About Us
SME... Much more than just another inkjet company
Southeastern Manufacturing Enterprise, Inc. (SME) is an ISO certified, precision machining, fabrication and product assembly company - a one-stop partner for superior manufactured products -- from precision parts to complete systems, machines and sub-assemblies. In the medical and defense industries, the company is known for extending the life of costly equipment by using its skills and CNC-equipped computer manufacturing capability to fashion complex and high-precision replacement parts. And in the automotive industry, the company is known as a reliable supplier of quality automobile components. While its custom manufacturing is important, the company’s primary focus is on its products and services for the inkjet industry, where the company is well known for its leadership, process expertise, and high quality products. For years the SME has been offering a full line of professional industrial-grade equipment suitable for entry-level to high-volume inkjet cartridge recycling. Now the company also offers an integrated inkjet system - a user-friendly system that enables retail employees to do comprehensive testing, cleaning and refilling.Committed to the Environment
The company has a long history of commitment to preserving the environment. This is expressed in the company’s efforts to extend the useful life of countless consumable printer ribbons and inkjet cartridges. The company’s role in this has been to develop the know-how and equipment needed to effectively recycle them, time and again. This commitment can be seen in the way the company values quality and reliability, and in the way it designs and builds equipment for longevity using industrial grade parts. It is also demonstrated in the company’s work with other industries, helping extend the useful life of existing machines by crafting otherwise unavailable parts needed to keep them in service.Industry Pioneer and Leader
When inkjet technology emerged as the replacement for ribbon use, the company stepped up to the plate and provided the initiative and leadership needed to make inkjet cartridge recycling what it is today - possible, practical, and profitable. In 1996, when the industry lacked a comprehensive line of high quality industrial inkjet remanufacturing equipment, SME collaborated with another company to create one. And when the infant inkjet industry was challenged by the introduction of many different cartridge types, SME again led the way, developing and teaching the specific processes needed to recycle each type of cartridge.Inkjet Experts
The company’s inkjet cartridge processing expertise is renowned in the industry. It is regularly showcased in industry seminars and the comprehensive process training classes the company offers. In fact, many of today’s industry leaders came up through SME’s two-day Process Training class.Producer of the revolutionary Inkjet Factory refilling system
The company’s flagship product is the all-in-one Inkjet Factory refilling system.
This product reflects the company’s extensive industry experience and obsession
for quality solutions. In it, the company has integrated some of its best inkjet
process technology and computer automation to produce an easy to use all-in-one
professional system that is just what retailer refillers need. Under the guidance
of the Inkjet Factory’s computer, non-professional users can test, evacuate, flush
and refill up to 30 fresh cartridges per (peak) hour.
Inkjet Innovator
As remarkable as the revolutionary Inkjet Factory refilling system is, it is just another chapter in the company’s history of innovation. In 1992 the company introduced an industrial inkjet refilling machine, and in 1997 it pioneered the vacuum-filling process for foam cartridges. In 1999 it developed the overflow flush cleaning methodology to eliminate all ink and contamination, and in 2001 it introduced the first commercial circuit and print tester (under the CBR-SME brand). The company developed a high-production foam drying system in 2002, and in 2004 introduced computer automated retail refilling stations based on patent-pending technology. For more than two decades the company has provided the recycling industry with some of its highest quality commercial equipment - equipment used not only by some of the world’s largest imaging OEMs, but by thousands of inkjet refillers and cartridge remanufacturers of all descriptions. The company has shipped its products worldwide using the widely recognized brand names of CBR-SME, ColorFill, MultiFill, VersaClean, Jet Dry, SpinMax, and Inkjet Factory.Heritage of Precision and High Quality
Although separated now from its former Swiss parent, the company still retains much of that heritage, especially in its extraordinary commitment to precision and high quality. This is evidenced not only by its reputation for providing inkjet cartridge recyclers with what’s needed to achieve superior rates of cartridge recovery, but also by the high precision products that emerge from its sophisticated and immaculate machine shop.Committed to its Customers
SME’s commitment to the success of its customers is unmatched in the industry. For almost three decades it has been combining innovation, craftsmanship, and in-depth process knowledge to help customers reach their goals. The company stays in contact with its customers to understand their needs. Its design and process engineers are co-located with a fully operational commercial inkjet cartridge processing line so they can stay in touch with the real world of their customers. Company engineers not only work on improving machine reliability and processing speeds, but also on recovery yield rates and labor reduction - all factors that will affect customers’ bottom line and ability to compete successfully.Full range Inkjet resource
The company’s extensive line of inkjet equipment, its process training, and its online supplies store address the varied needs of customers having volume requirements ranging from entry-level to high-volume and processing scope ranging from refill only to in-depth cartridge reclamation.Contract Manufacturer
The company’s capacity and flexibility regarding precision machining, fabrication and product assembly capabilities allow it to also do contract manufacturing for others. Its CNC-equipped computer manufacturing capability is a highly prized resource.Experienced Management
The SME team is led by Markus Kunz, Vice President and General Manager. Joining SME in 1996, Markus was instrumental in developing the company’s state of the art manufacturing capabilities and in bringing the revolutionary Inkjet Factory all-in-one refilling system to market.ISO certified
SME’s ISO 9001:2000 certification provides assurance that the organization has a good quality management system in place. Companies that have earned this certification have over the years had better internal operations, improved performance, and greater customer satisfaction.View ISO Certificate