HKPC Organises Intellectual Property Seminar for Manufacturers

More than 60 manufacturers, industrial designers and product developers from different industry sectors today (30 November 2004) attended the Intellectual Property (IP) Seminar for Hong Kong Manufacturers organised by the Productivity Training Institute of the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) to increase awareness of IP amidst Hong Kong's transition towards a knowledge-based economy.

The seminar addressed a range of topics including IP protection and patent laws, industrial design and copyrights, as well as IP infringement in the Mainland and overseas.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Dr Stephen Lee, Director (Product Productivity) of HKPC said, "Effective IP management has become a major criterion for international enterprises in their global search for business partners. Hong Kong companies need to enhance their capabilities in this area as joint venture opportunities with Mainland and overseas companies for high IP content and 'Made in Hong Kong' products have become their daily agenda under CEPA."

"To enhance the standard of IP management for local companies, HKPC has been providing a comprehensive range of services covering IP creation and engineering, patent and technology forecast, trademark, branding management strategy, CEPA business development and IP trading to Hong Kong manufacturers, inventors and designers," Dr Lee said.

According to Dr Lee, these services included the online Patent Map service - "Knowledger of Innovations and Inventions" to help companies evaluate the strengths of existing IP products, as well as analyze the trends of development; and the Innovation Knowledge Enterprise Assessment and Award Scheme jointly organized by HKPC and the Guangdong Provincial Intellectual Property Office to assess the IP management standards of companies in Hong Kong and the Guangdong Province.

"In 2005, HKPC will organise an IP training programme on product design and patent application. To be presented by IP experts, the programme will introduce the related laws and legal systems in Hong Kong, the Mainland and the international market, supplemented with analysis on patent infringement cases in shoes and bags, toys, and electrical appliances industries," Dr Lee added.

Other speakers at the seminar included Mr Peter Cheung, Deputy Director of Intellectual Property Department, HKSAR Government; Mr C K Kwong, Senior Partner of Sit, Fung, Kwong and Shum, and Mr T W Liu, Senior Consultant, and Mr Stephen Ting, Consultant (CEPA Business Development & IP) of HKPC.

The event was supported by the Hong Kong Leather Shoe and Shoe Material Merchants Association Ltd, Hong Kong Shoes and Bags Designers Association, The Toys Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Electrical Appliances Manufacturers Association.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Ms Betty Lee
General Manager
Corporate Communications and Events
Tel: (852) 2788 5895
Fax: (852) 2788 5056
Email: justina@hkpc.org

HKPC
30 November 2004