After Market Caterpillar Decals

[danky01]

Hey guys

Can someone give me some help on this one. I have been ask to print some after market Caterpillar Decals for a company that is refurbishing Caterpillar equipment. Has anyone done any of this type work? Any ideal how I could get the measurements without wading the mud and muck to measure the equipment? Anyone know if there are any templates for heavy equipment?

Thanks in advance.

 

[visual800]

 

[danky01]

That was very much expected.

 

[rjssigns]

Super simple. Buy them from CAT and resell them or they can go to CAT and get their own.

you really want to mess with copyright issues?

 

[danky01]

Well since it is the Caterpillar Dealer that ask me to do the job and these are discontinued decals, yeah I think so.

 

[Doc Savage]

Just because it is a dealer of Cat equipment does not mean there is an issue with copyright. If the dealer wants it done they should get approval from Cat corporate and have that for you ahead of production. Unless a company vacates a copyright any production for profit would be considered infringement.

 

[danky01]

I will make sure all the ducks are in a row before I tackle it. This company is one of the largest Caterpillar dealers in the USA, so I wouldn't think they would jeopardize their dealership for a few decals, however I will ask for the proper authorization before I print them. However, I do notice there are shops all over the internet doing the same thing everyday.

I guess I shouldn't have post this here, I knew before I posted it what the response would be.

 

[Techman]

This company is one of the largest Caterpillar dealers in the USA

If that is the case they have marketing firms that handle all that for them. Their stuff comes in by the case. Did you talk to the marketing agent or was it a floor salesman?

I do notice there are shops all over the internet doing the same thing everyday.

And getting desist orders every day too!

 

[royster13]

I will make sure all the ducks are in a row before I tackle it. This company is one of the largest Caterpillar dealers in the USA, so I wouldn't think they would jeopardize their dealership for a few decals, however I will ask for the proper authorization before I print them. However, I do notice there are shops all over the internet doing the same thing everyday.

I guess I shouldn't have post this here, I knew before I posted it what the response would be.

In my insurance adjuster days I had to source many replacement decals.....I do not recall ever running into a situation where the license for old stuff was not assigned to a vendor somewhere.....So best contact CAT and ask....

 

[kanini]

On the same subject, let's say you restore a car or truck and repaint it and the badge (originally painted or is made of metal as on old cars) is also repainted. Is that a copyright issue? If the badge is instead a decal and is "restored" e.g. renewed, is that a copyright issue? Not talking about the op's question directly as mass-producing/multiple copies but for one-off restoration projects? Just curious about what the opinion is about this...

 

[OldPaint]

i paint a lot of logos..........on older refurbished things. say like a COCA-COLA cooler. JOHN DEERE, there is no copywrite problem here. most of thes are "embossed" and by painting them you are bring them back to original. NOW.... painting a piece of metal, with COCA-COLA LOGO..... is not the same.
if the original was painted, then refurbed....no problem. if i make a sign with the CAT logo say 3 foot X 4 foot hang it on my garage.....this is not legal.

 

[royster13]

I am not sure how "copyright" got into this conversation with no mention of "trademark"...When you reproduce a logo you need to also worry about violating "trademarks".....

 

[kanini]

i paint a lot of logos..........on older refurbished things. say like a COCA-COLA cooler. JOHN DEERE, there is no copywrite problem here. most of thes are "embossed" and by painting them you are bring them back to original. NOW.... painting a piece of metal, with COCA-COLA LOGO..... is not the same.
if the original was painted, then refurbed....no problem. if i make a sign with the CAT logo say 3 foot X 4 foot hang it on my garage.....this is not legal.

Thanks for your responses! This is exactly how I see it. So with that logic, if it's a painted OR decal logo and I renew it identically e.g. bringing it back to original on that object I don't see a problem, but if I put it up here and there where the manufacturer hasn't had it there could be trouble. Sorry to be a bit off topic here...

 

[Jackpine]

I've done damage logo replacement work for two body shops, one in Wisconsin and one in Minnesota, and they have always give me a release they got from the manufacturer. The last one I reproduced ( made the image from hi resolution photos) was for a vintage Dolphin motor home that "kissed a Mule Deer".
I have done International Harvester and John Deere vintage prints and vinyl for restoration work and I always get trademark, copyright releases from the local dealer. If this for a dealer put the burden on them. It's their dealership and their problem.

 

[danky01]

Thanks for your responses! This is exactly how I see it. So with that logic, if it's a painted OR decal logo and I renew it identically e.g. bringing it back to original on that object I don't see a problem, but if I put it up here and there where the manufacturer hasn't had it there could be trouble. Sorry to be a bit off topic here...

This whole thread has been off since the beginning and I knew it would be. All the advice everyone has given me is appreciated, however I was already well versed in copyright laws. When I opened my business, actually I guess it has been 20 years next month, I did a lot of research on the subject as well as several long discussions with my attorney. I thought however, that someone just might have an ideal and actually answer my question.

When I was a dealer for LexMark, I was given a trademarks manual by LexMark. It authorized me to reproduce the logo as long as I did so within their guidelines and it is the same with all dealerships and distributorships. Caterpillar is no different, by virtue of being a dealer they are authorized to reproduce the logo's and trademarks. The Lexmark manual gave me the PMS colors, the fonts, and the various sizes and the placement of each elements. This part could not be closer than X inches from this element etc.

Thanks anyway.

 

[royster13]

Caterpillar is no different, by virtue of being a dealer they are authorized to reproduce the logo's and trademarks.

Are making the "assumption" that such an authorization is "automatic"?...Good luck with that!!!!

In most of the agreements I have read, such a clause typically applies to marketing and/or advertising efforts and usually narrow in scope......Newspaper ads, websites, yellow pages, etc....

 

[rjssigns]

Put your boots on and get the dimensions you need. Done. How's that for an acceptable answer?

 

[chapmachau]

What model cat are you looking for? I may have it already.

 

[Phil Swanson]

All I can say is that I worked for a heavy equipment dealer for 25 years, 20 of them I was running my lettering co. I have lettered hundreds of pieces of equipment with logos , like Komatsu, Volvo, Samsung, and many others.
These are multi BILLION dollar companies, I don't think there worried about one of their dealers making a few decals.

So to answer your question, I would look on some of the logo sites. As for the sizes, you would have actually measure the equipment. Their logo is pretty easy you should be able to recreate it if you need to.

Try "Brands of the World" web site for the logo.

 

[Pat Whatley]

If they're refurbishing equipment just wait until they've got it cleaned up to go measure it.

I did replacement work for a local company for a long time. They would buy old equipment, rebuild it, repaint it, and sell it at auction. John Deere and Caterpillar absolutely shot me down on doing the replacements going as far as sending me a certified letter telling me not to do it. Kubota and Lull directed me to approved vendors as well. They have approved vendors for their decals, the company I was doing work for was just trying to avoid paying $800 for a decal kit.

Be forewarned though...there might just be two logos and two icons on each one but there are about 10,000 safety/warning decals that all have to be set up individually and a stack of hydraulic/oil/contact point/battery type decals. They start doing refurb work and leave off all the safety decals they're gonna be in a world of hurt as soon as somebody does something stupid.


And NEVER trust a logo from brands of the world. Double check them.