02/12/2019
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Products
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Hansgrohe Group
Plagiarius 2019: Copies of the hansgrohe hand shower Croma Select S Multi receive negative price
Hansgrohe Group is consistently against product piracy
Schiltach, February 2019. Every year, the negative “Plagiarius” prize is awarded in Frankfurt during the largest trade fair for consumer goods “Ambiente”. On February 8, the award initiated by design Professor Rido Busse went to two bold product copies of the hansgrohe hand shower Croma Select S Multi. Prof. Dr. Prof. h.c. Arndt Sinn, Director of the Center for European and International Criminal Law Studies at the University of Osnabrück, held the congratulatory speech for the award winners. The Plagiarius award winners 2019 will be presented at the Plagiarius Museum in Solingen after the “Ambiente” trade fair closes.
Resolute Action against Plagiarism
"Brands and products that are particularly successful in the market, as in the case of the Croma Select S Multi hand shower, are always the ones to be copied," emphasized Carmen Vetter, Head of Property Rights at Hansgrohe SE. "One of the two 'excellent' plagiarists not only copied our hand shower, but also used our brand name in Chinese. It is all the more important to continue to fight against product piracy. This award raises awareness of the importance of proprietary rights, even in China, and hopefully it sends a clear message. In any case, Hansgrohe will continue to be relentless in its fight against product piracy, including taking legal action – in Europe, as well as in China and the rest of the world,” added Vetter.
The globally active mixer, showerhead and shower systems specialist from the Black Forest estimates that every year, damages caused by piracy amount to five to ten percent of its total turnover. “In other words, this means that piracy damages the economy and is responsible for the loss of jobs,” said Carmen Vetter.
Deception of Consumers
At first glance, it is nearly impossible for consumers to tell the difference between the original product of the hansgrohe brand and the counterfeit made in China "The deceptively real look, however, does not mean that the copies offer the same quality, performance, or security," explained Carmen Vetter. "There is a great deal of research work and expertise in our original product, especially with regard to the different jet types. In intensive development work, the three spray types of the hand-held shower hansgrohe Croma Select S Multi were created in our spray laboratory. The SoftRain soft shower rain uses the smooth texture of the water to relax, the powerful IntenseRain jet revives with stimulating intensity and the pulsating Massage jet provides a revitalizing sensation of water. Therefore, the original offers in terms of function and quality a much greater benefit for the consumer than the copies, "said the head of the property rights department. The consistent approach of Hansgrohe Group against product pirates therefore ultimately serves to protect customers.
1977 to 2019: 42 Years Negative Prize “Plagiarius”
Aktion Plagiarius e.V. has conferred the dreaded and infamous prize to manufacturers and distributors of especially blatant knock-offs and counterfeits since 1977. The goal of the association is to publicly expose the unfair and sometimes criminal business practices of product and brand counterfeiters around the world, and to raise awareness of the problem among politicians, consumers and the industry. The trophy is a black dwarf with a golden nose – symbolising the exorbitant profits that product pirates make at the cost of creative designers and innovative manufacturers.
About the Hansgrohe Group – the Original from the Black Forest
With its brands AXOR and hansgrohe, the Hansgrohe Group, based in Schiltach/Southern Germany, enjoys a reputation as a leader in innovation, design and quality within the bath and kitchen industry. The Hansgrohe Group brings form and function to water with taps, showerheads and shower systems. The 118-year history of the company is marked by innovations such as the first hand-held shower with multiple spray types, the first pull-out kitchen tap, and the first wall bar to hold a hand-held shower. The company holds more than 15,000 active property rights. The Hansgrohe Group stands for long-lasting quality products. With 34 subsidiaries and 21 sales offices supplying products in more than 140 countries, the company is a reliable partner to its customers around the world. The Hansgrohe Group, its brands and products have won numerous awards, including more than 500 design prizes since 1974. Sustainable production of resource-conserving products is central to the company’s business activities around the globe. The products of the Hansgrohe Group are featured in projects around the world, such as the luxurious ocean liner Queen Mary 2, and the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The Group’s high quality standards are ensured by five wholly-owned production facilities: two in Germany, one each in France, the United States and China. In 2017, the Hansgrohe Group generated a turnover of EUR 1.077 billion. It employs about 5,000 people worldwide, about 60 percent of whom work in Germany.
Resolute Action against Plagiarism
"Brands and products that are particularly successful in the market, as in the case of the Croma Select S Multi hand shower, are always the ones to be copied," emphasized Carmen Vetter, Head of Property Rights at Hansgrohe SE. "One of the two 'excellent' plagiarists not only copied our hand shower, but also used our brand name in Chinese. It is all the more important to continue to fight against product piracy. This award raises awareness of the importance of proprietary rights, even in China, and hopefully it sends a clear message. In any case, Hansgrohe will continue to be relentless in its fight against product piracy, including taking legal action – in Europe, as well as in China and the rest of the world,” added Vetter.
The globally active mixer, showerhead and shower systems specialist from the Black Forest estimates that every year, damages caused by piracy amount to five to ten percent of its total turnover. “In other words, this means that piracy damages the economy and is responsible for the loss of jobs,” said Carmen Vetter.
Deception of Consumers
At first glance, it is nearly impossible for consumers to tell the difference between the original product of the hansgrohe brand and the counterfeit made in China "The deceptively real look, however, does not mean that the copies offer the same quality, performance, or security," explained Carmen Vetter. "There is a great deal of research work and expertise in our original product, especially with regard to the different jet types. In intensive development work, the three spray types of the hand-held shower hansgrohe Croma Select S Multi were created in our spray laboratory. The SoftRain soft shower rain uses the smooth texture of the water to relax, the powerful IntenseRain jet revives with stimulating intensity and the pulsating Massage jet provides a revitalizing sensation of water. Therefore, the original offers in terms of function and quality a much greater benefit for the consumer than the copies, "said the head of the property rights department. The consistent approach of Hansgrohe Group against product pirates therefore ultimately serves to protect customers.
1977 to 2019: 42 Years Negative Prize “Plagiarius”
Aktion Plagiarius e.V. has conferred the dreaded and infamous prize to manufacturers and distributors of especially blatant knock-offs and counterfeits since 1977. The goal of the association is to publicly expose the unfair and sometimes criminal business practices of product and brand counterfeiters around the world, and to raise awareness of the problem among politicians, consumers and the industry. The trophy is a black dwarf with a golden nose – symbolising the exorbitant profits that product pirates make at the cost of creative designers and innovative manufacturers.
About the Hansgrohe Group – the Original from the Black Forest
With its brands AXOR and hansgrohe, the Hansgrohe Group, based in Schiltach/Southern Germany, enjoys a reputation as a leader in innovation, design and quality within the bath and kitchen industry. The Hansgrohe Group brings form and function to water with taps, showerheads and shower systems. The 118-year history of the company is marked by innovations such as the first hand-held shower with multiple spray types, the first pull-out kitchen tap, and the first wall bar to hold a hand-held shower. The company holds more than 15,000 active property rights. The Hansgrohe Group stands for long-lasting quality products. With 34 subsidiaries and 21 sales offices supplying products in more than 140 countries, the company is a reliable partner to its customers around the world. The Hansgrohe Group, its brands and products have won numerous awards, including more than 500 design prizes since 1974. Sustainable production of resource-conserving products is central to the company’s business activities around the globe. The products of the Hansgrohe Group are featured in projects around the world, such as the luxurious ocean liner Queen Mary 2, and the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The Group’s high quality standards are ensured by five wholly-owned production facilities: two in Germany, one each in France, the United States and China. In 2017, the Hansgrohe Group generated a turnover of EUR 1.077 billion. It employs about 5,000 people worldwide, about 60 percent of whom work in Germany.
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