Four international brands from a top Italian fashion house to a French electrical appliance manufacturer won compensation in intellectual property rights cases after a Shanghai court ruled against several domestic manufacturers yesterday.

Shanghai No. 2 Intermediate People's Court announced the verdicts of the four cases yesterday and compensation ranged from 200,000 yuan to 500,000 yuan.

Shanghai Men Jiao Company was found guilty of using the Chinese and English trademarks and the flower logo of the famous French brand Montagut.

The company name Men Jiao is similar to the Chinese characters for Montagut.

The Bonneterie Cévenole S.A.R.L., owner of Montagut, said Men Jiao used its trademarks and logo on its Website, in promotion brochures and inside its chain stores.

The court ordered Men Jiao to stop using Montagut's trademarks and logo and pay 500,000 yuan in compensation to the French company.

The court also ruled in favor of Netherlands-based Royal Philips, Italy-based Gucci Company and Tianjin Merlin Gerin Co Ltd, co-invested by French Schneider Electric (China) Investment Co.

(Shanghai Daily April 24, 2008)