Glasgow based ‘Sun’ brand thread manufacturer sues local firm for counterfeiting

By S.S.Selvanayagam

 ‘J&P Coats Limited’, based in Glasgow, Scotland, manufacturers of the famous branded thread ‘Sun’ has filed a lawsuit against local company ‘WINGS thread Lanka’ through its local subsidiary, instructed by its lawyers ‘Sudath Perera Associates’, for manufacturing and/or distributing and/or selling counterfeit/lookalikes under the name ‘Sunsew’. ‘Sun’ thread is renowned household name in Sri Lanka for its superior quality.

The lookalike products are sold in packages almost identical to that of ‘Sun’s – in an almost get up with similar/identical logos, package colour and font colour with a clear intention of misleading customers into buying their product.

An interim injunction was issued on 28 June 2011 at the Commercial High Court by Judge Gamini Amarasekera. After being served with notice and summons, the defendant ‘WINGS thread Lanka’ was not present in court and was unrepresented. Therefore the case was fixed for ex parte trial on 7 December 2011.