|
Dunlop sue Callaway over
ball design
Dunlop Slazenger Group Americas has countersued Callaway Golf Co. in the two
companies' ongoing dispute about who stole whose recipe for making a better golf
ball.
Callaway, which entered the $650 million a year golf ball industry less than
two years ago, sued Dunlop on Oct. 3, alleging the makers of the Maxfli A-10 golf
ball infringed on Callaway's technology patent for its Rule 35 ball.
Dunlop has been making golf balls for more than 100 years and the technology
for its A-10 was developed before Callaway entered the market, Dunlop spokesman
Edward Hughes said.
In its lawsuit, the Greenville-based Dunlop claims Callaway is using Dunlop
techniques and secret recipes to make Callaway golf balls.
Callaway spokesman Larry Dorman said his company spent $170 million to start
its golf ball operations from scratch. The company, based in Carlsbad, Calif.,
also is well known for its line of golf clubs, including the popular Big Bertha
drivers.
On Oct. 9, Callaway announced that it had signed a golf ball patent license
agreement with Bridgestone Sports Co., of Japan, that allows Callaway to use a
number of Bridgestone Sports three-piece golf ball patents worldwide. The confidential
agreement ended litigation between the two companies.
Dunlop says it is the No. 3 manufacturer of golf balls, while Callaway says
it has 5 percent of the market.
For the first half of 2001, Callaway reported golf ball sales at $32 million.
Dunlop is a private company and does not report sales.
Email
this page to a friend | Return to top of page
Genuity
International, sponsors Golf Today
|
