Dutch construction vehicle OEM Tobroco-Giant has secured an important legal victory during Bauma – a court ruled that a Chinese manufacturer, which was displaying an unauthorized copy of the Giant G2700, had to immediately remove its machine from the exhibition grounds.
Employees of Tobroco-Giant spotted the copied machine being displayed by the Chinese manufacturer Haihong on Tuesday and immediately engaged a lawyer. On Wednesday Haihong was approached and it subsequently covered the imitation machine up.
By the time the court made its ruling on Thursday (10 April) Haihong had already removed the vehicle from the exhibition hall. The incident helps to underline the importance of protecting intellectual property rights — especially on an international stage such as Bauma.
This ruling is not only a win for Tobroco-Giant but also sends a strong signal to the entire industry: copying machines that have taken years of development, innovation, and investment will not go without consequences.
Toine Brock, founder and CEO of Tobroco-Giant, comments on the outcome: “For nearly 30 years, we have poured our heart and soul into developing high-quality machines. Protecting innovation and taking firm action against misuse is crucial for the future of our industry. We understand that copying cannot be completely prevented, but this ruling demonstrates that it will not always be without consequences.”
Trademark attorney Fabio Adinolfi, who represented Tobroco-Giant in court, adds: “This decision provides a strong legal foundation for Tobroco-Giant to act decisively against infringements in the future”.
Pim de Boer from Tobroco-Giant features in Part 3 of iVT’s Best of Bauma video series talking about the OEM’s new launch at the show – it’s first ever wheel dumper, the GD10H.
