Trade name infringement is a headache in much of Asia. Different
ministries issue company names from trademarks, so company
registrants tend to think they have a right to use arising from
their company name issuance. A case in the Philippines found one
way of resolving the issue.
The case was Asia Pacific Resources International Holdings Ltd v
Paperone Inc. APRIH makes paper products, (such as the printer
paper shown here) owned a trademark PAPER ONE registered by the
IPO. It sued Paperone for Unfair Competition on the basis that it
has used Paperone as its company name since the name was approved
by the Department of Trade and Industry in 2001. Paperone claimed
it did not use it as a trademark but as its corporate name. It
identified itself as the manufacturer on products, but they were
typically also branded with another trademark.
