Legal Action Seeks to Protect Integrity of UL Certification Mark on Products Worldwide
NORTHBROOK, Ill., June 9, 2014 /CNW/ - UL, a global safety science leader, filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Central District of California against a Los Angeles retailer, Rider Best, Inc., and a Chinese manufacturer, Enping City Shuangyi Electronics Industrial Company, for use of a counterfeit UL certification mark on consumer electronics products. Through the lawsuit, UL seeks to stop the unauthorized use of its well-known trademark.
The complaint alleges federal trademark infringement, counterfeit of a federally registered trademark, federal unfair competition and false designation of origin and false and misleading representations, and unfair competition and false advertising under California law.
UL's lawsuit follows the successful raid by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office on two Rider Best stores in February of this year, where law enforcement agents seized a total of 28,907 counterfeit mobile phone power adapters and two counterfeit mobile phone power adapter kits valued at more than $570,000. These products displayed counterfeit UL certification marks, which can mislead consumers to believe that the products meet UL's safety standards.
"Consumers around the world count on the UL Mark to signal that the products they purchase and use have met UL's Standards for Safety," said Paul Brown, UL's Vice President of Intellectual Property and Litigation. "In the United States alone, we estimate there are approximately 125 UL Marks in every home. This legal action is important to protect a symbol of trust and objectivity that both consumers and compliant manufacturers depend upon."
Dedicated to promoting safe living and working environments, UL develops safety standards, certifies that products satisfy those standards, and conducts follow-up testing and inspection services to confirm that manufacturers are compliant. Goods that meet UL's safety standards are authorized to bear the UL certification mark, which is well-recognized by the general public.
Each year, UL makes significant investments to protect the integrity of its certification marks by working with law enforcement authorities around the globe to combat counterfeiting, which in turn benefits consumer safety and the brands of its customers. The lawsuit is part of a larger, ongoing campaign to identify and prosecute counterfeit uses of its certification mark.
Rider Best, Inc. is a California corporation with two store locations in Los Angeles. Enping City Shuangyi Electronics Industrial Company, which owns Rider Best, is a Chinese corporation that manufactured the power adapter products bearing the counterfeit mark at its Guangdong, China factory.
About UL
UL is a premier global independent safety science company that has championed progress for 120 years. Its more than 10,000 professionals are guided by the UL mission to promote safe working and living environments for all people. UL uses research and standards to continually advance and meet ever-evolving safety needs. We partner with businesses, manufacturers, trade associations and international regulatory authorities to bring solutions to a more complex global supply chain. For more information about our certification, testing, inspection, advisory and education services, visit http://www.UL.com.
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