February 8, 2007 

CONTACT: Thor Appliances Public Affairs
(206) 850-6596

Thor Appliance Company Successfully Defends Trademark 

(LOS ANGELES) – Thor Appliance Company, a leading supplier of specialty home appliances, successfully defended its Thor mark before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board by opposing a trademark application filed by Spanish appliance maker Thor Iberica, S.A.  The opposition resulted in the withdrawal and subsequent abandonment of Thor Iberica’s trademark application for the mark THOR for use on household and industrial sinks. 

Matthew J. Lee, a principal with Thor Appliance Company, is the owner of the Thor trademark for washing machines, dryers and ice makers.  The mark has appeared continuously on laundry machines and ice makers since 2001.  “With the Thor trademark we have developed a brand that is recognized and respected by consumers,” said Mr. Lee. “We view trademarks as valuable assets worth defending.”   

A subsidiary of the Spanish appliance manufacturer Teka Group, Barcelona-based Thor Iberica filed an Intent-to-Use trademark application in December of 2003 for the mark THOR under international class 11 for a broad range of appliances including refrigerators, cooking appliances, water filters and sinks.  The application was amended on October 14, 2006 to include only household and industrial sinks and finally withdrawn on February 6, 2007.   

“We felt that the use of the Thor mark on sinks by another manufacturer would be confusing to consumers,” said Lee.  “The product line that Thor Iberica was proposing was just too similar to the appliances that we sell under the Thor brand.”   

Matthew J. Lee and Thor Appliances Company were represented in the proceedings by attorney Robert Louis Finkel of Encino, Calif.  Thor Iberica, S.A. was represented by the law firm of COLLEN IP Intellectual Property Law of Westchester County, NY.

Los Angeles-based Thor Appliance Company, is a leading supplier of specialty in-home appliances. Thor currently offers a complete line of compact laundry machines, including the company's signature washer dryer combination. For more information on Thor and its history, please visit www.thorappliances.com.