According to a recent declaration, Bridgestone, a Japanese tire maker, indicated that they had already made a settlement with Shandong Santai Rubber Company and won the case over a local rubber company in Hangzhou. Both cases were related to trademark infringement of Bridgestone.
Bridgestone owns the exclusive right over the mark Bridgestone in several classes related to its products. Shandong Santai Rubber Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Santai) manufactured and distributed the tires bearing the representation of “Rockstone”. Bridgestone brought the case to the court and alleged that the use of Rockstone is similar to Bridgestone and may mislead the consumers. The Shanghai High People's Court finally help mediated the case and the two parties settled in December 2008.
In addition, Bridgestone also sued Hangzhou's Bridgesteel Rubber Company for its use of Bridgesteel on its products of conveyor belts in September 2007. In 2008, the court eventually enjoined the hangzhou company from using both the mark and the trade name Bridgesteel and ruled that the Hangzhou company should stop all of infringing acts and all tolls should be destroyed.
