Rautaruukki Corporation Stock exchange release 21 December 2009 at 14.00
Rautaruukki Corporation has initiated legal proceedings to protect its Ruukki trademark and to end infringement of the use of its Ruukki name. The company has taken legal action in Helsinki District Court against Ruukki Group Plc and its subsidiaries owing to increases in the registration of certain company names and owing to business activities. Rautaruukki does not accept other companies selling their products under the Ruukki brand in the registered trademark classes and fields where Ruukki is well-known.
Rautaruukki has initiated legal proceedings also in certain different countries where the name of another company has been registered under Rautaruukki's registered trademark. Rautaruukki has operations in 27 countries and its Ruukki trademark is registered or registration is pending in a total of 95 countries.
Ruukki Group Plc, which has been served with legal action concerning the infringement of Rautaruukki's right to use the Ruukki trademark and company name, has expanded its operations into Rautaruukki's business area in the minerals and mining business and in building construction. Ruukki Group has also begun to use commercial identification and company names that are being confused with the Ruukki trademark and name. This has consequently resulted in considerable confusion both in the media and among Rautaruukki's stakeholders such as investors and customers.
Rautaruukki's sole right to the Ruukki trademark in Rautaruukki's lines of business is not only based on registration, but also particularly on long use of the trademark and the recognition established by significant marketing efforts. Rautaruukki has been using the Ruukki name in marketing since the 1970s, in, for example, Ruukki's ready-painted roofing products. In addition, the names of Rautaruukki Corporation's subsidiaries in different countries have been registered as beginning with the name Ruukki. The official stock exchange name of Rautaruukki is known and used solely in Finland, where the company was founded.
In the district court, court of appeal and market court, Rautaruukki has won earlier cases in matters concerning use of name brought by Ruukki Group Plc, which in these cases was ordered to compensate Rautaruukki's legal costs.
For further information, please contact:
Taina Kyllönen, SVP, Marketing, tel. +358 20 592 9040
Olli Huuskonen, General Counsel, tel. +358 20 592 9300
See earlier releases about decisions:
5 February 2008 Rautaruukki won also Market Court dispute about use of name Ruukki
26 October 2007 Rautaruukki won dispute concerning use of name Ruukki
16 November 2006 Rautaruukki entitled to use the name Ruukki
Rautaruukki supplies metal-based components, systems and total solutions to the construction and engineering industries. The company has a wide selection of metal products and services. Rautaruukki has operations in 27 countries and employs 12,200 people. Net sales in 2008 totalled EUR 3.9 billion. The company's share is quoted on OMX Nordic Exchange Helsinki (Rautaruukki Oyj: RTRKS). The Corporation uses the marketing name Ruukki.
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