The Karl Mayer Group has scored an important victory in the fight against product piracy in China.

The final judgement in a patent infringement case initially filed in 2021 with the Shanghai Intellectual Property Court has now being made and finds in favour of the German plaintiff.

The case concerned a system for heating the carrying-lever shaft of tricot and raschel knitting machines. This enables machines equipped with carbon bars to compensate for changing ambient temperatures and a patent was granted for it in China in November 2011.

The infringement case was brought against Xin Gang Textile Machinery, which appealed it in the Supreme People’s Court of the People’s Republic of China in May 2024, on the grounds that the patent had been cancelled.

This counterclaim was dismissed and Fujian Xin Gang Textile must immediately cease manufacturing, selling and advertising the machines with the technical solution that was the subject of the dispute. A fine was also imposed.

Karl Mayer Group spends around 18% of its turnover on R&D and investments and its worldwide R&D centres focus on the development of new technologies, processes and services to ensure the ongoing success of its international customers.

“This judgement shows that legal certainty in competition is being strengthened in China and copying is not worth it,” said Zhen Kong, general manager of Karl Mayer (China). “This is an important message, especially as reassurance for companies that focus on progress and the development of innovations.”

www.karlmayer.com