Summary: In a recent decision, the Bombay High Court temporarily stopped United Petrofer Limited from using the "Petrofer" name, siding with Petrofer Chemie H.R. Fischer GMBH & Co. KG.
Petrofer Chemie, a German company started in 1948, is known for its industrial oils and chemicals. They registered the "PETROFER" name in India in 1997. The second company involved, Hardcastle Petrofer Private Limited, uses this name in India.
United Petrofer Limited, a company started in Gujarat in 2016, was accused of improperly using the "PETROFER" name in its business and website.
On November 6, 2025, Judge Arif S. Doctor decided in favor of Petrofer Chemie. The plaintiffs argued that United Petrofer's use of the name could confuse customers and violated their registered name rights.
"The defendant's use of 'PETROFER' was clearly dishonest," said Dr. Tulzapurkar, who spoke for the plaintiffs.
United Petrofer claimed their products were different from Petrofer Chemie's and that they were not using "PETROFER" as a brand name. They also said that Petrofer Chemie had allowed them to use the name.
The court was not convinced by United Petrofer's arguments, stressing that their use of the name could confuse people. The judge noted that the defendant's actions were "plainly dishonest" and supported the plaintiffs' rights to the name.
The court's order requires United Petrofer to stop using the "PETROFER" name. This decision highlights the importance of respecting name rights and the possible consequences of not doing so.
