Last year the US Patent and Trademark Office granted Park Tool’s request to trademark its colour blue on five products, including pumps, hand tools, repair stands, cleaning brushes and measuring instruments. It has been using blue in its logo, products and marketing since the 1960s.  When Serfas started using a similar colour on one of its pumps Park Tools wrote them a letter asking them to change the colour. Serfas refused and now Park Tools have filed a lawsuit in the US District Court in Minneapolis to protect what it says is its trademark colour.

Park Tools Project Manager said the company has long been battling cheap imports and other competitors who have used blue in their products. He said so far companies they had contacted about the use of blue all agreed to change to a different colour, except Serfas. For its part Serfas believes Park is reaching too far and at this stage are happy to let the attorneys work it out.