China firm sued over fake BIC pens
UGANDA Kampala Sanzhou International (UKSIL) has been dragged to the Commercial Court over importation of fake BIC pens.
By Isaac Baligema
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UGANDA Kampala Sanzhou International (UKSIL) has been dragged to the Commercial Court over importation of fake BIC pens.
SOCIETE bic, the manufacturers of bic pens, want a court injunction to stop UKSIL from importing and circulating BIC pens with similar designs as it own.
“The pens are identical to the bic crystal pens, a representation of which is registered as our trademark under no. 25793 BIC Crystal (Device).
“The packaging of the pens with colours, designs, labels and slogans similar to the firm’s (Societe bic) and with the same shape and style of the body of the pen was intended to have and has the effect of passing off the UKSIL pens as those made by Societe Bic…..,†the company said in its documents to court.
“UKSIL is a big threat and it intends, unless restrained by court, to repeat acts and conducts to pass off the said pens as made by Societe yet they are not.†Societe acted after a tip-off from the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) as UKSIL was seeking clearance for the Chinese made BIC pens worth sh2.34m in October.
URA clearing agents became suspicious and alerted Societe BIC after UKSIL officials tried to disguise and passed off the Chinese-made pens as those made by Societe BIC.
Societe BIC, a French firm, is the exclusive manufacturer of BIC pens, which have been on the Ugandan market since 1960.
“As a result UKSIL’s acts, Societe BIC business faces a likelihood of suffering financial loss and being adversely affected. These acts were calculated to deceive and mislead the public into believing that the pens are ours,†Societe BIC lawyers said in the documents to court.
Societe executive vice-president, Marie-Aimee Bich-Dufour, stated: “Counterfeit BIC pens have been on market for sometime and I believe UKSIL has been behind this.â€
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UGANDA Kampala Sanzhou International (UKSIL) has been dragged to the Commercial Court over importation of fake BIC pens.
SOCIETE bic, the manufacturers of bic pens, want a court injunction to stop UKSIL from importing and circulating BIC pens with similar designs as it own.
“The pens are identical to the bic crystal pens, a representation of which is registered as our trademark under no. 25793 BIC Crystal (Device).
“The packaging of the pens with colours, designs, labels and slogans similar to the firm’s (Societe bic) and with the same shape and style of the body of the pen was intended to have and has the effect of passing off the UKSIL pens as those made by Societe Bic…..,†the company said in its documents to court.
“UKSIL is a big threat and it intends, unless restrained by court, to repeat acts and conducts to pass off the said pens as made by Societe yet they are not.†Societe acted after a tip-off from the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) as UKSIL was seeking clearance for the Chinese made BIC pens worth sh2.34m in October.
URA clearing agents became suspicious and alerted Societe BIC after UKSIL officials tried to disguise and passed off the Chinese-made pens as those made by Societe BIC.
Societe BIC, a French firm, is the exclusive manufacturer of BIC pens, which have been on the Ugandan market since 1960.
“As a result UKSIL’s acts, Societe BIC business faces a likelihood of suffering financial loss and being adversely affected. These acts were calculated to deceive and mislead the public into believing that the pens are ours,†Societe BIC lawyers said in the documents to court.
Societe executive vice-president, Marie-Aimee Bich-Dufour, stated: “Counterfeit BIC pens have been on market for sometime and I believe UKSIL has been behind this.â€