Brand owner given right to re-name trademark infringers

摘要

In a legal first, the UK High Court gave law firm Bristows, representing Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI), the power to re-name two companies that had infringed ICI's trademarked DULUX brand of paints. In July 2008, ICI sued Dulux Painting Manufacturing and Dulux Chemical Industry for trademark infringement. The High Court ordered that each company cease infringing ICI's DULUX trademark and change their names. However, neither company comphed with the request which meant that their names remained on the register of Companies House — the UK body that registers the name of all businesses operating in the UK. Under laws governing Companies House, the body cannot unilaterally change the name of a registered company without express permission from the company itself.