Discussion:
My company has purchased a line of valves from a major company. The purchase was made several years ago but the consumer would know them by their former name. We want to get our business on the internet. Can we use that former name (company) to describe the valves? or do we need their permission? State of Ohio.
Answer:
If the company's name is trademarked -- with the US Patent and Trademark Office -- even at common law, I would NOT even think of using it or any derivative as a domain name.
BUT to say you are selling a product that you own that was made by X, or the product was formerly known as "X" would likely be okay, so long as it really was.