20/06/2011
Dell, local company in trademark dispute
Trademark war looms between The Notebook Company and Dell.
THABISO MOCHIKO
Published: 2011/06/14 07:27:08 AM
A TRADEMARK war is looming between The Notebook Company, which sells laptops and accessories, and computer group Dell after Notebook was asked to remove Dell’s logo from any signage it displays — including on two of its websites and signs at its offices in Hatfield, Pretoria.
Notebook MD Christopher Riley says the reason given for the request is that "Dell is their trademark — and they have a right to protect it".
Dell is represented by trademark specialists Adams & Adams .
Mr Riley says his company sells a fairly wide range of products, including Dell’s. "This hasn’t happened to us before. We understand that Dell is a registered trademark — and we do sell Dell. We want our customers to find their products, so we advertise their name. It is pretty straightforward. I really don’t understand their objection."
The Notebook Company is evaluating several options, including to "try to figure out what we can do in accordance with Dell", Mr Riley says.
It may discontinue selling Dell’s products if Dell does not want its products to be advertised. Another option would be to fight it in court, but Mr Riley says this would be time-consuming and expensive for a small company.
At the time of going to press, Dell representatives in the US had not yet commented.
Two years ago, French telecoms giant Orange issued legal threats to Johannesburg-based companies to stop using the name orange, which it said was its trademark. Orange accused companies such as public relations group Orange Ink of unlawful conduct, insisting it stopped using the name immediately, and abandon its internet address, orangeink.co.za. The matter was settled out of court with Orange Ink agreeing to change its corporate colours but retain the name .
Orange operates in African countries including Botswana, Kenya and Mali. It does not have mobile operations in SA.
