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80-615: Necco (or NECCO / ˈ n ɛ k oʊ / NEK -oh ) was an American manufacturer of candy created in 1901 as the New England Confectionery Company through the merger of several small confectionery companies located in the Greater Boston area, with ancestral companies dating back to the 1840s. In May 2018, Necco was sold for $ 17.33 million to Round Hill Investments LLC, run by billionaire C. Dean Metropoulos ; Round Hill Investments then went into

160-399: A 1928 Necco Wafers truck . Necco continued its dominance of the candy-manufacturing business through much of the first half of the 20th century. In 1942, the U.S. Government requisitioned a "major portion of the production of the wafers, during World War II since the candy doesn't melt and is 'practically indestructible' during transit," This continued until 1945. For several years, Necco

240-592: A "first-to-file" system, which grants rights to the first entity to register the mark. However, well-known trademarks are an exception, as they may receive protection even without registration. In contrast, a few countries, like the United States, Canada, and Australia, follow a "first-to-use" or hybrid system, where using the mark in commerce can establish certain rights, even without registration. However, registration in these countries still provides stronger legal protection and enforcement. For example, in

320-516: A bankruptcy auction, with Spangler Candy Company being the winning bidder. The company was best known for its namesake candy, Necco Wafers (originally called "Hub Wafers") dating back to 1847. Other prominent products have included its seasonal Sweethearts Conversation Hearts , and brands such as the Clark Bar , Haviland Thin Mints and Sky Bar . Necco dated its origins to Chase and Company,

400-457: A company founded by brothers Oliver R. and Silas Edwin Chase in 1847. Having previously invented and patented the first American candy machine, the Chase brothers continued to design and create machinery that made assortments of candies, such as their popular sugar wafers . Two other confectionery companies, Ball and Fobes, founded by confectioner Daniel Fobes in 1848, and Bird, Wright and Company,

480-444: A company or product. A trademark, by contrast, offers legal protection for a brand with enforceable rights over the brand's identity and distinguishing elements. Trademark law is designed to fulfill the public policy objective of consumer protection , by preventing the public from being misled as to the origin or quality of a product or service. By identifying the commercial source of products and services, trademarks facilitate

560-467: A competitor uses the same or a confusingly similar trademark for the same or similar products in a jurisdiction where the trademark is protected. This concept is recognized in many jurisdictions, including the United States, the European Union, and other countries, though specific legal standards may vary. To establish trademark infringement in court, the plaintiff generally must show: Trademark

640-541: A confectionery company based in Boston and founded in 1856, joined forces with Chase and Company in 1901 to become the three members of the original Necco family. The three confectionery firms then moved into a newly constructed manufacturing plant in the Fort Point – South Boston Waterfront area of Boston , Massachusetts , one year later and became the largest establishment devoted entirely to confectionery production in

720-630: A distinctive label or ticket'. In the United States , Congress first attempted to establish a federal trademark regime in 1870. This statute purported to be an exercise of Congress' Copyright Clause powers. However, the Supreme Court struck down the 1870 statute in the Trade-Mark Cases later on in the decade. In 1881, Congress passed a new trademark act, this time according to its Commerce Clause powers. Congress revised

800-601: A former Procter & Gamble executive, who in February 2009 announced plans to "expand its brand now in the U.S. so it can expand globally later", aiming for a 30% growth in revenue by 2011. In November 2010, Necco was listed for sale with a New York broker; although by February 2011, American Capital announced that the sale was off for the time being. In July 2013, United Service Organizations sued Necco in U.S. District Court for continuing to use their trademarks after their 2009 marketing deal had expired. In February 2014,

880-437: A generic product or service name. They should stand out from the surrounding text using capital letters, bold type, italics, color, underlining, quotation marks, or a unique stylized format. For example, say “LEGO® toy blocks” instead of “Lego’s.” A trademark may be designated by the following symbols: While ™ and ℠ apply to unregistered marks (™ for goods and ℠ for services), the ® symbol indicates official registration with

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960-609: A loss of rights in the trademark. It is still possible to make significant changes to the underlying goods or services during a sale without jeopardizing the trademark, but companies will often contract with the sellers to help transition the mark and goods or services to the new owners to ensure continuity of the trademark. Trademarks are often confused with patents and copyrights . Although all three laws protect forms of intangible property, collectively known as intellectual property (IP), they each have different purposes and objectives: Among these types of IP, only trademark law offers

1040-500: A population of more than 8.4 million people, making it one of the most populous such regions in the U.S. Some of Greater Boston's most well-known contributions involve the region's higher education and medical institutions. Greater Boston has been influential upon American history and industry . The region and the state of Massachusetts are global leaders in biotechnology , artificial intelligence , engineering , higher education , finance , and maritime trade . Greater Boston

1120-623: A powerful scientific, commercial, and cultural role in the history of the United States. Before the American Civil War , the region was a center for the abolitionist , temperance , and transcendentalist movements. In 2004, Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to legally recognize same-sex marriage as a result of the decision of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in Boston. Many prominent American political dynasties have hailed from

1200-836: A trademark is to identify the source of goods or services and prevent consumers from confusing them with those from other sources. Legal protection for trademarks is typically secured through registration with governmental agencies, such as the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) or the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). Registration provides the owner certain exclusive rights and provides legal remedies against unauthorized use by others. Trademark laws vary by jurisdiction but generally allow owners to enforce their rights against infringement, dilution, or unfair competition. International agreements, such as

1280-701: A whole. Trademark protection does not apply to utilitarian features of a product such as the plastic interlocking studs on Lego bricks. The earliest examples of use of markings date back to around 15,000 years ago in Prehistory . Similar to branding practices, the Lascaux cave paintings in France, for instance, depict bulls with marks, which experts believe may have served as personal marks to indicate livestock ownership. Around 6,000 years ago, Egyptian masonry featured quarry marks and stonecutters' signs to identify

1360-632: A workforce of approximately 500, Necco was the largest employer in Revere at the time. Online sales of Necco Wafers and other products subsequently spiked, with buyers concerned that the candy would be discontinued, some even offering to sell a car for Necco Wafers. On May 16, 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found serious violations of the current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food regulation. The violations included significant evidence of rodent activity and insanitary conditions throughout

1440-470: Is ranked tenth in population among US metropolitan statistical areas , home to 4,941,632 people as of the 2020 United States Census , and sixth among combined statistical areas , with a population of 8,466,186. The area has hosted many people and sites significant to American culture and history, particularly American literature , politics , and the American Revolution . Plymouth was

1520-493: Is "escalator," which was once a trademark. In contrast, patents have a fixed term, typically lasting 20 years from the filing date, after which the invention enters the public domain. Copyrights generally last for the life of the author plus an additional 50 to 70 years (depending on the jurisdiction), after which the protected work enters the public domain. Although intellectual property laws such as these are theoretically distinct, more than one type may afford protection to

1600-597: Is defined as a New England City and Town Area . The metro area definition is based on counties, while the NECTA definition is based on city and town boundaries. Counties included in the county-based definition include: The NECTA definition includes all of the communities from the MAPC definition, as well as the Merrimack Valley communities, parts of southern New Hampshire (northward to Milford and Hampton , and

1680-435: Is inherently distinctive (able to identify and distinguish a single source of goods or services), often falling into categories such as suggestive, fanciful, or arbitrary, and is therefore registerable. In contrast, weak trademarks tend to be either descriptive or generic and may not be registerable. The registration process typically begins with a trademark clearance search to identify potential conflicts that could prevent

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1760-503: Is required to act as the "basic mark." In the international application, the trademark owner can designate one or more Madrid System Member countries for protection. Each designated country’s trademark office will review the Madrid application under its local laws to grant or refuse protection. In the United States, for example, a trademark must first be registered or pending with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to serve as

1840-466: Is subject to various defenses, such as abandonment, limitations on geographic scope , and fair use. In the United States, the fair use defense protects many of the interests in free expression related to those protected by the First Amendment . Fair use may be asserted on two grounds, either that the alleged infringer is using the mark to describe accurately an aspect of its products, or that

1920-585: Is the region administered by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council. The MAPC is a regional planning organization created by the Massachusetts legislature to oversee transportation infrastructure and economic development concerns in the Boston area. The MAPC includes 101 cities and towns that are grouped into eight subregions. These include most of the area within the region's outer circumferential highway, I-495 . In 2013,

2000-606: Is used to refer to both trademarks and service marks. Similarly, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) defines a trademark as a sign capable of distinguishing the goods or services of one enterprise from those of other enterprises. WIPO administers the Madrid Protocol , which allows trademark owners worldwide to file one application to register their trademark in multiple countries. Almost anything that identifies

2080-730: The Köppen climate classification system), with high humidity and precipitation year-round. Greater Boston has a sizable Jewish community, estimated at between 210,000 people, and 261,000 or 5–6% of the Greater Boston metro population, compared with about 2% for the nation as a whole. Contrary to national trends, the number of Jews in Greater Boston has been growing, fueled by the fact that 60% of children in Jewish mixed-faith families are raised Jewish, compared with roughly one in three nationally. The 2020 PRRI Atlas found that 35% of

2160-647: The Paris Convention and the Madrid Protocol , simplify the registration and protection of trademarks across multiple countries. Additionally, the TRIPS Agreement sets minimum standards for trademark protection and enforcement that all member countries must follow. The term trademark can also be spelled trade mark in regions such as the EU, UK, and Australia, and as trade-mark in Canada. Despite

2240-653: The Taunton area. The widest definition of the metropolitan area based on commuting patterns, is defined by the U.S. Census as the Boston–Worcester–Providence combined statistical area . This area consists of the following counties in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire: The total population for the extended region was estimated at 8,466,186 at the 2020 census. The Boston area has humid continental climates ( Dfa and Dfb under

2320-470: The United States . The Boston Wharf Company developed the 1902 complex of four five-story buildings at 253 Summer Street and 11-37 Melcher Street. BWC named the adjacent streets Necco Court, Necco Street, and Necco Place. In 1907, 5 and 6 Necco Court were added behind the existing complex, connected by a four-story interior bridge. With nearby rail and water transportation, BWC specialized in shipment and storage of sugar and molasses. The Domino Sugar factory

2400-646: The "basic mark" necessary for Madrid filings. The trademark registration process with the USPTO generally follows these steps: Trademark owners seeking protection in multiple jurisdictions have two options: the Paris route, under the Paris Convention , or the Madrid System , which is administered by WIPO . The Paris route, covering 180 countries and also known as the "direct route," requires filing separate applications with each country’s IP office. In contrast,

2480-490: The Boston CSA with the highest percentage of residents who identify as Italian American: Census tracts in the Boston CSA with the highest percentage of residents who identify as Portuguese American: Census tracts in the Boston CSA with French or French Canadian listed as first ancestry: Cities and towns with a population over 50,000 as of the 2020 census include: A long established center of higher education,

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2560-543: The Boston CSA: The 40 census tracts in the Boston CSA with the highest percentage of residents who identify as Hispanic or Latino: Census tracts in the Boston CSA with the highest percentage of residents who identify as Black American: Census tracts in the Boston CSA with the highest percentage of residents who identify as Asian American: Census tracts in the Boston CSA with the highest percentage of residents who identify as Irish American: Census tracts in

2640-403: The Boston metro area identified as Protestant while 26% identified as Catholic. The City of Boston also has one of the largest LGBT populations per capita. It ranks fifth of all major cities in the country (behind San Francisco , and slightly behind Seattle , Atlanta , and Minneapolis ), with 12.3% of the city identifying as gay, lesbian, or bisexual. The 40 most diverse Census tracts in

2720-602: The Boston region, including the Adams and Kennedy families. Harvard University in Cambridge is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States, founded in 1636 , with the largest financial endowment of any university, and whose Law School has spawned a contemporaneous majority of United States Supreme Court Justices . Kendall Square in Cambridge has been called "the most innovative square mile on

2800-429: The European Union requires "genuine use" of the mark within a continuous five-year period following registration to maintain the trademark, with non-use potentially resulting in revocation. The trademark owner must enforce their rights to preserve the trademark's distinctiveness , prevent trademark infringement, and avoid dilution. Enforcement after registration generally involves: Trademark infringement occurs when

2880-468: The Madrid System streamlines the process by allowing a single Madrid application, built on an existing or applied-for national or regional registration (the "basic mark"), to extend protection to up to 131 countries. Unlike patents and copyrights , which have fixed expiration dates, trademark registrations typically have an initial term of 10 years and can be renewed indefinitely, as long as

2960-544: The Necco building at 250 Massachusetts Ave in Cambridge has been occupied by the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research. The water tower was repainted with a double helix to represent the biomedical research being performed within. In 2005, the structure , which is still referred to as the Necco candy factory, was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places . By 2005, the company's annual revenue

3040-468: The Reading, Pennsylvania-based Mega Candy Co. Haviland Thin Mints and Mighty Malt Milk Balls were sold to Minnesota-based Log House Food. Equipment and foodstock were disbursed internationally. Some unclaimed brands, such as Sky Bar , were later sold in online auctions, while Mary Jane candies, unsold at auction, were licensed by Spangler to Atkinson Candy Company of Lufkin, Texas. In October 2019, it

3120-577: The Roman Empire. Other notable trademarks that have been used for a long time include Stella Artois , which claims use of its mark since 1366, and Löwenbräu , which claims use of its lion mark since 1383. The first trademark legislation was passed by the Parliament of England under the reign of King Henry III in 1266, which required all bakers to use a distinctive mark for the bread they sold. The first modern trademark laws emerged in

3200-528: The Trademark Act in 1905. The Lanham Act of 1946 updated the law and has served, with several amendments, as the primary federal law on trademarks. The Trade Marks Act 1938 in the United Kingdom set up the first registration system based on the "intent-to-use" principle. The Act also established an application publishing procedure and expanded the rights of the trademark holder to include

3280-492: The Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS) in 2023. A comprehensive clearance search involves checking the USPTO database for federally registered and applied-for trademarks, state trademark databases, and the internet to see if someone else has already registered that trademark or a similar one. The search should also include looking at both words and designs. To search for similar designs in

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3360-486: The UK Patent Office for the first time. Registration was considered to comprise prima facie evidence of ownership of a trademark and registration of marks began on 1 January 1876. The 1875 Act defined a registrable trade mark as a device or mark, or name of an individual or firm printed in some particular and distinctive manner; or a written signature or copy of a written signature of an individual or firm; or

3440-647: The US Census definition) include much of these areas and portions of southern New Hampshire . While the city of Boston covers 48.4 square miles (125 km ) and has 675,647 residents as of the 2020 census, the urbanization has extended well into surrounding areas and the Combined Statistical Area (CSA in the rest of the document), which includes the Providence, Rhode Island , Manchester, New Hampshire , Cape Cod and Worcester areas, has

3520-400: The USPTO database, design search codes must be used. WIPO ’s Global Brand Database provides international access to trademarks and emblems. Trademark owners can either maintain protection at the national level or expand internationally through the Madrid System by building on their national registration. To pursue international protection, a national registration or pending application

3600-584: The United States, trademark rights are established either (1) through first use of the mark in commerce, creating common law rights limited to the geographic areas of use, or (2) through federal registration with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), with use in commerce required to maintain the registration. Federal registration with the USPTO provides additional benefits, such as: Trademark law grants legal protection to "distinctive" trademarks, which are marks that allow consumers to easily associate them with specific products or services. A strong trademark

3680-459: The alleged infringer is using the mark to identify the mark owner. One of the most visible proofs that trademarks provide a limited right in the U.S. comes from the comparative advertising that is seen throughout U.S. media. An example of the first type is that although Maytag owns the trademark "Whisper Quiet" for its dishwashers, makers of other products may describe their goods as being "whisper quiet" so long as these products do not fall under

3760-512: The area includes many community colleges, two-year schools, and internationally prominent undergraduate and graduate institutions. The graduate schools include highly regarded schools of law, medicine, business, technology, international relations, public health, education, and religion. Greater Boston contains seven R1 Research Institutions as per the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education . This is, by far,

3840-438: The barring of trademark use even in cases where confusion remained unlikely. This Act served as a model for similar legislation elsewhere. The oldest registered trademark has various claimants, enumerated below: Trademark protection can be acquired through registration and/or, in certain countries, through use. Globally, the most common method for establishing trademark rights is registration. Most countries operate under

3920-425: The case (1:13-cv-11754) was dismissed due to an out of court settlement. The 2011 news that the company was no longer for sale was accompanied by reports that the company had supplied the city of Revere with five years' worth of overdue reports required as part of a tax increment financing (TIF) deal the company had received from the city; those reports "seemed to indicate that Necco has—for several years—not created

4000-595: The different spellings, all three terms denote the same concept. In the United States, the Lanham Act defines a trademark as any word, phrase, symbol, design, or combination of these things used to identify goods or services. Trademarks help consumers recognize a brand in the marketplace and distinguish it from competitors. A service mark , also covered under the Lanham Act, is a type of trademark used to identify services rather than goods. The term trademark

4080-476: The facility. This was the fifth citation for rodent infestation. The assets of Necco were sold in a bankruptcy auction in May, 2018, with Spangler Candy Company having the winning bid of $ 18.83 million. However, Spangler backed out of the transaction and the company was instead sold for $ 17.33 million to Round Hill Investments, owned by billionaire C. Dean Metropoulos. They briefly operated the candy manufacturer under

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4160-606: The highest number of such institutions in a single Metropolitan Statistical Area in the United States . References: The first railway line in the United States was in Quincy. See Neponset River . The following Regional Transit Authorities have bus service that connects with MBTA commuter rail stations: Annual sporting events include: The Greater Boston League , a high school athletic conference in Massachusetts. Trademark The primary function of

4240-409: The identification of products and services which meet the expectations of consumers as to the quality and other characteristics. Trademarks may also serve as an incentive for manufacturers, providers, or suppliers to consistently provide quality products or services to maintain their business reputation. Furthermore, if a trademark owner does not maintain quality control and adequate supervision about

4320-584: The jobs they promised in the TIF agreement"; as of March 2011 Necco employed 483 people, including 30 Revere residents. The company's failure to meet the terms of its TIF agreement led the Massachusetts Economic Assistance Coordinating Council to decertify Necco's participation in the economic development program that administers the agreement. With the support of Revere's mayor, the city council voted to maintain

4400-574: The late 19th century. In France, the first comprehensive trademark system in the world was passed into law in 1857 with the "Manufacture and Goods Mark Act". In Britain, the Merchandise Marks Act 1862 made it a criminal offense to imitate another's trade mark 'with intent to defraud or to enable another to defraud'. The passing of the Trade Marks Registration Act 1875 allowed formal registration of trademarks at

4480-448: The leading manufacturer of candy "conversation" hearts. In 1999, Pittsburgh-based Clark Bar America, Inc. was purchased, and by 2000 the company had 1200 employees. In 2003, Necco consolidated its facilities to share a 52-acre (210,000 m), 810,000-square-foot (75,000 m) Revere, Massachusetts , plant and warehouse, where its international headquarters resides to this day. The site employed more than 700 workers. Since April 2004,

4560-532: The manufacture and provision of products or services supplied by a licensee, such "naked licensing" will eventually adversely affect the owner's rights in the trademark. For US law see, ex. Eva's Bridal Ltd. v. Halanick Enterprises, Inc. 639 F.3d 788 (7th Cor. 2011). This proposition has, however, been watered down by the judgment of the House of Lords in the case of Scandecor Development AB v. Scandecor Marketing AB et al. [2001] UKHL 21; wherein it has been held that

4640-415: The mark remains in continuous use in commerce. If the trademark owner stops using the mark for too long (typically three to five years, depending on the jurisdiction), the trademark rights may be lost. For example, in the United States, trademark rights are based on use in commerce. If a mark is not used for three consecutive years, it is presumed abandoned and becomes vulnerable to challenges. Similarly,

4720-476: The mere fact that a bare license (the equivalent of the United States concept of a naked license) has been granted did not automatically mean that a trademark was liable to mislead. By the same token, trademark holders must be cautious in the sale of their mark for similar reasons as apply to licensing. When assigning an interest in a trademark, if the associated product or service is not transferred with it, then this may be an "assignment-in-gross" and could lead to

4800-478: The municipality of Boston , the capital of the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the most populous city in New England, and its surrounding areas. The most stringent definition of the region, used by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, consists of most of the eastern third of mainland Massachusetts, excluding the Merrimack Valley and most of Southeastern Massachusetts , though most definitions (including

4880-546: The name of Sweethearts, LLC. Two months later, in July, Round Hill Investments announced the immediate closure of Necco's Revere facility following the sale of Necco to an unnamed candy manufacturer, citing "sanitation issues" it claimed it was previously unaware of. About 230 workers were laid off when the Revere plant closed. At the time, Necco was the oldest candy company in the United States. In July 2018, Necco workers were reportedly in high demand by other companies. The purchaser

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4960-489: The planet", in reference to the high concentration of entrepreneurial start-ups and quality of innovation which have emerged in the vicinity of the square since 2010. Both Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , also in Cambridge, have been ranked among the most highly regarded academic institutions in the world. The most restrictive definition of the Greater Boston area

5040-620: The population of the MAPC district was 3.2 million, which was 48% of the total population of Massachusetts, in an area of 1,422 square miles (3,680 km ), of which 39% is forested and an additional 11% is water, wetland, or other open space. The cities and towns included in this definitions are: Two definitions are used by the United States Census to define the Boston–Cambridge–Newton, MA–NH Metro Area or Boston–Cambridge–Newton, MA–NH Metropolitan NECTA , which

5120-421: The possibility of perpetual rights, provided the trademark is continuously used and renewed. However, if a trademark is no longer in use, its registration may be subject to cancellation. Trademarks can also lose protection through genericide , a process where a trademark becomes so widely used to refer to a category of goods or services that it loses its distinctiveness and legal protection. A well-known example

5200-527: The registration of the trademark. A comprehensive clearance search can help avoid costly and time-consuming issues, such as refusal to register, opposition or cancellation proceedings, or a trademark infringement lawsuit. In the United States, the USPTO maintains a publicly accessible database of registered trademarks. This database can be searched using the Trademark Search system, which replaced

5280-425: The relevant national authority. Using the ® symbol for unregistered trademarks is misleading and can be treated as unfair business practice. It may also result in civil or criminal penalties. A brand is a marketing concept that reflects how consumers perceive a product or service. It has a much wider meaning and refers to the proprietary visual, emotional, rational, and cultural image that customers associate with

5360-426: The same article. For example, the particular design of a bottle may qualify for copyright protection as a non-utilitarian [sculpture], or trademark protection based on its shape, or the ' trade dress ' appearance of the bottle as a whole may be protectable. Titles and character names from books or movies may also be protectable as trademarks while the works from which they are drawn may qualify for copyright protection as

5440-405: The same category of goods the trademark is protected under. An example of the second type is that Audi can run advertisements saying that a trade publication has rated an Audi model higher than a BMW model since they are only using "BMW" to identify the competitor. In a related sense, an auto mechanic can truthfully advertise that he services Volkswagens , and a former Playboy Playmate of

5520-408: The same time, Charles Miller started a business manufacturing and selling homemade candy in the Boston area. Clark's creation and Miller's Mary Jane quickly become two of the most popular candy creations in the country. In 1927, Necco moved into a new factory on Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge , which was then the largest factory in the world devoted entirely to candy, as seen in a photograph of

5600-596: The site of the first colony in New England, founded in 1620 by the Pilgrims , passengers of the Mayflower . In 1692, the town of Salem and surrounding areas experienced one of America's most infamous cases of mass hysteria , the Salem witch trials . In the late 18th century, Boston became known as the "Cradle of Liberty" for the agitation there that led to the American Revolution . The Greater Boston region has played

5680-486: The source of goods or services can serve as a trademark. In addition to words, slogans, designs, or combinations of these, trademarks can also include non-traditional marks like sounds, scents, or colors. Under the broad heading of trademarks, there are several specific types commonly encountered, such as trade dress, collective marks, and certification marks: To maintain distinctiveness , trademarks should function as adjectives, not as nouns or verbs, and be paired with

5760-488: The stone's origin and the workers responsible. Wine amphorae marked with seals were also found in the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun , who ruled ancient Egypt more than 3,000 years ago. Over 2,000 years ago, Chinese manufacturers sold goods marked with identifying symbols in the Mediterranean region. Trademarks have also been discovered on pottery, porcelain, and swords produced by merchants in ancient Greece and

5840-502: The tax break, which saves the company $ 300,000, reducing their annual property taxes to $ 750,000. At one city hearing, Miles Arnone, a managing director of American Capital, had a heated exchange with city council member George Rotondo (who was running for mayor). Arnone was upset about being forced to talk about Necco's health "when you're down 30 percent"; the public exposure of the issue was raising concerns from large customers of Necco such as CVS Pharmacy and Target . In May 2017, it

5920-600: Was also located nearby. Success prompted the company, in 1906, to introduce a profit sharing plan. Necco continued its production while the confectionery industry continued to boom through the turn of the century. Around the same time, businessman David L. Clark began experimenting with his own candy creations in his home outside of Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania . He began selling the Clark candy bar for five cents and shipping his creation to soldiers fighting in World War I . At

6000-459: Was announced that the Revere complex containing the company headquarters and major manufacturing center had been sold for $ 54 million to Massachusetts real estate developers Atlantic Management and VMD Companies. The complex was leased to Necco until the end of August 2018. In March 2018, chief executive Michael McGee announced that, unless a buyer for the company could be found, most of Necco's workforce could be laid off as early as May 6, 2018. With

6080-399: Was announced that the Revere complex would be leased to Amazon for use as a distribution center. The Haviland division of Necco produced many candies such as Haviland Thin Mints , Bridge Mix, and others. Greater Boston Boston–Cambridge–Newton, MA–NH MSA Other Statistical Areas in Boston CSA Greater Boston is the metropolitan region of New England encompassing

6160-465: Was around $ 100 million, at which level it was to remain for several years. In December 2007, a buyout of Necco was orchestrated by the private equity fund American Capital Strategies (in partnership with Clear Creek Capital and Domenic Antonellis, the company's CEO). Necco announced the closure of its Pewaukee, Wisconsin , plant in March 2008. In August 2008, Necco replaced its CEO with Richard Krause,

6240-530: Was named its CEO, a role he would play for nearly 30 years. From the end of the war through the 1990s, Necco continued to acquire small candy companies throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe, and with those companies, the rights to manufacture their trademarked candy bars. It acquired nearby Page & Shaw in 1960. Wisconsin's Stark Candy Company , which was founded in 1939, was acquired in 1988. The acquisition of Stark's Sweethearts , combined with Necco's existing Sweet Talk line of candies, made Necco

6320-603: Was subsequently identified as the Spangler Candy Company, who had backed out of the purchase months earlier. They planned to restart manufacture of Necco wafers, Sweethearts and Canada Mints, but other Necco-owned brands would not be retained. The Clark Bar was sold in early September to Boyer Candy Company , while other brands and equipment were disbursed at auction at the end of September. Candy buttons were bought by Doscher's Candies , and Banana Split and Mint Julep chews along with Slap Stix lollipops went to

6400-470: Was the first, and exclusive, licensed distributor of Rolo candy in the US. After losing the license to Hershey , for a time Necco marketed an identical product called "Milk Chocolate Caramel Roll". Necco, still a family-run business in 1963 but having financial problems, was acquired by United Industrial Syndicate of New York. In 1978, after several reorganizations and seven company presidents, Domenic Antonellis

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