SEMA is not just about the wild customs, loud music, and pretty girls. Th aftermarket part business is highly competitive and it cannot be more evident when you have hundreds of companies under one roof that offer products for your Jeep or another vehicle. Not everybody is playing by the rules. Omix-ADA filed a patent and trademark infringement case against at least one other company. This resulted in the U.S. Marshal’s officers conducting a search and seizure of several products on the SEMA show floor this week.
Here is the public statement released by Omix-ADA. They did not specifically name the offending company(ies) in the statement, but there is information in other documents that Unity 4WD Accessories Co. was one of the offenders.
On Tuesday, November 2, the US Marshal’s office conducted a search and seizure of a variety of automotive aftermarket products as part of US District Court, Civil Complaint number 2:16-cv-02527-APG-CWH, due to claimed infringements of Omix-ADA®‘s patents and trademarks on products sold under the Rugged Ridge® brand. Based upon showing that it was likely to succeed on the merits of its claims for patent and trademark infringement, the district court granted Omix-ADA a restraining order against the certain parts suppliers that led to the search and seizure.
The seizures took place at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show and Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX), taking place this week in Las Vegas. Omix-ADA worked hand-in-hand with show management teams to follow clear guidelines designed to help combat infringing product at the show, which was enhanced with the court order. Counterfeit product and copyright infringement is in direct violation of SEMA and AAPEX policies and the managing parties have taken appropriate action to remove violating exhibitors from the premises.
As a dedicated exhibitor, Omix-ADA would like to thank SEMA and AAPEX management for their help and cooperation in working with the company to help protect its patent and trademark rights, as well as the aftermarket customers. Omix-ADA is also pursuing litigation with several companies selling infringing product at various online retailers.
The company views counterfeiting and infringement as a serious and widespread problem in the aftermarket industry and one that can be combatted through proper legal channels, and would encourage other members of the aftermarket industry to follow a similar path.
Here is a video walk-around of a Jeep CJ-66 concept built by Mopar. This Jeep and its parts have no relation to the court case discussed here, but it is a cool concept from this year’s SEMA Show.
