Following a bench trial in May this year, a federal judge in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut has now ruled in favour of Lavatec Laundry Technology GmbH and its USA subsidiary Lavatec Laundry Technology Inc, respectively, in a matter concerning ownership of the rights in and to the trademark "Lavatec" for use in connection with commercial laundry equipment sold in the United States.
In the 22-page ruling issued on 3 September 2014, the US District Court found that Lavatec Laundry Technology GmbH "now holds the exclusive ownership of the mark in the United States."
The parties to the lawsuit, Lavatec Laundry Technology GmbH, the successor to the original German laundry equipment manufacturer, and a USA-based laundry service parts provider, Lavatec Inc, both claimed the exclusive right to use the Lavatec trademark in the USA following a restructuring of the German laundry equipment company's operations in 2009.
Outside the USA, Lavatec Laundry Technology GmbH is the undisputed owner of the Lavatec trademark and has manufactured and installed advanced tunnel washing systems on a worldwide basis since 2010.
In 2013, Lavatec Laundry Technology GmbH filed suit against Lavatec, Inc. for trademark infringement in the USA.
Mark Thrasher, president of Lavatec Laundry Technology Inc (pictured) welcomed the federal court's ruling. "It clarifies for customers and the marketplace the one Lavatec brand serving their laundry system needs - manufacturing and sales, supported with parts, technology and best-in-class service around the world."
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Following the federal judge's ruling, Lavatec Inc issued the following statement: "The decision on the ownership of the "Lavatec" trademark will definitely be appealed. Further, there are still unresolved issues as to the usage of the mark and we await clarification and final ruling from the judge.
"It is business as usual for Lavatec Inc, with parts service and manufacturing of laundry equipment. This case has only decided the ownership of the trademark and does not affect the Lavatec Inc name of the company or any products or services that we offer."
