Fake Plasma Machines Being Sold in Asia

News Trends

Medical device manufacturers using plasma etchers and plasma surface-preparation systems in Asia should be aware of counterfeit machines being sold in the region.

The machines bear the name Plasma Etch Inc. but are not made by the Carson City, NV–based company of that name. The Nevada firm says Kilo-Walker (Beijing) Science and Tech Co. Ltd. has sold the counterfeit equipment in Beijing, Taiwan, Malaysia, and other Asian locations.

“These machines are damaging the reputation of Plasma Etch Inc. As far as our investigations can tell, fraudulent activity has been going on for quite some time,” says Marty Dues, Plasma Etch's corporate sales and marketing manager. “We want our current and potential clients to be assured that these machines are in no way authorized for manufacture or associated with Plasma Etch Inc. USA.”

The firm says that Pacific Rim customers have complained about the poor quality of the knockoffs, and that the bogus equipment poses significant safety and fire hazards.

Plasma Etch is initiating legal action against Kilo-Walker and is pursuing two of its representatives, H.C. Tan and Steven Su, whom Plasma Etch says play roles in the scheme. Kilo-Walker also goes by the name Now and Win.

“Working together, as the manufacturing community, we can put an end to this type of fraudulent activity that is hurting the reputation of many world-class manufacturers,” says Dues. “We are not the first foreign company to experience IP theft in China, but we hope we are among the last in our industry.”

The company asks that anyone possessing additional information about the counterfeit machines, or the whereabouts of Tan or Su, contact Peter Smith, Plasma Etch legal counsel, at 775/882-9441 or at [email protected].

A list of legitimate international representatives for Plasma Etch can be found at www.plasmaetch.com/html/worldwide.html.

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