Successful criminal conviction of exporter underscores Honeywell and China's commitment to protecting intellectual property rights and enforcing trademark counterfeiting laws.
SHANGHAI, March 6, 2012/PRNewswire-Asia/ -- A criminal court in Qingdao, China, has issued a criminal conviction against Shanghai Zhoudian Trading Co., after finding the exporter guilty of attempting to export more than 4,000 pieces of counterfeited automotive brake discs labeled as Honeywell's Bendix brand. The court's ruling is a significant victory for Honeywell and its global Bendix brand as it extends trademark protections in China beyond manufacturing to include willful distribution of counterfeit products.
The court cited a clear knowledge of Zhoudian dealing with counterfeits and knowingly helping an overseas client order imitation parts from a Chinese manufacturer in imposing a criminal fine of RMB 250K (approximately USD $40K). The court also ordered that all counterfeit Bendix products in question be confiscated and destroyed.
"We are encouraged by the outcome of this case and the strong message it sends with regard to China's commitment to protecting intellectual property rights," said David Paja, Honeywell Transportation Systems vice president and general manager for China and India. "This court victory would not have been possible without the tremendous efforts of China's customs authorities working together with the local law enforcement officials to prosecute a counterfeit exporter and rendering a criminal conviction. The precedent of this action will serve as a strong deterrent to illegal exporters and manufacturers of counterfeit products.
"Our products, including our Bendix-brand friction materials, meet rigid quality control standards and our global customers have come to associate the Honeywell name and trademark with innovation and high-quality. We will continue to work with local authorities to protect our company from any unlawful activities that infringe our intellectual property rights," Paja said.
Friction Materials LLC, a business unit of Honeywell Transportation Systems is headquartered in Glinde, Germany. Serving both original equipment and aftermarket customers, products offered include Bendix® and Jurid® friction materials and hard parts. For more information, log on to www.bendixbrakes.com .
Honeywell International (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes and industry; automotive products; turbochargers; and performance materials. Honeywell has a long history in China that goes back to 1935 when it established the first franchise in Shanghai. Today, all of Honeywell's four Strategic Business Groups are represented in China, and all of them have relocated their Asia Pacific headquarters to China. Over the years, Honeywell has set up subsidiaries and joint ventures in over 20 cities across the country. Honeywell employs approximately 12,000 people in China. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywell.com.cn .
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