SOLO scored a significant victory in the war against counterfeit merchandise and trademark infringement when federal agents recently seized counterfeit SOLO sprayers that were being exhibited at the National Hardware Show by ZheJiang Shixia Sprayer Co.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Custom Enforcement was contacted by SOLO’s law firm The Global Law Group after ZheJiang Shixia refused the company’s request to remove the counterfeit sprayers from its exhibit booth on the first day of the show. Three agents, including Supervisory Special Agent Michael J. Cestare, visited the ZheJiang Shixia booth for nearly two hours the next day and seized the sprayers being sold under the SeeSa brand.
The incident is the latest in a long list of trademark infractions involving ZheJiang Shixia, according to SOLO President David Longfield.
“We are very aggressive in the protection of our patents and trademarks, and have had repeated communications and confrontation with ZheJiang Shixia over the last several years, particularly regarding our popular Model 425 professional backpack sprayer,” he adds.
SOLO – based in Newport News. Va. - is the U.S. subsidiary of SOLO Kleinmotoren GmbH in Sindelfingen, Germany, the world’s largest producer of sprayers and mistblowers and a manufacturer of chain saws, trimmers/brushcutters, blowers and other outdoor power equipment.
ZheJiang Shixia is headquartered in Zhejiang Province, China.