Cherish Your Life,  Say a Clear “NO!” to Fake Parts!

QBPC Automotive IWG launched joint IPR Protection Booth at the Automechanika 2008 Fair in Shanghai

The Automechanika Shanghai - one of China’s leading professional event for the domestic and international automotive parts, equipment and service suppliers and a spotlight on the automotive aftermarket industry - took place from December 10th to 12th in the year of 2008 at Shanghai New International Expo Centre.
 
It is also the right place for the automotive manufacturer and supplier industry alliance against counterfeits to raise their voices. Members of the Automotive Industry Working Group (AIWG) under the Quality Brands Protection Committee (QBPC) - Bosch, BMW, Bridgestone, Denso, Ford, Gates, Mahle, Peugeot-Citroën, Volkswagen, ZF - jointly with Schaeffler as a QBPC non-member have organized a joint IPR Protection Booth to enhance awareness for the importance of genuine automotive spare parts. The booth aimed at stressing the importance of using genuine spare parts in regards to consumer and public safety, by demonstrating the serious risks and damage caused by counterfeited auto parts. The industry gave a clear message: “Cherish your life - say a clear “NO!” to fake parts!”
 
The exhibition material included impressive displays of genuine and counterfeited spare parts with distinctive tags denoting the advantages of using genuine products in contrast with the severe dangers caused by counterfeits. Vivid posters and pamphlets were introducing the Automotive IPR activities under the roof of QBPC, explaining IPR issues in China and showing "best practice cases", where joint activities of brand owners achieved considerable results. An informative DVD presentation on relevant IPR protection and QBPC activities was shown.
 
Besides, Mr. Wolfgang Saueressig from Bosch, chair of the Automotive IWG, delivered a speech introducing QBPC and IPR protection in China at the Automechanika Academy on invitation by Messe Frankfurt.
 
This is not the first time that the Automotive IWG participates in major automotive fairs in China. Due to the global economic depression, visitors coming to this great event are fewer than in 2007, but our joint IPR booth still attracts great attention. Over 400 international and domestic visitors came to visit our booth during this three-day exhibition. A questionnaire about auto-related IPR issues was distributed to visitors at the booth. Through this activity, the Automotive IWG hopes to increase public awareness of counterfeiting problems in the automotive industry, promote cooperation between companies, and adopt effective measures to actively assist Chinese government to eradicate counterfeiting from all areas of the industry, whether production, storage, distribution and export, etc, thus protecting our intellectual property rights and safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of consumers.