The Label Printers A Sponsor of “Working Together to Break Organized Crime” IP Crime Conference

Nov. 12, 2010 - PRLog -- Aurora, IL, November 5, 2010 – The Label Printers’ Chief Executive, Bill Kane, and Chief of Operations, Lori Campbell recently returned from Hong Kong, China where they participated in the 2010 International Law Enforcement Intellectual Property (IP) Crime Conference – co-hosted by INTERPOL and Hong Kong Customs in partnership with Underwriters Laboratories.  The Conference brought together around 500 attendees from over 45 countries, representing the law enforcement community, IP and brand owners, anti-counterfeiting solution suppliers, and others interested in combating the global menace of counterfeiting and piracy.  Keynote speakers included Eric Holder, the Attorney General of the United States, who discussed the priority that this administration places on anti-counterfeiting initiatives.

Mr. Kane explained that the Conference’s principal message was the vital importance of information sharing and cooperation between all of those involved in the fight to combat counterfeiting.  But, he said, “Saying is not doing.  Everyone involved in this conference understands that, and is trying to make that cooperation a reality.  And, when you consider the organizations and individuals who attend this conference, the information sharing that occurs at that level is invaluable.”

In addition to their Platinum Sponsorship of the Conference, The Label Printers facilitated an Operational Workshop on Day 2, entitled “21st Century Science – Utilizing Technology to Break Organized Crime”.  The Workshop’s Operational Themes were:
•   Innovative Labeling and Product Protection Strategies
•   Utilizing Audit Capabilities to Support Investigations
•   Evidential Benefits Arising from Technology
Ms. Campbell was the workshop’s facilitator, Mr. Russ LaCoste, Sales Director – North America, SICPA was the support facilitator, and the workshop’s panelists were Mr. Ken Leung, Manager, China Anti-Counterfeiting Operations, UL and Ms. Catherine Begley, Manager of Investigations (Counterfeit Program) Merck, Inc.

Ms. Campbell felt that their workshop was a good mix of attendees – brand owners, investigators, law enforcement, IP attorneys, etc.  She said, “the Q & A session was also a good mix of discussion about the real world challenges faced by everyone in the supply chain and the challenges that they, and law enforcement, faces in dealing with the counterfeiting threat. It was instructive to listen to customs representatives who talked about their need for exact, quick, simple verification methods; FBI representatives who need lots of data, updated constantly; and the disconnect that can sometimes occur between law enforcement and brand owners who have to face decisions about whether to pursue civil or criminal remedies.”

In addition to both their sponsorship and their workshop presentation, The Label Printers, along with a number of other conference attendees, participated in an exhibit of IP crime-fighting technologies and solutions throughout Days 2 and 3.

Mr. Kane and Ms. Campbell both agreed that this conference, now in its’ third year, has gotten better every year.  Mr. Kane said, “Conference attendees agreed that cooperation is better, and we were presented with some dollar figures that show a significant improvement in law enforcement seizures to back that up.  In fact, we were told during the conference about a bust that had just occurred and was successful due to inter-agency cooperation.  And I would agree with the closing presentation that suggested that information-sharing goals should be set, along with standards and time frames.”

“Listening to people on the front lines who use and inspect our products – hearing about their day to day concerns and challenges is one of the biggest pluses for our company’s participation in this conference,” said Ms. Campbell. “It’s also important for our employees to understand the extent and scope of counterfeiting and IP theft, and the global efforts that are ongoing to combat it.  But I would say that the conference’s greatest value to me and to The Label Printers, is its focus on how critical it is to understand the entire supply chain – we can’t just attack the problem in one place in the chain.  The problems of counterfeiting and IP theft are huge, and the solutions need to cover the chain from beginning to end.”

More information about the International Law Enforcement Intellectual Property (IP) Crime Conference may be found on UL’s web site or by clicking on the link: http://www.ul.com/global/eng/pages/offerings/services/pro...

About Underwriters Laboratories:
Underwriters Laboratories® is an independent product safety certification organization that has been testing products and writing standards for safety for more than a century. UL evaluates more than 19,000 types of products, components, materials and systems annually with 20 billion UL Marks appearing on 72,000 manufacturers' products each year. UL's worldwide family of companies and network of service providers includes 64 laboratory, testing and certification facilities serving customers in 98 countries.

About INTERPOL:
INTERPOL is the world’s largest international police organization, with 188 member countries. Created in 1923, it facilitates cross-border police co-operation, and supports and assists all organizations, authorities and services whose mission is to prevent or combat international crime.
INTERPOL aims to facilitate international police co-operation even where diplomatic relations do not exist between particular countries. Action is taken within the limits of existing laws in different countries and in the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. INTERPOL’s constitution prohibits ‘any intervention or activities of a political, military, religious or racial character.’

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About THE LABEL PRINTERS:
The Label Printers, Aurora, IL, started in business in 1967, manufacturing simple label constructions in a 1,000 square foot space, with 1 employee, serving the local Chicago market.
Today, the company has evolved into one of the 100 largest converters in the United States. The Label Printers owns and operates two facilities in Aurora, Illinois, manufacturing and distributing labels and packaging products to thousands of customers in 25 countries around the world. The company’s packaging products are certified to ISO 9001 standards, and their quality is backed up by their 99.6% Quality Acceptance Rating.
To contact The Label Printers, call 800.229.9549 or e-mail the company at anti-counterfeiting@TheLabelPrinters.com.

The Label Printers is a member of NASPO (North American Security Products Organization), CACP (Coalition Against Counterfeiting and Piracy), TLMI (Tag and Label Manufacturers Institute) and the FTA (Flexographic Technical Association).