BUSINESSMAN DEMANDS 257 MILLION FROM A BATTERY FACTORY IN UZBEKISTAN

The Arbitration of Crimea plans to consider the application of local businessman Artem Paliychuk. A resident of Simferopol presented it to two defendants at once – the company "KRS Motors" from Rostov and the Jizzakh battery plant located in Tashkent. According to the entrepreneur, both organizations illegally used the KUCH trademark.

The plant in Uzbekistan supplied batteries to Russia. Their recipient in Russia was the truck manufacturer KamAZ. As evidence in court, the data of the customs authorities for the last few years were presented. PJSC "KAMAZ" is involved in the dispute as a third party.

It is known that Paliychuk sells various aggregates and parts for cars. He is also the beneficiary of the Simferopol company "Magnat-Oil". Its profitability in 2021 exceeded 120 million rubles, Kommersant reports. In Rospatent, the businessman has already issued 22 means of individualization, including KUCH. Registration of nine more applications has not yet been completed.

Paliychuk demanded compensation in the amount of 6.2 million rubles from the ARS Motors company, while it is planned to receive 257.3 million rubles from the plant in Tashkent. At the same time, the company's management in Uzbekistan believes that the plaintiff is affiliated with ARS Motors. Representatives of the Tashkent company call Paliychuk a "patent troll", noting his unscrupulous behavior in connection with the registration of trademarks in the Russian Federation.

The firm from Uzbekistan tried to protest the claim, pointing out its lack of jurisdiction within the Russian jurisdiction. The organization has been operating in the republic since 2003 and produces about 800 thousand batteries annually. However, the arbitration in Crimea did not agree with this. He pointed to the close relationship of the legal entity with Russia.

The website of the plant in Tashkent, which has a disputed domain, is aimed at Russian consumers. The management body of a foreign firm is headed by a person registered in the Russian Federation.

The case is scheduled to be heard in court on April 3, 2023. According to lawyers, in case of recognition of the trademark rights for Paliychuk and the fact of the sale of batteries to Russian customers (in particular, we are talking about the companies KamAZ, GMUz, Manauto, Samauto, Uzagrosanoatmashholding), all persons involved in industrial logistics can be held accountable. At the same time, it is reported on the website of the plant in Uzbekistan that the brand of batteries produced by it is JAZ Battery.

Photo by Freepik