Surrey-based firm Cliff Electronic Components Limited (Cliff UK) has won a court case to protect its trademark and products sold in the USA from counterfeiting.
In 2008, the firm also discovered that a Cliff-branded product returned under complaint from an end-user was not manufactured by an authorised Cliff company or in any Cliff production facility.
It launched an investigation and found that the product in question had been cloned by Cliff Hong Kong and marketed by Cliff Electronic Components, Inc., which was at that time Cliff UK's official distributor in the USA.
This discovery led to the formation of the current authorised USA distributor Cliff Inc.
Further investigation revealed other cloned products that were being sold under the CLIFF brand name, and also that counterfeit Cliff drawings were being used to give a false impression of their provenance and quality.
Despite name changes and other measures used to cloud the origins of these counterfeit products, the manufacturers were tracked down.
"These actions have resulted in several years of legal proceedings in the USA concluding with a judgment completely in the favour of us," said Cliff UK. "Cliff UK is now awaiting the ruling on injunctive relief, damages and penalties to be awarded against Cliff Electronic Components, Inc., and its president, Andrew Brunt, whom the judge ruled is personally liable for all damages to Cliff UK. Cliff is continuing to pursue all other companies and individuals involved."
"Not only has Cliff lost substantial direct sales in the USA but there has been much confusion caused by misuse of the Cliff brand in the USA, Europe and Asia," said Cliff UK general manager John Hall.
The firm waned that the use of counterfeit products can effects less obvious than reducing reliability, like invalidating approvals files and certifications.
Cliff UK sells audio and power connectors, terminal posts, test leads and accessories, general industrial connectors, foot pedals, hand tools, production aids, lighting connectors, motors and fans.
It manufactures in Surrey, and at its own plant in the Far East.