Scolmore has announced that it has settled a dispute with Dean Electrical Wholesale Ltd, Premspec Group Ltd and with Dennis Boseley, who is the founder of Dean Electrical.
The settlement represents another very significant victory for Scolmore, because Dean and Premspec were selling counterfeit (entirely fake) products into the UK market, which they had acquired in China. Scolmore took a stand because it wanted to urgently get these products off the market. Product integrity and safety are key issues for Scolmore.
The dispute arose after Scolmore became aware that Dean had been selling counterfeit accessory products in the UK, which it was mixing with, and selling alongside, genuine Scolmore products. The counterfeits had been purchased in China by Premspec, under the instructions of Boseley.
In a statement published on its website, Dean has been forced to admit its actions and to accept that the products were counterfeit.
As soon as Scolmore became aware of the counterfeits, it took action to recover any remaining stock from Dean. The defendants have now paid Scolmore substantial damages and costs and given strict undertakings.
Managing Director of Scolmore, Kevin Beech, said: “It’s shocking that some people are happy to go to China and think they have found a bargain alternative to a genuine Scolmore product – supplied by a factory which is nothing to do with Scolmore, and which is unable to provide any certification or proof of origin. These are mains voltage products, and the defendants took no steps to even make sure they were safe – before selling them on to unsuspecting buyers.”
Beech continued: “The lesson here is clear: If you sell counterfeit Scolmore products, we will take action against you.
We have been working closely with a small number of select overseas factories for many years now and have built up a mutually respectful relationship with them. We have invested in these factories to ensure they have the best equipment, technologies and people in place to manufacture our products to the highest standards. All our products are designed in house in Tamworth, Staffordshire, by our specialist teams. Our partner factories work closely with the designers to work the designs up to samples and then finished products ready for market. We make regular trips to the premises and have regulated systems and procedures in place to ensure that they operate to our exacting standards.
These factories operate on an exclusive basis with Scolmore, only producing products for our group of companies. Wholesalers and contractors rely on this assurance and this proof of the origin of the products that are being supplied to them by Scolmore.”
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