Boston, MA 09/04/2014 (wallstreetpr) – Cigarette and electronic cigarette manufacturer Lorillard Inc. (NYSE:LO) disclosed that two of its subsidiaries have dragged Zippo to the London High Court to protect their BLU ECIGS trademarks.
Files Injunction
Lorillard Technologies, Inc. and Cygnet UK Trading Limited, two subsidiaries of Lorillard Inc. (NYSE:LO), have filed for an injunction apart from declarations from the London High Court to defend their trademarks of BLU ECIGS not only in the United Kingdom but the rest of Europe also, a statement issued by Lorillard said.
The company said that the objective of the injunction was to seek restraining Zippo Manufacturing Company from indulging in intimidation of the company and others. The two subsidiaries of Lorillard stated that Zippo has been claiming infringement of trademarks in the U.K. Therefore, it had sought the court intervention to declare and also validate the rights of Lorillard’s subsidiaries to market their products in Europe under its brand BLU ECIGS.
Charges Zippo
Lorillard Inc. (NYSE:LO) had charged Zippo of indulging in extorting it by making highly public threats against its Britain subsidiary on the usage of BLU ECIGS brand apart from claiming that BLU ECIGS trademark belonged to it.
As a result, the U.S. company had sought a court order to stop Zippo from repeating these unsubstantiated threats since it damages Cygnet’s relationships with others like channel partners. It had also sought damages from Zippo by the way it had conducted itself on the trademark issue.
Lorillard’s two subsidiaries have also sought a declaration from the court that their existing usage of BLU ECIGS trademarks has not infringed Zippo’s greedy claim about the intellectual property rights.
Management Speaks
Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Lorillard Inc. (NYSE:LO), Ronald Milstein, said that its subsidiaries were compelled to take this extreme step of legal action to defend their position, as well as, their partners. He had charged Zippo of trying to illegally capitalize the commercial success of its BLU ECIGS and that it would defend its trademark rights.
The company disclosed that it does not expect a ruling from the Court till late next year and hoped to market its electronic cigarette business without any hindrance.
