JCB granted injunction following copyright theft

Construction vehicle manufacturer JCB has been granted an injunction against three “Far Eastern manufacturers” who breached the company’s vehicle copyrights.

JCB successfully applied for the court orders in Germany after three companies were found to be exhibiting vehicles which breached JCB copyright at the BAUMA international construction equipment show in Munich last week. Following the injunction, the offending vehicles were removed, impounded or hidden from view.

Due to court proceedings, JCB is unable to disclose details of the companies accused of breaching the copyright, or the specific aspects of the machines which were copied. But the company has confirmed that the breaches concern the Loadall telescopic handler range, as well as a backhoe loader.

Off-Highway Research director David Phillips told MRW that the problem of construction vehicle copyright infringement is “certainly a very serious issue”. He warned that such infringements may result in health and safety issues which will “haunt the industry” if the practice is not stamped out.

Phillips said: “The growth of the Chinese construction equipment industry has encouraged more Chinese manufacturers to enter the industry, and the less scrupulous of them feel that this is the way to enter the sector with comparative ease and very cheaply. Most of the leading manufacturers are very honest and are aware of the consequences, but there are a few who will do it anyway.”

The issue of construction vehicle copyright infringement is so serious that the German engineering federation VDMA recently launched the ’Pro-original’ campaign to promote the purchase and use of original products and technologies.

One of the VDMA campaign leaflets stated: “With you buying original technology, you are not only supporting research and development, but also investing into the future and in the competitiveness of your own industry.”