Michelin to tackle imitations of its XDY tread

By Simona Stankovska, ERJ staff

Paris- Michelin has begun legal proceedings against Kirkby Tyres Ltd for alleged patent infringement of the tread design on its XDY truck tyres.

Michelin warned dealers in December 2005 about the implications in marketing look-alike tyres from Asia and has decided to take legal action by filing suits in Spain, the Netherlands, France and the US, against dealers who are selling the Double Coin brand of tyres.

“We have seen copies of our design on the market and are attempting to protect the Michelin name and the quality of our products by making sure that there is no confusion between these look-alikes and our genuine product,” said the company's spokesman in France

Michelin confirmed that UK based company; Kirkby Tyres Ltd is involved in selling unauthorised copies of the Michelin tread patterns. Kirkby Tyres sells Double Coin truck tyres in the UK.

The look-alike tyres pose safety issues as they look identical to the genuine treads but do not deliver the same grip or longevity as an authentic Michelin tyre according the company's spokesman.