October 25, 2018
The vast economic growth is about to raise China into the position of the world’s largest patentor, and many Chinese companies are more and more interested in the European market. The Finnish specialist company in intellectual property issues, Kolster, responded to these topical needs by establishing an office in Shenzhen in China.
“Setting up the office is for us a strategic decision, providing excellent growth potential and better service for our domestic customers. Furthermore, we obtain first-hand information better than before on what China is about to bring into Finland and the rest of Europe,” says Timo Helosuo, CEO of Kolster.
Kolster’s CEO Timo Helosuo and IP specialist and business development manager Zhangping Wu told about Kolster’s long and diverse China cooperation at the opening of the Shenzhen office.
The new office also provided Chinese companies with a path to the European and Finnish markets. If a Chinese company wishes to protect its patents in the European Union, it needs a local partner in Europe.
When dealing with the Chinese, it is essential to form personal contacts and to understand the local culture and legislation. This is easier to accomplish on site, says Helosuo.
For many decades Kolster has been involved in long-term China-cooperation, so setting up an office is a natural step in expanding the Kolster China Desk™ service. The company is also one of the first international IP companies in Shenzhen. The location of the city is ideal.
“There is much more to China than Beijing and Shanghai, and Kolster leads the way by choosing Shenzhen close to the border with Hong Kong. The role of China as an industrial producer is still developing fast: the country is about to export strong brands to Europe, including electronics, cars, and computer programs,” says the Finnish Ambassador to China, Jarno Syrjälä.
The city of Shenzhen has expanded over the past 40 years to a centre of approximately 15 million people and known for its high-tech companies. These days one third of China’s patents originate from this innovation centre.
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Shenzhen – the IP and innovation centre