Zippo fires off trademark lawsuit over lighter brand

Lighter manufacturer Zippo has filed a lawsuit in the US accusing a rival company of trademark infringement.

Suing as Zippo Manufacturing Company, the lighter producer has accused LOEC, Inc., a subsidiary of US group Lorillard Tobacco Company, of infringing its ‘Blu’ brand of lighters.

Zippo is seeking an injunction preventing LOEC from selling its electronic cigarettes under the brand name.

In a statement, released today, May 20, Zippo president Gregory Booth said that “despite attempts” it had failed to resolve the matter amicably.

“Zippo has been compelled to seek the court's assistance to protect our BLU trademarks," Booth said.

"Zippo is instantly recognisable because we have long understood the value of our brand and the need to vigorously protect it against use by others. Our BLU trademarks are similarly valuable and will be similarly protected," Booth added.

Zippo's claim, filed at the US District Court for the Central District of California, comes in response to LOEC’s requests for a declaratory judgment of non-infringement.

Last year, WIPR interviewed Jeff Duke, general counsel at Zippo, who said it was the only lighter manufacturer in the world that was “counterfeited in great quantity”.

Zippo was founded in 1932 and its lighters are sold in more than 160 countries around the world. It has manufactured more than 500 million lighters.

The company is being represented by attorneys from Squire Sanders LLP in California.