PROLONGED PAINTING
Bugatti issued a press release this past March detailing its whopping 600-hour process in painting a vehicle. Before the paint is even opened, specialists check panels for minuscule pits that may affect the finish and other imperfections. After clearing the car, a layer of primer is applied and sanded, followed by a second layer. Before the painters apply this first shade, they undertake a comprehensive process of clear coating and sanding. Once the car is painted to the high standards required by Bugatti, there are still four days of polishing in its future. Finally, the paintwork is scrutinized for no less than ten hours. In total, this extremely meticulous process is the equivalent of one person working 24 hours a day constantly for nearly a month.
HERE’S THE T
Tesla has won a trademark infringement lawsuit against Sino Drinks, which was selling ‘Tesila’ branded beers and sodas bearing a logo suspiciously similar to Tesla. The case against Sino Drinks was filed over a year ago. Tesla accused the company of unlawfully using its trademarks and requested approx. $928,000 in compensation. The Shanghai High Court ruled in favour of Tesla, and Sino must halt its use of the OEM’s trademark. Thankfully, the two companies were able to reach an agreement and Giga Bier launched in March 2023.
MIND YOUR BEESWAX
Burlington, Ontario, was quite literally buzzing with activity after a truck carrying five million bees spilled its contents onto the road. Halton regional police stated that they received a call reporting the bees had come loose from a truck and spilled onto a road in Burlington, Ontario. The boxes containing the beehives had slid off the trailer that was transporting them due to being improperly strapped down. Police reached out to several beekeepers in the area who were able to safely collect the bee crates as well as most of the bees themselves. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured–although, the driver of the transport truck did receive over 100 bee stings and was attended by paramedics.
BOTTOMS UP
While North America has faced concerns over Tide pod ingestion, Spain recently confronted a new challenge concerning the potential consumption of cleaning products after the European grocery store, Lidl, was forced to recall an apricot-scented paint cleaner. The car paint cleaner called Robbyrob, came in a one-litre bottle with a red screw-top lid. The actual cleaner was orange coloured and apricot scented. Instructions were only listed in German and English, and this created concerns that Spanish shoppers would think the product was meant for consumption. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs stepped in following a complaint made by the FACUA-Consumers in Action Group and agreed that the lack of Spanish instructions compounded with the product’s qualities made it a potential risk. The product has since been removed from shelves.
