Hypertherm, a U.S. based manufacturer of industrial cutting systems and software, is pursuing legal action against four manufacturers and distributors of counterfeit product following four separate raids, the arrest of five executives, and the seizure of tens of thousands of dollars of fake Hypertherm consumables.
The action, conducted late last year in China’s Changzhou province, involved two of the world’s largest manufacturers of counterfeit product and theirprinciple distributors making this the biggest anti-counterfeiting operation in Hypertherm history. The raids followed more than a year of investigative work and the involvement of law enforcement from two Chinese provinces. In addition, police were able toseize a list of companies conducting business with the illegal manufacturers.
“Like nearly all companies, Hypertherm is concerned about the impact and safety risks of counterfeit product on our business and customers and is committedto disrupting the illegal manufacture of products that adversely impact the performance of our systems,” said Brett Hansen, Hypertherm’s Intellectual Property Manager. “Our consumables are manufactured to strict specifications and often contain patented technologiesthat are difficult to correctly replicate. As a result, customers who unknowingly purchase these counterfeit products will not achieve the same consumable life or performance as the genuine product and are at risk.”
To ensure you do not fall victim to counterfeiting, Hypertherm recommends customers only buy product from approved and authorized distributors, and exercisecaution when coming across abnormally low prices for “genuine” consumables and software especially when purchasing online. In addition, carefully check the appearance of consumables and packaging for discrepancies. Though counterfeiters are often very goodat mimicking the exact appearance of original products, mistakes are sometimes made. Another warning sign is poor or inconsistent consumable performance compared to what you are used to.