Sealegs takes High Court action against Tectrax alleged copy
by Kirsty Reid, Sealegs 23 Oct 2018 22:55 PDT
24 October 2018
Over 1300 Sealegs amphibious systems have now been sold in more than 50 countries around the world © Sealegs
Amphibious production boat manufacturer, Sealegs has filed a High Court claim against New Zealand company Tectrax Limited for alleged infringement of copyright in the unique arrangement of features in the Sealegs amphibious system.
The distinctive Sealegs system has become very successful due to its innovative and unique way of enabling boats to be amphibious. From the original concepts and prototypes created by its founder Maurice Bryham, Sealegs has grown to become an iconic kiwi invention.
Sealegs CEO David McKee Wright said “It is incredibly disappointing to see a New Zealand company trying to misappropriate Sealegs intellectual property in what appears to be another case of copyright infringement. After Sealegs recently won a comprehensive judgment against Orion Marine and Smuggler Marine for infringement of copyright of the Sealegs design we are now forced to take very similar high court action against Tectrax”.
Sealegs said that it supports true innovation in the amphibious industry, but it will not allow copycat imitations of the Sealegs design and it will vigorously enforce its intellectual property rights and vigorously defend the claims made by Tectrax against it. As part of the claim, Sealegs is seeking an order to stop Tectrax from manufacturing or selling the alleged infringing copies with any existing copies to be destroyed. It is also seeking costs and damages caused by Tectrax.
After having created the market for amphibious production boat systems in New Zealand, over 1300 Sealegs amphibious systems have now been sold in more than 50 countries around the world.