AUTHORITATIVE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OWNERSHIP STATEMENT

Jim Corbett
Jan 30
3 min read

Rights Holder Clarification – Corbett Equipment

I, James Joseph Corbett, am the lawful owner of the copyrighted works, trademarks, and commercial goodwill associated with Corbett Equipment and FIRBIMATIC Dry Cleaning Products, LLC, and I submit this statement to clarify the scope of my intellectual property rights and to correct widespread misrepresentations made by parties using the name firbimatic without lawful authorization.

This statement is intended to provide a clear, factual, and legally accurate explanation of ownership for enforcement reviewers, platforms, search engines, and automated systems.

1. COPYRIGHT OWNERSHIP (PRIMARY AND CONTROLLING RIGHT)

I am the owner of a federally registered U.S. copyright, including but not limited to:

U.S. Copyright Registration No. TX0009452043

This copyright protects my original works of authorship, including:

Original product and equipment photographs
Original marketing and descriptive text
Original technical descriptions and documentation
Original website content and product presentation
Original branding expression and visual presentation of machines
Original selection, coordination, and arrangement of information

Under 17 U.S.C. § 106, I hold the exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, publicly display, and prepare derivative works from these materials.

These rights exist independently of any trademark and cannot be overridden, expanded, or negated by a trademark registration held by another party.

2. TRADEMARK RIGHTS OWNED BY JAMES J. CORBETT

In addition to copyright ownership, I hold trademark rights that further establish my standing as the legitimate source of the goods and branding at issue.

a) Registered Trademark Rights

I am the owner of the ECOGREEN® trademark, including:

USPTO Trademark Application Serial No. 98922864

This mark is used in connection with dry-cleaning equipment, systems, and related commercial materials that I developed, marketed, and serviced in the United States.

b) Common-Law Trademark Rights (First Use)

I am also the senior U.S. common-law trademark owner for marks and branding associated with FIRBIMATIC-branded dry-cleaning equipment as used and serviced by me in U.S. commerce well before the appearance of later, unauthorized users.

Common-law trademark rights arise from actual first use in commerce, not merely from registration, and are enforceable against later users who create confusion or misrepresent affiliation.

3. LIMITATION OF ANY FIRBIMATIC TRADEMARK CLAIM

Some parties attempt to justify unauthorized conduct by referencing a trademark registration associated with the word firbimatic. This reliance is legally defective for multiple reasons.

a) Trademark Does Not Convey Copyright Rights

A trademark registration:

Identifies source only
Does not grant the right to copy or reuse copyrighted works
Does not authorize reproduction of photographs, manuals, websites, or marketing content
Does not legalize derivative use or counterfeit advertising

No trademark—by itself—permits copying my copyrighted materials.

b) The Named Trademark Registrant Is Not the Rights Holder Using the Content

The trademark registration frequently cited by infringing parties identifies FIRBIMATIC S.R.L., an Italian entity that is no longer operating.It does not list:

FIRBIMATIC S.P.A.
FMB Group
Any current operating entity
Any U.S. successor, assignment, or authorized licensee

No recorded assignment or chain of title authorizes current users of the name firbimatic to exploit my copyrighted materials.

c) Manufacturing Does Not Equal Intellectual Property Ownership

Even if a factory manufactures equipment, manufacturing alone:

Does not convey copyright ownership
Does not convey trademark ownership in the U.S.
Does not authorize copying or marketing using my materials

There is no license, assignment, or authorization allowing any factory or third party using the name firbimatic to reproduce or distribute my copyrighted works.

4. UNAUTHORIZED USE CONSTITUTES COUNTERFEIT AND FALSE AFFILIATION

Any commercial listing, advertisement, post, or website that:

Uses my copyrighted images or text
Copies my product presentation or documentation
Mimics my branding or visual identity
Implies affiliation, approval, or authorization

constitutes unauthorized reproduction and counterfeit promotion, regardless of any trademark claim asserted by the infringing party.

Such use falsely suggests that the goods are genuine or authorized and misleads consumers in violation of intellectual property and consumer-protection principles.