Area company demands competitor stop taking its name for granite

Boston Granite Exchange, which is not actually based in Boston, has sued Greater Boston Granite, which is also not based in Boston, to get it to stop using that name.

In the lawsuit, filed in US District Court in Boston, Boston Granite Exchange accuses Greater Boston Granite of trademark infringement and says customers are already being confused by the similar names.

Boston Granite Exchange says it's operated under that name since 1999 and that the other guys are arrivistes who changed their name from JC International in 2009 in a deliberate attempt to cash in on its name. The older company has offices in Haverhill and West Bridgewater; the newer company in Lowell.

Boston Granite Exchange is seeking a court order that would force the other company to change its name, shut down its Web site and, of course, pay lots of money in damages.