TAFE Wins Interim Injunction in Massey Ferguson Brand Dispute

October 18, 2024, Chennai: Chennai-based Tractors and Farm Equipment Ltd (TAFE) has obtained an interim injunction from the Madras High Court in its legal battle with Massey Ferguson Corporation, a US subsidiary of AGCO. This is regarding the ownership and usage of the Massey Ferguson brand in India.

Legal Battle Over Massey Ferguson Brand Ownership

TAFE has filed a civil lawsuit with the High Court, asking for a declaration that it owns the Massey Ferguson tractor brand in India. The company argues that the brand is uniquely identified with TAFE in the Indian market. The brand is seeking interim injunctions to prevent Massey Ferguson and its representatives from interfering with TAFE's “exclusive use” of the brand. Furthermore, the brand can not claim to be the owner while the case is being resolved.

TAFE is the largest single shareholder in AGCO, which is the third-largest farm equipment manufacturer globally, following Deere & Company and CNH Industrial. Last month, AGCO announced that it was terminating its agreements with the company, including the licensing agreement for the Massey Ferguson brand.

This situation arose even though TAFE had legal protection in place after a similar notice from AGCO in April 2024. Following that notice, the brand approached the High Court with a contempt petition against AGCO. It claimed that the termination was carried out without proper notice.

TAFE was established as a joint venture between Massey Ferguson and Amalgamations in 1960. In 1974, the two companies entered into a trademark agreement for tractors, which was later expanded in 1994. This granted TAFE exclusive rights to use the Massey Ferguson brand name for its tractors in India. By early 2024, this brand held rights to the Massey Ferguson brand in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Bhutan.

The Massey Ferguson brand appears on over 55 percent of TAFE's annual production of 180,000 tractors, including those exported. Currently, this company exports its tractors to more than 80 countries.

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