Suzuki GB PLC (SGB) has recently concluded a case putting a stop to sales of illegal grey market Suzuki ATVs being imported and sold within the UK market.
Grey import vehicles are cars, motorcycles and other motor vehicles imported from overseas, but not through Suzuki’s official distribution arrangement.
The illegal importing of vehicles to the UK can have significant impacts on both manufacturers and end users. In some cases the imported ATVs may not meet UK regulations such as CE marking, leaving owners or employers vulnerable, particularly from a Health and Safety perspective.
A High Court Judgment was obtained against Leek/Staffs based traders G&B Flexitowers (a firm) – owned by Geoffrey Keith Bailey and Steven Brian Fernyhough. The Court has ordered G&B Flexitowers, and its partners, Geoffrey Keith Bailey and Steven Brian Fernyhough, to pay damages and costs to SGB, has forbidden them from any future infringements of Suzuki’s trademark rights and ordered them to disclose full details of their infringing activities including supply and sales lines to SGB.
“We are very pleased to have put a stop to sales of these illegal grey import Suzuki ATVs in the UK. The illegal importing of ATVs is not just frowned upon, it can have some very serious consequences for the purchaser. These buyers won’t receive the same great level of service they could expect from an official Suzuki dealer, nor will their dealer have had the proper Suzuki training that all official dealers are provided. Also, an ATV bought on the grey market may affect your ability to get the ATV serviced and will result in difficulties when selling a non-European model.” commented Gareth Lumsdaine, ATV Sales and Marketing Manager, Suzuki GB.
