjet Corp. of Ohio sued Kodak in September, alleging the Rochester printing technology company was unfairly trying to claim all the Versamark ink business by telling users of the Kodak-made printing press line that getting printheads refurbished would cost more if they used non-Kodak inks.

The National Association for Printing Leadership (NAPL) Research Center’s newly released study, “Mergers & Acquisitions: A Growth Strategy for an Industry in Transition,” reports the facts of M&A in the graphic communications industry, and whether it is the best path to profitable growth or a risk that may not be worth taking.

Xerox Corp. is closing part of a call center operation in North Carolina that employs roughly 500. According to the Connecticut-based printing and business services giant, the affected Cary, N.C., call center jobs will be eliminated effective Nov. 14, but the company plans to place more than half those workers within other Xerox operations there.

Xerox said separation packages will be provided to those who qualify. Xerox is one of the Rochester area’s largest employers with roughly 6,300 workers locally.

Once one of Eastman Kodak Co.’s key suppliers, Collins Ink Corp. has turned into a considerable legal adversary.

In a federal lawsuit filed two weeks ago, Collins Inkjet Corp. alleges that the Rochester-based printing and imaging company is illegally trying to stifle inkjet ink competition.

Antonio M. Perez, who oversaw Eastman Kodak Co. during one of the most trying periods in company history, will be stepping down from the position by fall 2014 at the outside.

The Rochester-based printing and imaging company said that Perez will serve as CEO of the company once it exits from bankruptcy, but only until a successor is named or for a year, whichever comes first. He then would serve as a consultant for up to two years.

The new owner of Dellas Graphics has eliminated 20 of 31 jobs at the Syracuse, New York-based printing company and moved much of its operations to Rochester, N.Y.

Dellas Graphics employed 31 people at its printing plant at 835 Canal St. in Syracuse when the firm was acquired by Rochester-based Canfield & Tack Commercial Printing and Fulfillment on Nov. 12. Since then, about 16 employees have been laid off and four other jobs have been eliminated through attrition, said Canfield Chairman Ray Brown.

Canfield & Tack will keep about 11 employees in Syracuse as part of a reduced operation here, Brown said.