Century suing Euromarket Designs over product name
Use of Century name on CB2 bedroom group violates trademark, suit says
Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, May 27, 2011
HICKORY, N.C. — Upper end case goods and upholstery manufacturer Century Furniture has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against Euromarket Designs Inc. for using the Century name on its bedroom products without Century's permission.
 This page from a CB2 catalog shows the case goods under dispute in the lawsuit Century Furniture has filed against CB2’s parent company, Euromarket Designs. |
Century said that CB2, a subsidiary of Euromarket Designs, used the Century name to promote a 50s inspired contemporary walnut veneered bedroom group on both its website and its catalog. The items CB2 has promoted include a $199 nightstand, a $499 low dresser and a $699 wardrobe.
The lawsuit filed May 16 in U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, claims the bedroom was not made by Century and thus violates a company trademark that has been in effect since at least 1960.
"Our brand is one of our greatest assets, and consumers know that when they see Century, they are getting furniture of impeccable quality," said Eric Schenk, Century president, in a statement.
The suit went on to state that Euromarket Designs knowingly used the Century name and that use of the name will mislead consumers and thus cause confusion in the marketplace.
Richard Reese, chief financial officer for Century parent company CV Industries, said that Century discovered the use of the name around the April market and tried to settle the matter out of court. When that didn't work, Century took legal action.
"We have gone to a lot of length to protect our brand and just don't want someone else using it like this," Reese said. "We will continue to take aggressive legal action to defend our brand. Century has spent years developing its reputation for sophisticated collections. We take these actions to not only protect Century, but also our authorized dealers and design partners. We cannot and will not allow others to trade on our reputation."
Michael G. Kelber, an attorney representing Euromarket Designs, was not immediately available for comment.
Century filed a similar lawsuit against Costco Wholesale Corp., Wal-Mart Stores, Accent Furniture and United Stationers Supply Co. last May. It settled with those companies in September. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
The latest lawsuit claims that Euromarket Designs is engaging in unfair and deceptive trade practices, unfair competition and that the action constitutes trademark infringement.
The suit demands that the defendant immediately stop using the Century name and to turn over various profits it has gained from the sale of Century products. It also seeks other damages and court costs associated with the case.
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Century Sues Over Name
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