Brassware manufacturer Grohe has won a court case against counterfeiters in China after numerous raids on manufacturers infringing trademark rights led to effective legal proceedings in the Ningbo region of the country.

The court found in favour of Grohe after one Chinese manufacturer copied its Rainshower Icon and Rainshower Eco hand showers (pictured) and Grohe attributes its success to cooperation between local law enforcement and support from the public.

Grohe said that its anti-counterfeiting effort is not only about protecting its own brand and intellectual property but also about the cost to economies both local and worldwide as the problem is said to cost billions of dollars every year and destroy thousands of jobs.

This fight is the latest in an on-going battle fought by the German manufacturer which has also worked in theUnited Arab Emiratesto combat the problem in which more than 21,000 plagiarised sanitary fittings were destroyed earlier this year.

Detlef Schmitz, general counsel of Grohe AG said maintaining a good relationship with local government is vital to overcoming the problem. “Such partnerships between companies and government agencies are a decisive success factor in combating piracy.

“We are all on the same page when it comes to protecting our economies and the concept of intellectual property. Together we can achieve important successes which send a clear message to product pirates.”