Kugley family brings Rapid Refill Ink to Alcoa

Blount County 2005 Volunteer Rescue Award winner and local resident Keith Kugley is giving back to the community in more ways than one. He recently expanded his environmentally friendly Rapid Refill Ink store, already located in Knoxville and Sevierville, to Alcoa, located at 741 Louisville Road in the Hamilton Crossing Shopping Center.

Rapid Refill Ink, which Keith operates with his brother, Kevin, and dad, David, specializes in the remanufacturing/refilling and selling of inkjet and laser toner cartridges.

Rapid Refill Ink is the only U.S.-based retailer in the industry with storefront operations that utilize state-of-the-art technology and equipment to remanufacture cartridges. A typical Rapid Refill Ink store carries 1,100 different inkjet cartridges and 200 models of laser toner cartridges including compatible and OEM products.

The company takes their concern for the environment inside their office as well. According to a press release, the carpeting in Rapid Refill Ink stores is 52 percent post-consumer content and made in part from recycled milk containers. The walls are made of 100 percent wheat stock and the countertops from compressed sunflower seeds. The flooring in the stores
production areas comes from reclaimed tile and brochures are printed on recycled paper.

One of the business goals of the company is keeping what could ultimately be millions of inkjet and laser toner cartridges from landing in the worlds landfills. In the United States alone nearly eight cartridges are thrown away every second, according to Recharger Magazine. Each plastic toner requires 3 1/2 quarts of oil to produce, and 2 1/2 ounces of oil are used to produce each new inkjet cartridge.

"I am excited to be offering Rapid Refill Ink to my neighbors," said Kugley, "and proud to be in such an ecologically aware
area."