AV Magazine AV Magazine 
L-Acoustics hosted a ‘destruction event’ in Tampa to mark the disposal of 136 counterfeit speakers.
The speakers were seized following a judgment by the United States District Court, Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division.
The court ordered rental company Se7ven Sounds Music to pay $5 million in damages to L-Acoustics for trademark infringement, counterfeiting and unfair competition.
L-Acoustics was also granted the right to destroy the speakers confiscated during the investigation.
During the event – which was covered by Tampa Bay Fox News and NBC News – L-Acoustics invited local rental partners to destroy several counterfeit speakers, subwoofers and amplified controllers, before delivering them to an independent sustainability firm that will recover and repurpose the fake products’ raw materials.
The wood used in the cabinets will be repurposed for new products or renewable energy production. The metal will be used in the manufacture of home appliances, while plastic will find new life in office furniture, car parts and containers. Any non-recyclable parts will be disposed of responsibly.
BJ Shaver, L-Acoustics’ director of sales for the Americas, said: “This event allowed our partners whose businesses were impacted by this company representing counterfeit products as authentic L-Acoustics technologies to have fun while releasing some frustration.
“Showing the industry that we are removing these fake products from the market helps to sustain the trust that our partners, production crews, audiences and artists place in L-Acoustics.”
The event, which was held at M&W Warehouse, emphasised the importance L-Acoustics places on authenticity, quality and safety in the live-events industry. The sector is estimated to have been worth $652.6 billion in the US last year, and is projected to reach $1.2 trillion by 2032, according to Allied Market Research.
L-Acoustics said counterfeit loudspeakers lack the stringent quality control and safety standards the company upholds. Using fake components and sub-par materials can lead to catastrophic failures, endangering lives and causing financial losses for partners.
Dr Laurent Ostojski, senior counsel at L-Acoustics, said: “L-Acoustics’ solutions are not just products; they are a promise of quality, reliability and safety.”
To learn more about the L-Acoustics Counterfeit Task Force, how to spot a fake and how to report suspected counterfeits, visit the L-Acoustics Anti-Counterfeiting page.
To help L-Acoustics fight counterfeiting, report fake products by emailing stopcounterfeits@l-acoustics.com.
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