Firms that export globally need worldwide protection

Gloucester-based Ruroc’s mission is to create quality helmets to enhance head protection in the most extreme environments. The company has grown to become a respected and sought-after brand. But in a highly competitive market, how do you protect it from imitation?

Cheltenham IP Attorneys, Albright IP, explains how it helps to protect the Ruroc brand across the globe.

Fifteen to 20 years ago, helmets were rarely worn on the ski slopes but thankfully these days nearly everyone is wearing one and Ruroc has played a key role in bringing new and innovative designs to the ski helmet industry.

“From an early stage, we set out to push the boundaries of design and safety and bring full-face helmets into the mainstream ski and snowboard markets. Today, through popular demand, we have focused our technology and design on the motorcycle market, launching our new Atlas design back in 2017, explained Dan Rees, Ruroc’s Managing Director.”

Intellectual Property protection has always been a key part of the design process for Ruroc. Its patented helmets have a unique front opening system with special magnetic goggles. However, it was a trade mark issue that presented the company with a commercial challenge.

“The patents were in place pretty much from the start. However, we only really started to think about our trade marks about two years in,” said Dan.

“We started to realise that the brand was growing and it was growing rapidly. We then started having problems in South Korea with our branding being copied. It was then we realised that our brand was going global and we needed wider territorial protection. Luckily Albright IP came into play and provided us with wide-reaching international trade mark protection.”

Like Ruroc, for any business or entrepreneur looking to expand its brand internationally, it’s important to think about how the brand will be received in a new market. Trade mark rights are territorial, and it cannot be assumed that because registered rights have been secured in the UK, these will provide any protection, defence or enforcement rights in other countries.

Julia House, director at Albright IP said: “Exporting is a fantastic way to rapidly expand a business like Ruroc to an uncapped audience. However before ‘dipping a toe’ into the water, it is critical to determine the choice and availability of branding, and that you undertake relevant checks and searches to ensure that your brand is not only protected but is also free to use in a target country.”

“To protect a brand like Ruroc, we start with local checks and searches as soon as they start exploring the potential for operating in a new country. We look ahead, so that when they launch a new product into a target new market, trade mark applications have already been filed, and ideally registration will already have been granted. This protection will support Ruroc’s marketing and business development strategy.”

Dan added: “As experienced and professional IP attorneys, Albright IP are a massive support. They are our eyes and ears, and a day doesn’t go by when I don’t get an email from someone there. They provide a trade mark ‘watching service’ for us, and are constantly identifying anyone who is potentially copying our branding or encroaching on it.” experience means that we are able to offer quality advice in the most complex areas of IP law.

“Chartered IP attorneys give the most robust and detailed IP advice you can find, particularly for complex and international IP matters, and this robustness is absolutely necessary for a safe and efficient solution to IP problems.

“Like Matthew, we would always advise businesses to instruct a specialist trade mark attorney rather than a generalist to protect your brands and enforce your rights.”

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