Two Chinese Companies Didn’t Have the SEMA They Hoped For

U.S. Federal Marshals were on hand at the 2016 SEMA Show, not to ogle the cars but to raid the booths of two Chinese companies and seize parts, displays and communications equipment over allegations of copyright infringement. 

Besides the two raids, six other Chinese companies had their booths shut down at the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AARP) as part of the same investigation.

The raids were the result of an aftermarket Jeep parts maker, OMIX-ADA, filing an emergency lawsuit on Tuesday in the U.S. District Court in Nevada claiming that a number of Chinese companies were selling knock-off versions of its patented products. Light mount assemblies, hood latches and front grilles sold under the Rigged Ridge brand name for the Jeep Wrangler were some of the parts that were ripped off.

SEE ALSO: Top 10 WTF Things We Saw at the 2016 SEMA Show

“This is something we were aware of (before SEMA) and we talked with SEMA about how do we go through the steps because we don’t want to upset the industry at an event like this,” said Henk Van Dongen, Omix-ADA’s Director of Marketing. “So they recommended a few local attorneys and we got all of our paperwork in place by Monday night, then Tuesday we went to the judge.”

A preliminary hearing has been set for Nov.10 by a U.S. judge.

”Everything gets copied and looked at, and then the companies get them back and we can pursue additional legal action if we want to,” Van Dongen said. “SEMA has always said that if something like this happens, then the companies found to be on the wrong side – so to speak – are no longer allowed to come back to the SEMA show.”

Be sure the check out AutoGuide.com’s liver coverage from the SEMA Show. 

[Source: Quadratec]