Application from Initial Contact.
WERiDON applies this policy to non-public project information provided by a prospective or existing customer from the customer's first business communication with WERiDON. This includes initial inquiries, design and artwork reviews, technical consultations, quotations, and sample discussions—even before any Proforma Invoice (PI), purchase order, payment, or separate Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).
This document states WERiDON's standard confidentiality and intellectual property handling commitments. It is not, by itself, a separately executed bilateral NDA. Where the parties have signed a specific written NDA or development agreement, that agreement governs the matters it expressly covers.
1. Purpose
WERiDON respects and protects the intellectual property, confidential information, and brand assets of its OEM/ODM customers. This policy explains how customer-provided information and designs are handled during inquiries, evaluation, development, manufacturing, and related cooperation.
2. Confidential Information Protection
WERiDON treats customer-provided non-public information as confidential when it is marked confidential or reasonably understood to be confidential from its nature or the circumstances of disclosure. Such information may include:
- Non-public brand names, brand plans, logos, trademarks, and customer identities or business relationships;
- Product concepts, designs, artwork, packaging designs, drawings, and unreleased product information;
- Core structures, technical specifications, prototypes, test plans, and development documentation;
- Business plans, purchasing forecasts, negotiated pricing, quotations, and other non-public commercial information.
WERiDON uses this information only as reasonably necessary to evaluate and carry out the customer's requested project, including feasibility review, quotations, artwork preparation, sampling, testing, manufacturing, quality control, packaging, and delivery.
Access is limited to personnel and relevant service providers who need the information for those purposes. Where disclosure to production partners or other service providers is necessary, WERiDON will limit the information shared and require appropriate confidentiality handling. WERiDON will not disclose confidential project information to unrelated parties or publicly identify a non-public customer project without the customer's authorization, except as described in Section 7.
3. Customer Design Ownership
Intellectual property that a customer lawfully owns and provides to WERiDON remains the property of that customer or its rightful owner. This includes trademarks, logos, artwork, customer-created product designs, packaging designs, and other protected materials.
Submission of such materials does not transfer their ownership to WERiDON. WERiDON receives only the limited permission necessary for the customer's authorized project, as described in Section 5. Ownership of any specially commissioned tooling, original development results, or jointly developed technology must be agreed separately in writing; it is not determined solely by payment of a sample or development fee.
4. WERiDON Manufacturing Technology Protection
WERiDON retains its rights in manufacturing knowledge and technology it developed or lawfully possessed independently of the customer's project, including production processes, manufacturing methods, technical know-how, existing molds and tooling, and general manufacturing experience.
Customer ownership of customer-provided designs does not, by itself, transfer ownership of WERiDON's pre-existing manufacturing technology. Any exclusivity, assignment, licensing, or restrictions relating to specific new tooling or technology must be addressed in a separate written agreement.
5. Brand Logo and Artwork Authorization
By submitting materials for an authorized project, the customer permits WERiDON to use the supplied logos, trademarks, artwork, and designs solely to review, quote, prepare, sample, test, manufacture, inspect, package, and deliver the customer-requested products.
WERiDON will not reuse customer-specific artwork or confidential designs for unrelated customer projects, sell customer-branded customized products to other brands, or publish them as marketing examples without appropriate permission. Any broader use requires separate authorization.
6. Customer Responsibility for Intellectual Property
Customers are responsible for having the necessary rights or authorizations to provide and commission use of their trademarks, logos, designs, artwork, and other materials. Customers should inform WERiDON of relevant third-party restrictions before production.
Responsibility for disputes arising from unauthorized customer-provided material will be assessed according to the parties' actions, applicable law, and any written agreement. This provision does not exclude responsibility for WERiDON's own unauthorized use or other wrongful conduct.
7. Confidentiality Exceptions
Confidentiality obligations do not apply to information that WERiDON can demonstrate: (a) is or becomes publicly available without a breach of a duty of confidentiality; (b) was already lawfully known without a confidentiality restriction; (c) is lawfully obtained from a third party entitled to disclose it; or (d) was independently developed without using the customer's confidential information.
Disclosure required by applicable law, a valid court order, or a competent authority may be made only to the extent required. Where legally permitted and reasonably practicable, WERiDON will give the affected customer advance notice.
8. Additional NDA and Enhanced Confidentiality Agreements
The standard protection in this policy applies regardless of order size and does not require a signed PI or a separate NDA.
WERiDON generally accepts requests to review a separately signed or company-stamped NDA, a customer-proposed confidentiality addendum, or enhanced confidentiality obligations when the planned bulk production order meets at least one of these criteria:
- Quantity: 500 or more pickleball paddles in a planned production order; or
- Order value: more than USD 20,000 in the estimated or quoted product order value, excluding freight, duties, and taxes.
Eligibility may be assessed using the proposed or quoted order before a PI is confirmed or any payment is made. Meeting a threshold allows the request to be reviewed; it does not mean WERiDON automatically accepts every proposed term. Additional conditions—including exclusivity, ownership transfer, indemnities, liability limits, or other special obligations—require mutual written agreement. Exceptional projects with sensitive proprietary development requirements may be considered individually below these thresholds.
9. Duration and Cooperation Principle
WERiDON's confidentiality handling does not end merely because an inquiry is discontinued or a commercial order is completed. Non-public information continues to be protected while it remains confidential and protected under applicable law, subject to any different terms established in a signed agreement. This policy does not retroactively amend agreements entered into before its publication.
WERiDON supports professional cooperation based on respect for customer information, protection of intellectual property, and clear allocation of rights and responsibilities.
Policy Owner: WERiDON (Xingkai Ouka (Shenzhen) Technology Co., Ltd.)
Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
www.weridon.com
Policy application: From the customer's first business contact with WERiDON, for information received under this policy after its adoption and publication. Any separately executed written agreement remains applicable according to its terms.