Palmerston North-based Advantage Computers has confirmed a court date for its trademark infringement case against Advantage Group, despite talks between the two companies.
The claim will be heard in the Auckland High Court on July 30. Advantage Computers, which runs an online computer store, took action against listed company Advantage Group and its subsidiaries ADV E-commerce and Advantage Retail Solutions in November 1999.
"Advantage Computers is the registered holder of two trade marks for the brand Advantage in the New Zealand trade mark register," the company said in a statement released yesterday. "These trade marks are in classes 9 and 42 which cover computers, computer software, computer hardware and services including computer consultancy, computer hardware and software design and computer systems engineering."
Advantage Computers spokesman Mark Ward says his company made the statement in response to queries from other companies and "to provide some separation between the two entities. We're still getting a lot of confusion between the two, especially in light of the knocks [Advantage Group] has had recently, with losing staff and profits down."
Ward says he has had "sporadic" discussions with Advantage Group but indicated the larger company "don't exactly walk the talk" of negotiation.
"[Former CEO] Greg Cross has just left, and I talked to him a week ago just before he departed. But we're at the stage now where obviously everything's been set down for trial and none of us can change anything."