A Kitchener, Ontario-based motorhome maker is suing a California rental agency, accusing the American firm of infringing on the Roadtrek trademark.
TheRecord.com reports that Erwin Hymer Group North America, which makes Roadtrek camper vans at its Shirley Avenue plant, filed the complaint against Stay Adventurous, LLC, a rental firm based in San Rafael, Calif.
The Kitchener company is accusing Stay Adventurous of trademark infringement, cyberpiracy, false advertising and unfair competition in the rental firm's use of the Roadtrek name on its roadtrekrentals.com website.
The complaint states that Stay Adventurous has engaged in "a deceptive scheme where it falsely advertises, markets and represents itself to customers using "Roadtrek" in a manner which wrongfully suggests an affiliation between EHGNA and Stay Adventurous which is not true."
The complaint alleges that Stay Adventurous' use of the Roadtrek name is intended to deceive customers into believing that it is an authorized rental dealer.
"Indeed, customers have complained to EHGNA believing that EHGNA is responsible for Stay Adventurous' business," the complaint states. "Stay Adventurous' unauthorized and illegal use of the Roadtrek mark is causing harm to EHGNA and the goodwill associated with its Roadtrek mark."