Tokyo Cement makes settlement over brand name
Tokyo Cement Company (Lanka) PLC agreed to a settlement over a suit filed against Ruhunu Lanka Cement (Pvt) Ltd in the Commercial High Court of the Western province, Sri Lanka. Tokyo Cement alleged infringement with regard to the similar trade names of the brands that the two companies distributed under.
The plaintiff’s company, Tokyo Cement, distributes under various brands including Tokyo Super, Mitsui and Nippon. The company stated that it was in joint venture with Japan’s Mitsui Mining Co Ltd (now Nippon Coke and Engineering Company Ltd), and used its brand name Mitsui and Nippon in its distribution brands.
The defendant’s company, Ruhunu Lanka Cement, is part of distribution conglomerate, Hansagiri Group of Companies and is the sole agent in Sri Lanka for DG Cement Industries (Pakistan). It distributes under cement brands such as Ruhunu Cement, Maha Cement, DG Cement and Mitsuki.
Tokyo Cement said that Ruhunu Lanka Cement’s brand name "Mitsuki Cement" was confusingly similar to its own brand "Mitsui Cement" along with the prominent green and red horizontal lines and blue lettering, which were in both brand logos.
Both parties mutually agreed to a settlement, and Ruhunu is able to continue to retain its trade name "Mitsuki", putting any allegations of trademark infringement to rest.
