Century Files 2nd Trademark Suit
Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, July 9, 2011
HICKORY, N.C. - Case goods and upholstery producer Century Furniture is suing another company it claims is using its name without its permission - a small California upholstery manufacturer called Century Furniture Mfg., which has been in business since 1978.
The larger, North Carolina- based Century says its name is protected under U.S. trademark laws.
Los Angeles-based Century has about five employees and supplies about 100 mid-priced stores in California, said company owner Pablo Contreras. He said he doesn't plan to fight the case and is in the process of settling with Century Furniture, which is likely to result in having to change the name of his company.
"There is no way of winning the case," he said. "I don't have the money to spend to go and fight them."
Century Furniture filed the suit on May 17 in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, saying it did so after the California Century declined to stop using the name.
"We tried to work with Mr. Contreras and he refused to work with us until we took this to court," said Richard Reese, chief financial officer of Century Furniture parent CV Inds. "At least now, he is at the table and we are having discussions about settling."
In its suit, Century said the California company markets furniture to some of North Carolina's current and potential consumers and thus causes confusion in the marketplace. It also said the use of its name constitutes unfair competition as well as false and misleading advertising.
In addition to demanding the company stop using the Century name, the suit seeks an unspecified amount of monetary damages representing losses Century has incurred from the use of its name. It also demands the company destroy any products and promotional or marketing material that bears the Century name.
This is the second trademark suit Century has filed in recent weeks. On May 16, it filed a similar case against Euromarket Designs Inc., whose subsidiary, CB2, recently marketed bedroom products bearing the Century name in its catalog and on its website. That case is still pending.
Last year, it settled a case against Wal-Mart, Costco, Accent Furniture Inc. and United Stationers Supply Co. for using Century name to market various furniture products.
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Century suing Euromarket Designs over product name
May 27, 2011 -
Century Sues Over Name
Jun 8, 2011
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