Shure Uncovers Source Of Counterfeit Beta Microphones – Raids Chinese Factory
Rampant counterfeiting by unscrupulous Chinese manufacturers has been plaguing the electronics, car, motorcycle and musical instrument industries for years. Shure has been a target of counterfeit merchandise since the outer design of many their top selling microphones can be easily duplicated. Unsatisfied with the efforts by the Chinese government to combat the issue, Shure has decided to embark on its own investigation hiring private sleuths and other professionals to obtain evidence.
“This is not just a Shure problem; it is a pro audio industry problem, and we are committed to fighting this criminal activity,” said Sandy LaMantia, President and CEO of Shure Incorporated. “We are grateful to the authorities in China for their help in this raid and will vigorously continue our efforts in China and the rest of the world.”
Shure painstakingly worked with private investigators and local authorities in China to uncover the location of a counterfeiter’s manufacturing operations, which were selling Beta microphones in India. The counterfeit microphones were traced to their source, Easlem Sound Instrument Factory (also known as Xingyou Electronics Equipment Co. Ltd.) in Guangzhou, China. In cooperation with the Jiangmen and Enping Technology and Science Bureaus (TSBs), Shure raided Easlem’s Enping City-based factory, known as Enping Yi Xing Electronics, where evidence was obtained that the factory was producing counterfeit Shure and other brands of sham microphones.
The Future: Only a company, like Shure, who’s got deep enough pockets to fund an investigation of this duration and expense can afford to pursue Chinese counterfeiters. The sad reality is that many smaller manufacturers cannot financially sustain this type of endeavor and have to live with the consequences of these fraudulent factories that have absolutely no integrity. The other unfortunate reality is that another Shure counterfeiter will likely pop-up in the near future forcing Shure to play Wack-A-Mole. The worse part about this is that the penalties to be imposed by the Jiangmen TSB are still being determined, and will most likely be a slap on the wrist.
