VDMA7.3 billion euros in losses due to product piracy
Product piracy and know-how theft continue to cause considerable damage to German machine and plant manufacturers. China remains the biggest counterfeiter by a wide margin. The VDMA presented the latest figures on this at the Hannover Messe 2018.
The Chinese counterfeits are not only produced for local distribution, but are also marketed worldwide. "VDMA members - even in Germany - often tell us about dealers and counterfeiters who continue to sell their counterfeits with only minor changes despite legally binding judgments or who are still found at trade fairs even after several cases of counterfeiting," criticizes Zimmermann. "In particular, the local activities to date - i.e. in the typical counterfeiting countries - are not nearly enough to adequately support companies in the fight against counterfeiting."