Moore Large, which earlier this year secured the exclusive distribution rights in the UK for Xeccon, says it is up to the Chinese bike light manufacturer to ensure its products comply with intellectual property (IP) laws.
Derby-based Moore Large was responding to last week’s raid by German customs police on the Xeccon stand at Eurobike which followed allegations by Australia-based Knog that Xeccon’s Milan range of lights infringes the patents of its own Blinder range.
> Police raid Xeccon stand at Eurobike in Knog patent dispute
Nigel Moore, managing director of Moore Large, which had distributed Knog lights until April this year, said in a statement that the company "respects intellectual property rights and does not condone infringement in any form,"reports BikeBiz.
He went on: "Our contractual agreement with Xeccon confirms it is their responsibility to ensure such infringement does not take place, and that the lights in dispute were not to be shipped until the supplier had an unambiguous IP right to sell the product.
"These applications by Xeccon have been ongoing and not yet resolved, therefore Xeccon has not yet shipped, and Moore Large not yet received, nor sold, the Milan model lights that are in question."
Last Thursday, Knog CEO Hugo Davidson who was with customs officers when they seized Xeccon goods at the Zeppelin hall of the trade fair in Friedrichshafen, told Cycling Industry News: “We have already issued a number of cease and desist warnings in order to protect our IP.
“This business approached our distributors offering to undercut our goods on several occasions, even following our contact.
“We have been aware that they are further chasing clients since and were set to exhibit at Eurobike.
“With that knowledge they have once been asked to remove all content infringing our patents, but have refused to do so. German customs have therefore come in to seize the goods this morning.”
It was reported at the time that as well as the action taken against Xeccon, Moore Large would also be receiving a cease and desist letter issued on behalf of Knog.