IPFC starts functioning in Ludhiana, businessmen can apply for trademarks, patents

LUDHIANA: In a good news for the city’s industrialists, Intellectual Property Facilitation Centre (IPFC) has started functioning at Focal Point area at the office of Auto Parts Manufacturers Association (APMA).
The centre , financed by the ministry of micro small and medium enterprises (MSME), will spread awareness and also assist industrialists about intellectual property rights.
The centre was inaugurated on Saturday in the presence of prominent businessmen and heads of various associations.
Giving more information, GS Kahlon, president of APMA said, “We are happy to announce that region’s first IPFC has started functioning at our Focal Point office. Besides creating awareness on intellectual property rights, trademarks , industrial designs, domestic & international patents etc., the businessmen will be able to file any of their application for these services with the help of expert guidance which will save their time and money. We invite businessmen from all sectors of industry and all cities to visit this centre and reap benefit in their businesses by opting to file for IPR, trademarks”
Meanwhile, member of national board of MSME, Gurpreet Singh Kahlon said, “Nowadays in addition to concentrating on increasing sales and expand one’s business, it is of utmost importance that owners of the business should protect their brand name, trademark and IPRs. We need to understand the risks of not acting timely for safeguarding our business and we should now get over the old thinking that there is no need of spending money on such things."
"In order to spread awareness about the services being offered by this centre, we also organised an IPR facilitation camp. Rajan Aliavedi, an expert on this subject, gave information to all the businessmen about services being offered by IPFC and subsidy & other benefits available on getting trademarks & patents registered from this centre. It was also decided that an IPFC Board will be formed soon in which senior leader of associations of bicycle parts, agriculture equipments, auto parts, sewing machine, knitwear & textile foundry, forging, sports goods etc. will also be included”, he further said.
JM Sharma, SB Singh and several other prominent businessmen were also present at the event.