Lego
Industryweek 14010 Lego Bricks L

Lego Wins Intellectual Property Lawsuit in China

Nov. 6, 2018
Guangzhou Yuexiu District Court court agreed with Lego that local companies had copied its building blocks and miniature figures under the LEPIN brand.

Lego A/S has won a new intellectual property lawsuit in China after a court agreed with the Danish toy manufacturer that local companies had copied its building blocks and miniature figures under the LEPIN brand.

The Guangzhou Yuexiu District Court ruled that the four defendants should immediately cease the production, sale and promotion of the toys and pay about 4.5 million yuan (US$650,000) in damages, Lego said in an emailed statement sent Monday.

Europe’s biggest toymaker, which is known for its aggressive use of the courts to protect its multicolored building blocks, had already secured two major legal victories in China last year. First, the Beijing Higher Court passed a ruling that recognizes the Lego logo and the name in Chinese as “well-known” trademarks in the country. Lego then also won its first Chinese copyright court case, when it defeated the makers of Bela products.

The LEPIN rulings “clearly demonstrate the continued efforts of Chinese authorities to protect intellectual property,” Lego Chief Executive Officer Niels B. Christiansen said in the statement. “We will continue to take all necessary legal actions to protect our intellectual property rights.”

Lego only identified Shantou Meizhi Model Co. among the four defendants.

By Christian Wienberg

Popular Sponsored Recommendations

Why DataOps may be the key to unlocking the full potential of digital transformation

Nov. 3, 2023
Read the 2023 market survey conducted by IndustryWeek

Modern Edge Computing Accelerates Smart Manufacturing Initiatives for Discrete Manufacturers

Oct. 22, 2023
Discover how Edge Computing platforms are a requisite for discrete manufacturers to solve production challenges, accelerate digitalization, and establish a reliable infrastructure...

7 Crucial Steps to Improve Your OT Security

Oct. 23, 2023
Enhance OT security in manufacturing and production. Uncover the crucial steps to safeguard your operational technology. Protect against evolving threats and bridge the IT-OT ...

Your Industry 4.0 Journey

Sept. 24, 2023
When It Comes to Industry 4.0, the Journey is the Destination. Industry 4.0 must be embraced as a long-term, strategic mindset of digital transformation that dynamically alters...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of IndustryWeek, create an account today!