Tekla Middle East, a leading software company, has recouped 10 per cent of its annual sales in 2011 by pursuing and legalising companies using pirated versions of its software.

The company said it was also taking legal action globally against those using pirated versions of its software.

A dramatic case in point of Tekla’s global zero tolerance stance on piracy saw it team up with the IT Compliance Association (ITCA) in India to launch legal proceedings against VM Informatics for wide-scale software licensing fraud, following a raid in New Delhi.

Chris Luijten, CEO of the IT Compliance Association, pointed out that the problem of software piracy remained widespread and serious.

'Our message to those knowingly using or selling illegal software is simple – we will be relentless in bringing the full force of the law to bear upon any transgressors,' he said.

Tekla Middle East said it was aware of individuals and companies using pirated version of its software and was determined to prosecute the guilty party or make them legal.

To this end, a robust legal team is actively working with Business Software Alliance (BSA), one of the foremost organisations dedicated to promoting a safe and legal digital world, to tackle piracy in the region, the company said in a statement.

“The region’s construction industry has come to realise the advanced benefits of using Tekla, especially given our proven track record in helping to deliver global icons such as the Burj Khalifa,” said Reza Mashayekhi, technical manager, Tekla Middle East.

“Organisations using pirated software are starving the industry of the crucial support needed to complete projects, not to mention exposing everyone associated with a fraudulent company to legal proceedings,” Mashayekhi added. – TradeArabia News Service