On November 17, Toray announced that: Toray Co., Ltd. filed an unfair competition dispute and trademark infringement lawsuit against Toray Carbon Fiber (Guangdong) Co., Ltd. The court rendered a favorable judgment.
Toray Carbon Fiber Co., Ltd. Toray Carbon Fiber (Guangdong) Co., Ltd., as an enterprise in the field of carbon fiber, uses a corporate name similar to that of the company, and uses the same or similar logos as the company’s corporate name and trademark on the carbon fiber-related products it sells. In this regard, Toray Co., Ltd. believed that Toray Carbon Fiber Company’s actions constituted unfair competition and trademark infringement, and initiated litigation in November 2022.
After trial, the People’s Court of Bao’an District, Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province made a judgment in August 2023, finding that the defendant’s use of corporate names similar to those of the company constituted unfair competition, and the use of trademarks that were identical or similar to the company’s trademarks in product names, etc. The act of marking infringes the company’s exclusive right to register a trademark. The defendant was sentenced to stop the infringement and compensate for economic losses of RMB 500,000 (approximately 10 million yen). Currently, the judgment has come into effect.