TOKYO (Feb. 25, 2009)—Bridgestone Corp. has won trademark infringement complaints against two Chinese companies, tire maker Shandong Santai Rubber Co. and conveyor belt producer Hangzhou Bridgesteel Rubber Co. Ltd.
Bridgestone said the Chinese firms have agreed to stop using the “Rockstone” and “Bridgesteel” names, respectively.
In addition, Bridgestone has taken actions to prevent the distribution of Shandong Santai products around the world. These responses included filing a trademark complaint in the Netherlands in October against Heuver Banden Groothandel B.V., a Shandong Santai dealership.
Bridgestone and Heuver Banden settled in November, Bridgestone said, and in December Shandong Santai agreed to stop making and marketing tires using the Rockstone name.
Regarding the Bridgesteel conveyor belt, Bridgestone said it filed a trademark infringement complaint in September 2007 against Hangzhou Bridgesteel Rubber in the Hangzhou Intermediate People's Court. That court upheld the complaint at year-end 2008, Bridgestone said, ruling that the Chinese company must cease its use of the Bridgesteel trademark and its Chinese equivalent, dispose of the molds, and stop using the Chinese equivalent of Bridgesteel as its company name.