JCB, backhoe loader, German--JCB Settles Over Copycat Loader

JCB announced that it has agreed to the terms of a settlement with an Asian backhoe loader manufacturer that it accused of copying the design of one of its machines. As part of the settlement, JCB has received an undisclosed payment and the manufacturer has agreed to fundamentally redesign its backhoe loader.

The settlement is the result of court actions that JCB pursued against three Asian manufacturers during the Bauma 2010 show in Munich in April. JCB alleged that the manufacturers had copied the designs of JCB’s 3CX backhoe loader and Loadall telehandlers.

As a result of the JCB’s charges, a German court issued preliminary injunctions against the Asian firms during the show and required that the copycat machines had to be either removed from the show and impounded or concealed from view.

“This is the fourth incident this year of an Asian manufacturer copying one of our machines and taking unfair advantage of 57 years of product development,” said Tim Burnhope, JCB’s group managing director for Product Development and Commercial Operations. “JCB is determined to act promptly and decisively in relation to such activities and stamp them out.”

Source: Diesel Progress Online