In March 2014, a family-run engineering business in north-eastern Victoria awoke to a nightmare.

The company's highly successful portable sawmill — exported to more than 100 countries worldwide — was featured on a Chinese website.

But it was not their website and it was not their machine, but a near exact imitation.

"We've always been concerned that there'd be a copier in somewhere like China," Lucas Mills co-owner Warren Lucas explained.

"Matt, who is my right-hand man, spends a lot of time on the internet just keeping an eye on what our competitors are up to.

"And he found a company that was even advertising it basically as a Lucas Mill."

The company sought urgent advice from a Melbourne patent attorney firm.

"There has been a long-standing problem of Chinese companies infringing patent rights of foreigners," Tracey Hendy of FPA Patent Attorneys said.

But getting evidence that would be strong enough to challenge the counterfeiters in a Chinese court of law was a daunting and difficult task.


http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-16/lucas-mill-family-fight-to-stop-chinese-co...

Yep, great sting

Anyone's guess if Lucas will get their compensation. However, with sales in more than 100 countries, they'll probably be able to absorb the loss. Not the point though, is it?

I wonder if the World Trade Organization would be willing to guarantee the payment?

I'd be on the phone exploring every option to get that A$215,000