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Wan LixinOpinion deputy editor of Shanghai Daily
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German bus maker wins IP case
By Jin Jing |
January 22, 2009, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
A court in Beijing has ruled that three domestic companies violated the patent of German Neoplan Bus GmbH, the court said yesterday.
The No. 1 Intermediate People's Court of Beijing ordered Zhongwei Bus & Coach Group, its parent company Zonda Industrial Group and its agent Beijing Zhongtong Xinghua Vehicle Sales Co to pay Neoplan20 million yuan (US$2.92 million).
Neoplan accused Zonda of stealing the body design of its A9 series of Starliner buses. Zonda, based in Yancheng, Jiangsu Province, has been expanding overseas with the hope of increasing its export revenue to 60 percent oftotal sales.
Neoplan's Starliner hasn't been introduced into China but Zonda's A9 model competes against it in overseas markets and costs one-third of the German model.
Neoplan first took action against Zonda in 2006. The next year Zonda filed a counterclaim, with Zonda spokesman Ji Lijun saying that the company developed the bus itself, had its own international patent and had been approved for production by the National Development and Reform Commission. Ji was not available for comment yesterday.
Neoplan's victory is one of the rare patent victories for foreign car makers, with analysts saying patent infringements on bodywork are difficult to prove.
Last year an Italian court ruled that China's Great Wall Motor Corp stole the design of Fiat's Panda for its Peri subcompact. Great Wall said it would appeal the decision.
The No. 1 Intermediate People's Court of Beijing ordered Zhongwei Bus & Coach Group, its parent company Zonda Industrial Group and its agent Beijing Zhongtong Xinghua Vehicle Sales Co to pay Neoplan20 million yuan (US$2.92 million).
Neoplan accused Zonda of stealing the body design of its A9 series of Starliner buses. Zonda, based in Yancheng, Jiangsu Province, has been expanding overseas with the hope of increasing its export revenue to 60 percent oftotal sales.
Neoplan's Starliner hasn't been introduced into China but Zonda's A9 model competes against it in overseas markets and costs one-third of the German model.
Neoplan first took action against Zonda in 2006. The next year Zonda filed a counterclaim, with Zonda spokesman Ji Lijun saying that the company developed the bus itself, had its own international patent and had been approved for production by the National Development and Reform Commission. Ji was not available for comment yesterday.
Neoplan's victory is one of the rare patent victories for foreign car makers, with analysts saying patent infringements on bodywork are difficult to prove.
Last year an Italian court ruled that China's Great Wall Motor Corp stole the design of Fiat's Panda for its Peri subcompact. Great Wall said it would appeal the decision.
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