High Court Orders Status Quo in Favour of TAFE in Massey Ferguson Case

07 Feb, 2025

February 05, 2025 | Chennai: A learned Judge of the Madras High Court today, in the ongoing Massey Ferguson brand suit ordered a status quo on the usage of the Massey Ferguson brand in India, in favour of TAFE ensuring thereby uninterrupted exclusive use of the Massey Ferguson brand in India until disposal of the suit. The Honourable Judge passed orders on TAFE’s applications after a detailed hearing, observing that TAFE had made out a ‘prima facie’ case and that the ‘balance of convenience’ is in favour of TAFE. TAFE has been using the brand uninterruptedly since 1960 in India.

The Honourable court, in its order, referred extensively to an earlier status quo order of the Division Bench.

About TAFE

TAFE - Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited, an Indian tractor major incorporated in 1960 in Chennai, India. As one of the largest tractor manufacturers in the world and the second-largest in India by volume, TAFE sells over 180,000 tractors annually. TAFE has earned the trust of customers through its range of products, which are widely acclaimed for their quality and low cost of operation. A strong distribution network of over 1,600 dealers effectively supports TAFE’s four iconic tractor brands - Massey Ferguson, TAFE, Eicher Tractors, and IMT. TAFE exports tractors to more than 80 countries, powering farms in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas, and Russia.

In 2005, TAFE acquired the Tractors, Engines and Transmissions business of the legendary Eicher brand with German roots, through a wholly owned subsidiary - TAFE Motors and Tractors Limited (TMTL). Beyond tractors, TAFE and its subsidiaries have diversified business interests in areas such as farm machinery, diesel engines and gensets, agro-industrial engines, engineering plastics, gears and transmission components, hydraulic pumps and cylinders, vehicle franchises, and plantations.

TAFE acquired the iconic Serbian tractor and agricultural equipment brand IMT - Industrija Mašina i Traktora in 2018. Furthermore, TAFE acquired FAURECIA's Indian interior business of Group FORVIA - the French global automotive supplier, in 2022.

TAFE is committed to Total Quality Management (TQM). In recent years, various manufacturing plants of TAFE have garnered numerous ‘TPM Excellence’ awards from the Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance (JIPM), along with several regional awards for TPM excellence. In 2023, TAFE won the ‘Launch of the Year’ award for its Eicher PRIMA G3 range of tractors, in addition to three other prestigious awards, including ‘Best CSR Initiative’ for JFarm Services, at the 4th edition of the Indian Tractor of the Year (ITOTY) Awards 2023, and the Top Exporter Award from the Commissioner of Customs.

In 2018, TAFE became the first Indian tractor manufacturer to win the Frost & Sullivan Global Manufacturing Leadership Award, being recognized with the ‘Enterprise Integration and Technology Leadership’ award, as well as two ‘Supply Chain Leadership’ awards. In recognition of its outstanding contribution to engineering exports, TAFE has been named the ‘Star Performer - Large Enterprise (Agricultural Tractors)’ by the Engineering Exports Promotion Council of India - Southern Region for the 23rd consecutive time.

TAFE has earned the trust of customers through its range of products that are widely acclaimed for superior quality and low cost of operation. TAFE's social focus has been significant since inception and it contributes towards meaningful causes of agriculture, education, healthcare, community development, disaster relief, conservation and tribal welfare besides supporting traditional art forms.