Le Mans 24 Hours counterfeit clothing- A record haul!

ACO trademarks like LE MANS or 24 HOURS or LE MANS 24 HOURS are recognised brands linked to know-how, an image and a history in the same way as the major French luxury brands. Like the latter, they are copied on a regular basis.

A well-known company "State of the Art" based in the Netherlands designed and produced a line of clothing bearing several of these trademarks without obtaining authorisation beforehand.

13,000 items of clothing (T-shirts, shirts) valued at 200,000 euros were produced and stocked ready to be sold throughout Europe.

The ACO’s efficient watchdog service was quickly informed of this situation and had almost all the products seized by a bailiff before they were exported. The Hague district court (Netherlands) then had all the counterfeit goods burned on 16th July 2008 in the Netherlands.

This new victory by the ACO bears eloquent testimony to the worldwide scourge represented by the counterfeit market.

"This scourge has obliged us to set up an efficient defence structure to protect ourselves," says Fabrice Bourrigaud, the ACO sales manager. "We use a specialised firm that works with partners throughout the world. This means that we have an efficient monitoring system for the brand, as well as rapid intervention according to the legislation in force in each country.

Apart from the huge economic impact of this type of crime, it’s the very image of the ACO that’s at stake because of the counterfeit goods, of which the club’s the victim. We impose a very strict list of measures at several levels on all our official licence holders, especially where the safety and quality of the products are concerned.

These aren’t among the major preoccupations of the counterfeiters! It’s our duty to protect our licence holders whose involvement and commitment to representing our brands are very important."

Thanks to another seizure the ACO has shown that more than ever its readiness to use all legal means at its disposal to combat this type of crime, and strongly emphazises its determination and resolve to protect its brands, its image and above all its licence-holders.

www.lemans.org

- Automobile Club de l'Ouest-