World News

Industry news and insights from Europe and around the World

UK News

Latest news and developments in the United Kingdom

Products

Keep up-to-date with the latest new products and technology

Features

General articles, applications and industry analysis

Tecumseh continues trademark legal action

Tecumseh’s AW and AE compressors are at the centre of the legal action

USA: Compressor manufacturer Tecumseh is to proceed with its trademark infringement action after a US court rejected an appeal by Kulthorn Kirby and Elco.

Tecumseh first announced the legal action in February, alleging that Thai compressor manufacturer Kulthorn Kirby Public Company Ltd and its US distributor Elco Refrigeration Solutions had infringed trademarks related to its AE/AE2 and AW compressors.

Tecumseh says it is seeking to protect its AE/AE2 and AW registered trademarks from use by Kulthorn and Elco that Tecumseh believes is likely to cause confusion and mistake in the marketplace.

The AE/AE2 and AW models are included in Tecumseh’s range of hermetic reciprocating compressors. The AE series compressor was launched in 1960. The AE2 series, along with the AEX compressor models, are the latest introductions. Tecumseh claims that over 200 million AE/AE2 series compressors have been sold worldwide.

Kulthorn Kirby also offers compressors carrying AE and AW designations as part of its range of compressors.

Following the Federal Court for the Eastern District of Michigan’s decision Kulthorn and Elco motion to dismiss the trademark infringement claims, Tecumseh says its will “move forward with legal action to ensure that it protects the valuable trademarks that are associated world-wide with the company’s strong reputation for product performance and reliability”.

Related stories:

Tecumseh in trademark battle1 February 2017
USA: Tecumseh says it is taking legal action over trademarks with Thai compressor manufacturer Kulthorn Kirby Public Company Ltd and its US distributor Elco Refrigeration Solutions. Read more…

Latest News

24th June 2026

Employing liquefied hydrogen as a cold energy source

JAPAN: A new heat exchange technology that employs liquefied hydrogen as a cold energy source for air conditioning and refrigeration equipment is being trialled in Japan.
24th June 2026

Air conditioned bench under trial

JAPAN: Daikin is one of the companies behind the trial of an air-conditioned bench for urban outdoor public spaces.
24th June 2026

CCC backs more support for heat pumps

UK: The UK government’s Climate Change Committee claims a more ambitious plan is needed to electrify key parts of the UK economy, including further action to reduce electricity costs.
23rd June 2026

Enex signs €35.5m ESG-linked refinancing facility

ITALY: Enex Technologies, the Treviso-based industrial and commercial cooling equipment manufacturer, has signed a €35.5m ESG-linked refinancing agreement.
23rd June 2026

Rainer Grosse-Kracht named EPEE president

BELGIUM: Rainer Grosse-Kracht, chief technology officer at compressor manufacturer Bitzer, has been named as president of the European Partnership for Energy and the Environment (EPEE).
22nd June 2026

Green group calls for end to subsidies for EVs using R1234yf

GERMANY: The influential German environmental aid association Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) is calling on the German government to end subsidies for electric cars with R1234yf refrigerants in their AC systems.