Abercrombie & Fitch Expands Anti-Counterfeiting Program
February 01 2006 - 1:33PM
PR Newswire (US)
New Global Brand Protection Team Led By Former FBI Intellectual
Property Expert NEW ALBANY, Ohio, Feb. 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE:ANF) announced today that it is
significantly expanding its commitment to combat the counterfeiting
of its products on a global scale by launching a new
anti-counterfeiting program, which will be known as the Abercrombie
& Fitch Brand Protection team. The team will be led by
newly-appointed Shane Berry, formerly of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation's (FBI) Intellectual Property Rights Program. Berry,
a 13-year veteran of law enforcement, joined Abercrombie &
Fitch in November of 2005 after seven years as Supervisory Special
Agent for the FBI. Prior to his role with the FBI he served as a
Special Agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. This
new program will improve current practices and strategies by
focusing on eliminating the supply of illicit Abercrombie &
Fitch products. The counterfeit items, which include products from
the Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister and RUEHL brands, undermine
the Company's 114-year legacy of consistently providing
high-quality products. The Company is committed to protecting its
loyal customers, customers who have come to expect top quality and
craftsmanship from Abercrombie & Fitch products. In addition to
its core initiatives, the Brand Protection team will cast a wider
net around the counterfeiters by increasing staff throughout Europe
and Southeast Asia, with a particular focus on covering locations
such as Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Japan and Korea. The Brand
Protection unit will interact with investigators, customs officials
and law enforcement entities throughout the world. Abercrombie
& Fitch will employ the fullest extent of civil and criminal
law to stop the counterfeiting of its goods. The Company operated
361 Abercrombie & Fitch stores, 164 abercrombie stores, 318
Hollister stores, and 8 RUEHL stores at the end of January 2006.
The Company operates e-commerce websites at
http://www.abercrombie.com/, http://www.abercrombiekids.com/, and
http://www.hollisterco.com/. SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT UNDER THE
PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995 A&F cautions
that any forward-looking statements (as such term is defined in the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) contained in this
Press Release, A&F's Form 10-K or made by management of A&F
involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change based on
various important factors, many of which may be beyond the
Company's control. Words such as "estimate," "project," "plan,"
"believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," and similar
expressions may identify forward-looking statements. The following
factors, in addition to those included in the disclosure under the
heading "FORWARD- LOOKING STATEMENTS AND RISK FACTORS" in "ITEM 1.
BUSINESS" of A&F's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
year ended January 29, 2005, in some cases have affected and in the
future could affect the Company's financial performance and could
cause actual results for the 2005 fiscal year and beyond to differ
materially from those expressed or implied in any of the forward-
looking statements included in this Press Release or otherwise made
by management: changes in consumer spending patterns and consumer
preferences; the effects of political and economic events and
conditions domestically and in foreign jurisdictions in which the
Company operates, including, but not limited to, acts of terrorism
or war; the impact of competition and pricing; changes in weather
patterns; postal rate increases and changes; paper and printing
costs; market price of key raw materials; ability to source product
from its global supplier base; political stability; currency and
exchange risks and changes in existing or potential duties, tariffs
or quotas; availability of suitable store locations at appropriate
terms; ability to develop new merchandise; and ability to hire,
train and retain associates, and the outcome of pending litigation.
Future economic and industry trends that could potentially impact
revenue and profitability are difficult to predict. Therefore,
there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements
included in this Press Release will prove to be accurate. In light
of the significant uncertainties in the forward-looking statements
included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be
regarded as a representation by the Company, or any other person,
that the objectives of the Company will be achieved. The
forward-looking statements herein are based on information
presently available to the management of the Company. Except as may
be required by applicable law, the Company assumes no obligation to
publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements even if
experience or future changes make it clear that any projected
results expressed or implied therein will not be realized. First
Call Analyst: FCMN Contact: jill_swansegar@abercrombie.com
DATASOURCE: Abercrombie & Fitch CONTACT: Thomas D. Lennox, Vice
President, Corporate Communications of Abercrombie & Fitch,
+1-614-283-6751 Web site: http://www.abercrombie.com/
http://www.abercrombiekids.com/ http://www.hollisterco.com/
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