France’s famous tyre maker would scowl if Toyota named its latest model the Michelin, and a car named the VW Firestone would be unthinkable, too. With this in mind, Omni United is more than a little unhappy with the name Zhejiang Geely Holding Group has chosen for its “high-end new energy outdoors lifestyle vehicle brand.” The tyre company thus has Radar on its radar and is seeking to block Geely’s use of the name.
On 29 June Bridgestone Corporation (Bridgestone) announced that it won a long-running trademark and trade dress infringement lawsuit against Brazilian retread company New Tyre Remoldadora De Pneus (New Tyre), in the São Paulo Court of Appeals.
Bridgestone Corporation has announced another favourable ruling regarding a trademark infringement in China. This particular case involves Chinese tyre maker Liangshan Water Margin Tire Co., Ltd. (Water Margin).
The NTDA is taking action against a number of UK tyre retailers who are falsely claiming to be members of the association, displaying the NTDA logo on their recovery vehicles, websites and marketing collateral, or who are advertising that repair work carried out at their tyre depots is carried out to “the NTDA standard”.
On 3 April the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) said Thai tyre maker Deestone can retain its brand name despite opposition from Bridgestone, which owns both the Bridgestone and Firestone tyre brands.
Tyre maker Pirelli has won its trademark infringement lawsuit against Huawei. A Turin court (Tribunale di Torino) ruled that although the Chinese mobile phone manufacturer may still launch an upcoming product under the ‘P8’ name, the company will no longer be able to use a logo that Pirelli claims too closely resembles its trademarked ‘elongated P’ logo.
For many companies, exhibiting at this year’s SEMA show led to contact with new customers and additional business. For at least one, it prompted legal action. On 4 November, Toyo Tire & Rubber and its US subsidiaries filed a trademark infringement action against Chinese company Japan Toyomoto Tire Corp. and its affiliates. This is the second year in a row that Toyo has undertaken such legal action against another SEMA exhibitor.
A Chinese court has ruled that a tyre maker’s use of the Besttone name and a logo similar to that of the Bridgestone tyre brand constitutes trademark infringement. As a result, production and sales of the Besttone brand must now stop and Chinese firm Shenzhen Momentum Star Tyre Co., Ltd. and its affiliate Hangzhou Hangyou Rubber Products Co., Ltd. must pay Bridgestone damages.
Bridgestone America’s retreading operation is suing a van-transport company for trademark infringement, reports indicate. In a suit filed this week in the US District Court for Middle Tennessee, Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions says the newly-designed logo used by Bandago, a California-based company that provides van rentals primarily for touring musical acts, may cause consumer confusion.
Decades ago, the advertisement that Bob Jane’s company ran on Australian television claimed ‘not even the tyres can believe the low prices’; now Judge Besanko can’t believe them, either. In the Federal Court of Australia this week he found that the companies Jane established after leaving Bob Jane Corporation have “engaged in conduct that is misleading or deceptive or likely to mislead or deceive,” and infringe on Bob Jane Corporation’s trademark rights. To remedy this, Besanko ruled that Bob Jane may no longer use his own name to sell tyres or related products and services.
On 8 November, Toyo Tire Rubber Co. Ltd. and its US subsidiaries filed a trademark infringement action against Toyama Tyre Corp and its subsidiaries. The action against Toyama was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Nevada, where both companies had exhibitor booths at the annual Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) trade show.
Motor Wheel Service Distribution (MWSD) and Wheels India have signed a three-year extension to the European supply agreement of xlite forged aluminium wheels, having rolled out the product on the European market since 2011. The xlite brand became global after an exclusive 10-year trademark agreement between MWSD and Wheels India.
At the EICMA motorcycle show in Milan, which opens to the media today ahead of its public opening on 7 November, the newly-created Mitas Moto business unit will introduce itself to the world. The new business unit will also introduce its first product, the Sport Force radial for sport, naked and touring bikes.
Mitas AS has will continue to be able to produce Continental-branded tyres under licence until the end of 2019, following an extension of the company’s trademark licence for an additional five years. Mitas acquired the agricultural tyre business unit from Continental AG in 2004 and is currently producing Mitas- and Cultor-branded tyres as well as Continental tyres under licence.
Nankang UK notes the brand’s particular focus on the ultra high performance segment, served by the brand’s NS-2, more recent NS-20 and track day NS-2R models. Steve Smith of Nankang Tyre UK believes budgetary constraints have become as relevant to the enthusiastic owner-driver as they are to fleet managers, with both seeking consistent performance at affordable prices, and this is where Nankang is positioned.
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