About us > CSR Activities > Social Responsibility > CSR Management > Intellectual Property Protection
Intellectual Property Protection
KYOCERA Document Solutions seeks to protect its products through the acquisition of intellectual property rights for research achievements. We promote intellectual property activities, focusing on the promotion of environment-related inventions and anti-counterfeiting measures.
KYOCERA Document Solutions vigorously promotes the innovation of "long life" technologies, based on the ECOSYS concept. We also seek to discover innovative energy-saving and environmentally conscious technologies, paying attention to ideas and technologies proposed in the product development stage.
We believe that our intellectual property rights activities not only enhance user convenience, but also meet the growing consumer demand for environmentally friendly products.
In recent years, we have received a number of reports of product malfunctions suspected of having been due to counterfeit toner containers, sales of which have been detected in various markets around the world. Manufacturing and selling counterfeit products are illegal acts that will not only damage customers' trust in our company, but also violate our company's intellectual property rights. To protect our customers from counterfeit products and to ensure that our customers feel safe when using our products, we are taking various measures to eliminate counterfeit products.
Prosecution of counterfeit manufacturers
We are approaching administrative authorities to investigate and prosecute counterfeit manufacturers, mainly in China, and ensure that counterfeit products and molds are confiscated and destroyed, and that counterfeit manufacturers are held criminally responsible. We are working vigorously on an independent basis, as well as in cooperation with other companies in the industry, to eliminate counterfeit products.
Confiscated counterfeit products
Warnings to counterfeit distributors
To prevent the spread of counterfeit products, we issue warnings to distributors selling counterfeit products and make them pledge never to sell counterfeit products in the future. We also demand that they destroy stored counterfeit products and disclose the names of the suppliers from whom they have purchased counterfeit products.
Border control of counterfeit products
We are working hard to convince customs authorities to stop the import and export of counterfeit products at the borders. To increase the effectiveness of the crackdown on counterfeit products, we provide explanations to customs officials regarding how to determine whether a toner container is genuine or counterfeit.
Adoption of hologram seals for identification of genuine products
We have attached hologram seals to our toner containers to help distinguish genuine from counterfeit products.
▼New type
Legal Action taken by KYOCERA Document Solutions Europe
Last year, as a result of an investigation conducted based on the information provided by a sales partner, KYOCERA Document Solutions Europe confirmed that counterfeit toner containers had been imported to Ireland. The Company filed a suit against the relevant importer seeking an injunction to halt the import of counterfeit toner containers. As a result, the court issued an injunction and ordered the importer in question to cease the import of counterfeit toner containers and pay legal costs.
About us > CSR Activities > Social Responsibility > CSR Management > Intellectual Property Protection
