City court restrains 3M India from using Wendt brand

Wendt (India) Limited was incorporated in 1980 as a joint venture between Wendt GmbH and The House of Khataus

Bangalore-based 3M India Ltd and Pune-based Precomp Gears (P) Ltd have been restrained from making use of the trade name ‘Wendt’ in their business of dealing with the machine tools, abrasives, grinding machines among others. The restriction on both the companies follows an order issued by the court of principal city civil and sessions judge, Bangalore.

The order was passed by the court in a suit filed by Hosur-based machine tool company Wendt India Limited (WIL) on the basis of the defendants’ usage of the ‘Wendt’ brand name in their advertisements, Wendt said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange.

The court, in its order dated March 6, 2013, issued an ad-interim order of temporary injunction against both companies. The interim order will be in force for a period of 90 days or till further orders whichever is earlier.

Wendt (India) Ltd (WIL) was incorporated in 1980 as a joint venture between Wendt GmbH and The House of Khataus. In 1991, Carborundum Universal Ltd (CUMI), a Murugappa Group Company acquired the Khatau’s stake in the business. Since then WIL has been a 40:40 Joint Venture between Wendt GmbH and CUMI. The public holds the balance 20 per cent equity.

Wendt manufactures a wide range of Diamond/CBN Grinding Wheels and Tools. These products find applications in industries like automobile, cutting tools, engineering, bearing, aerospace, steel, defence, refractory, ceramic, glass and textile among others.