Tatra Trucks Consistently Protects Its Trademark and Good Name

Radomír Smolka, Member of the Board of Directors for Research and Development at Tatra Trucks, stated: “We are fully aware of the value of our brand and the good name of our company. It is a legacy built by our predecessors since 1850. The strength of the brand helped Tatra even in its toughest times. Now that Tatra is back in Czech hands and thriving, it is crucial to focus on systematically protecting its intellectual property rights.”

It was Radomír Smolka who initiated a more assertive approach to enforcing Tatra’s intellectual property rights, aligning with practices common among major car manufacturers. At his suggestion, the company established the position of Intellectual Property Manager in 2024, which is currently held by seasoned expert Jana Kunovská.

"She is doing an excellent job, even when facing discontent from those using Tatra's intellectual property under conditions that are not industry standard or beneficial to the company. She has the full support of the company’s leadership, as she protects not only our brand but also the interests of legitimate users. Her role ensures that these honest users are not exposed to unfair competition from those exploiting Tatra’s intellectual property under non-standard or even unlawful terms,” added Radomír Smolka.

Tatra Trucks has developed a robust system to protect its intellectual property and reputation. The company regularly monitors the market for products bearing the Tatra name, ensuring their compliance with licensing agreements and applicable legal regulations.

"We are working to strengthen relationships with our licensees, who deserve exclusive cooperation, stability, and the backing of a strong global partner. At the same time, we remain open and flexible with all serious applicants interested in using the Tatra trademark. We believe our strong fan community deserves the highest quality products across all categories. It's important to understand that Tatra Trucks' intellectual property includes not only a range of trademarks but also industrial designs, utility models, and patents that help safeguard our innovations,” explained Jana Kunovská.

The protection of Tatra Trucks’ intellectual property involves long-term and systematic efforts, which have recently intensified.

"During the periods when the company was fighting for economic survival, intellectual property protection was understandably not a top priority. We are now addressing that gap. We handle numerous requests daily to validate the right to use the Tatra trademark and are ready to respond appropriately when inconsistencies are identified,” added Kunovská.

Licensed users of the Tatra trademark welcome the company’s current efforts in this area. Lukáš Petrovický, Production Director of the renowned Czech model manufacturer Kaden, noted:
"Since Tatra Trucks began actively protecting its brand, we've seen increased interest in our Tatra models and improved sales. The market is seeing a decline in unfair competition from pirated models, especially from Asian countries.”

"We would like to thank Tatra Trucks for its tireless efforts to fight against counterfeiters and unfair competition in the licensing space. Protecting the original Tatra brand not only upholds its prestige but also enables us as a licensing partner to sell our products fairly and confidently—particularly the children’s plastic models of the Tatra 148 under the Dino brand. Counterfeits negatively affect sales and customer trust, which is why we are grateful for Tatra Trucks’ initiative. This consistent brand protection helps safeguard both our investments in licensing and the integrity and quality of the products we offer,” added Ivana Maršálová, Marketing Manager at Dino Toys.

Key Information on Tatra Trucks’ Intellectual Property

Tatra: One of the Longest-Standing Automotive Trademarks

A trademark provides protection against unauthorized use or imitation of a company’s logo or brand identity—Tatra included. As such, it offers significant legal protection.

The “Tatra” name was first registered in 1933 as a combined trademark for cooling equipment under a licensing agreement with German company Alfred Teves Maschinen und Armaturen-Fabrik G.m.b.H., Frankfurt a. M. (Ate). The trademark featured the word "Tatra" in a circular field alongside "Ate" in white letters on a black rectangular background. The circular field's hatching indicated an intended blue color, confirmed by surviving original product labels.

In 1934, following the debut of the revolutionary Tatra 77 at the Berlin Motor Show, Tatra Works submitted a national application in Czechoslovakia for a wordmark. It was registered on September 3, 1934, and shortly thereafter, the same trademark was submitted for international registration with the International Bureau for Intellectual Property in Bern—successfully registered on March 5, 1935.

On September 9, 1935, Tatra Works filed a combined circular trademark for "Tatra" in black-and-white, with white lettering on a dark background. This design, under prevailing interpretations of the time, covered any light-on-dark color combinations. The typographic styling of “Tatra” differed from earlier versions.

In 1992, the Tatra trademark was officially recognized as a “well-known trademark” by the Industrial Property Office.