I am looking for differing opinions here: First, the story.
My Wife and I started PBL Enterprises in 1994 buying and selling NOS cat parts that we were buying from ski areas all across the country. In 1998 we purchased the web domain www.snowcats.com to help promote our little enterprise.
In 1999 we began promoting Zaugg snow blower products from Switzerland. The most notable product has been the Zaugg Pipe Monster which has become the world standard for competitions like the X Games and the Olympics. Zaugg recently purchased Rolba. Now we have little time for anything else. We have the web site www.zauggamerica.com.
In 2004 we also began importing the Ohara Caliber as we saw a viable business with this. Small but fun.
Now after 15 years the Tucker SNO-CAT company wants to sue us for "patent infringement" for using the term "snowcat". They also want to force us to hand over our web site. We feel this is the pinnacle of arrogance and corporate bullying. Tucker has been in business for decades and could have purchased the web site long before we did but chose not to. The complaint states that no one can use the term "snowcat" but them. We think they just want the web site as it gets a lot of traffic. They have hired an international patent law firm to do the dirty deed. They must think that PBL is hurting their business since they have gone to the expense of a suit.
We have not yet decided just what to do. We think it is odd, since everyone uses the term "snowcat", even Prinoth and PB. Are they going to go after every person in the US that uses snowcat?
Opinions?
My Wife and I started PBL Enterprises in 1994 buying and selling NOS cat parts that we were buying from ski areas all across the country. In 1998 we purchased the web domain www.snowcats.com to help promote our little enterprise.
In 1999 we began promoting Zaugg snow blower products from Switzerland. The most notable product has been the Zaugg Pipe Monster which has become the world standard for competitions like the X Games and the Olympics. Zaugg recently purchased Rolba. Now we have little time for anything else. We have the web site www.zauggamerica.com.
In 2004 we also began importing the Ohara Caliber as we saw a viable business with this. Small but fun.
Now after 15 years the Tucker SNO-CAT company wants to sue us for "patent infringement" for using the term "snowcat". They also want to force us to hand over our web site. We feel this is the pinnacle of arrogance and corporate bullying. Tucker has been in business for decades and could have purchased the web site long before we did but chose not to. The complaint states that no one can use the term "snowcat" but them. We think they just want the web site as it gets a lot of traffic. They have hired an international patent law firm to do the dirty deed. They must think that PBL is hurting their business since they have gone to the expense of a suit.
We have not yet decided just what to do. We think it is odd, since everyone uses the term "snowcat", even Prinoth and PB. Are they going to go after every person in the US that uses snowcat?
Opinions?