Russian Home Appliance Manufacturer Files Complaint Against Samsung

Simbirsk-Crown, Russian manufacturer of household appliances showing the mark Galaxy, has sent a cease and desist letter to Samsung requesting that the well-known electronics maker stop using the Galaxy mark.

According to their website, Simbirsk-Crown has been successfully operating in the wholesale market of household appliances, electric tools, cookware and other consumer goods in the city of Ulyanovsk, Russia’s southwestern Ulyanovsk region, and other regions in the Russian Federation.

The Russian company registered the Galaxy trademark in Russia in May 2011, in classes 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 21, while Samsung registered the names Galaxy Tab and Galaxy S in July 2011 in class 9, covering mobile devices including smartphones and other electrical goods.

Simbirsk-Crown is demanding USD 90 million (EUR 66 million) compensation from Samsung and has also requested a compensation of approximately USD 3.5 million (EUR 2.6 million) from each of the several Russian retailers who sold Samsung’s products.

Simbirsk-Crown’s lawyer Sergei Zuykov claims that Samsung violated a provision found in Article 1484 of the Russian Civil Code, while Vladimir Biryulin, Samsung’s legal representative in Russia, notes that the Russian PTO has approved Samsung’s trademark application and that different companies can register the same trademark in the same class if there is no likelihood of confusion.

For more information, please contact Jelena Jankovic at our Balkan Regional Office.

Source: paidContent, online portal covering news, information and analysis of the business of digital media