Practices of Counterfeiters
Chinese product and brand piracy is on the rise and using ever new methods. Counterfeiters operate in international networks, distribute their counterfeits worldwide on the internet, use complicated logistics routes through countries with varying legal systems, and sell their goods directly to foreign customers. They engage in an IP offensive by registering trademarks and patents in bad faith and use them in competition.
Immense Damages for Manufacturers
Counterfeiting, especially when being so professionally organized, can pose serious threats to a business’ success. For the short term, a drop in sales is likely to occur. Markets with cheap generic products will erode the market, resulting in decreasing prices and the loss of market share. In the long run, such down-trading can damage the brand and its reputation. Concerning safety-relevant products, plagiarism can lead to liability claims.
What We Can Do for You
CHINABRAND tackles the problem of Chinese and international product piracy at its source. Proven methods include manual and automatic national language patent and trademark searches, covert investigations, evidence collection through notarized sample purchases, raids as well as trademark and patent infringement litigation. We coordinate specialized detectives, notaries, lawyers, and patent attorneys. We publish our successes on relevant media platforms in order to increase the pressure on the counterfeiters.
Success Through a Holistic Strategy
Our projects have proven to be successful in the fight against counterfeiting. Companies that defend themselves consistently are more likely to build up pressure in a number of different ways and propagate their successes in the combat against counterfeiting. A holistic and systematic approach is crucial. With a corresponding strategy and a set of interlocking measures, businesses can protect themselves effectively.
Case Studies
A German machine manufacturer has discovered that several Chinese companies have copied the embedded software of its products with considerable criminal effort and used it in their outwardly completely different-looking machines. This allowed them to illegally exploit the German company's technical lead for themselves.
Since the software was not protected by a patent, the commissioned lawyers were able to take action against the Chinese companies on the basis of trademark and copyright infringement after carefully securing evidence.
Chinese companies imitated the innovative lighting designs of a German brand manufacturer who had not registered designs in China. The lawyers, commissioned with this matter, used the copyrights of the design drawings and henceforth, successfully filed copyright infringement claims against the imitators.
A Swiss company in the field of joining technology struggled with hostile Chinese counterfeiters who would offer their copies to international customers. The lawyers in charge managed to sue the plagiarist for high compensations and seized his counterfeiting tools. In several civil cases, they combined invention patents with registered designs.
A German music company detected almost identical counterfeits of its patented product on the market. Extensive investigation revealed the counterfeiter’s identity as he almost invisibly engraved the product with three letters. Trademark and patent infringement suits could successfully stop the counterfeiter.
Shortly after launching an innovative product, a renowned German manufacturer of cleaning technology got hit by Chinese plagiarism. The replicas infringed upon both the design and the invention patents of the company. Our client took decisive legal action against the Chinese counterfeits and made sure to disclose his success on relevant Chinese media platforms. This double strategy turned out to be a victory in cleaning up the market and deterring future imitators. At fairs, former counterfeiters admitted that they had removed their replicas due to the high pressure of persecution.
