9 Dec 2016
Tokyo – China’s Supreme People’s Court has ruled in favour of Bridgestone Corp. in a lawsuit alleging infringement of the company's tire tread design rights by Chinese tire maker Triangle Tyre Co. Ltd.
According to a 9 Dec Bridgestone release, Triangle had been manufacturing and selling tires in China using a tread pattern for studless winter tires for which the Japanese tire-maker holds “exclusive design rights”.
In October 2013, Bridgestone filed a lawsuit with the Intermediate People's Court in Changchun, China, in which it claimed design rights infringement by Triangle Tyre.
In July 2015, the claim made by Bridgestone was upheld, and the court ordered Triangle to cease manufacture and sale of tires that use the tread pattern and pay damages to Bridgestone.
According to Bridgestone, Triangle Tyre tried appealing the ruling on two occasions in 2016 and both courts upheld the ruling in favour of Bridgestone.
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