Delco Remy International has filed a lawsuit accusing three automotive parts companies of violating its patents, Associated Press (AP) reported.
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AP said that the complaint, filed on Monday in US District Court in Indianapolis, alleges the companies copied the Anderson-based manufacturer’s automotive starter and alternator designs.
Named in the lawsuit were Unipoint Electric Manufacturing Ltd. of Taiwan; NSA Corp. of Sterling, Virginia.; and Unit Parts Corp. of Oklahoma City, AP said, adding that the lawsuit also seeks to stop about 30 smaller distributors and manufacturers from selling alleged knockoff products.
NSA spokesman Chuck Hanners told AP on Tuesday that he could not comment in detail because his company had not been served with the lawsuit but he said NSA acts solely as a parts distributor, rather than a manufacturer, and that he was unaware of any parts NSA distributed that could violate patents.
AP said the lawsuit did not specify a damage amount, but Delco Remy’s vice president of new business development, Harry Schmink, reportedly said counterfeit and knockoff parts annually cost the industry about $US3 billion in the United States and $12 billion worldwide.
“They just take your product once it’s in production, and they just copy it,” he reportedly said.
Associated Press said the lawsuit accuses the companies of violating four Delco Remy patents. Schmink did not tell AP under what brands the knockoff parts were sold and said that would identify retailers who Delco Remy does not believe are aware of the infringement.
