Dental product suppliers take on the gray market

GC America, the exclusive licensee of Trademark Holdings of Illinois in connection with various well-known brands, including MI Paste, Kalore, GC Fuji, and Exafast, announced that Trademark Holdings has been successful in its lawsuits against two dental product suppliers regarding the unlawful importation of GC products.

Using the Tariff Act, a U.S. statute designed to prevent the unauthorized importation, distribution, and dealing in products bearing U.S. trademark registrations, Trademark Holdings brought suit against AR Dental in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York and King's Two Dental Supply in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

In each case, the defendant entered into a consent judgment enjoining its sale, distribution, or importation of unauthorized GC products.

"Trademark Holdings of Illinois has performed a great service," said John O'Neill, vice president of sales at GC America. "These suits have demonstrated that these actions are wrong, and that the illegal importation of GC branded products can be stopped."