Vermont Sales – South African trademarks

Updated 8 November 2026

Vermont Sales is a South African distributor of tools, hardware and DIY products sold through hardware stores.

How Vermont Sales has built and protected its brands in South Africa – its trademark portfolio, where it expanded, how quickly its marks are registered, and who it competes with.

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#288largest trademark owner in South Africa (of 121,626)
208trademarks filed
8different logos published since 2020
17of 45 classes used
2002first trademark filed
182filed in the last 10 years

Vermont Sales trademarks in 45 seconds

Vermont Sales trademarks in 45 seconds

Watch the video on its own page, with transcript – https://snz.co.za/trademark-country-selection-direct/vermont-sales-south-african-trademarks/overview-video.html

A portfolio built over time

Vermont Sales filed its first South African trademark in 2002 and has filed 208 since; its busiest year was 2024, with 131 new filings. The chart shows its filings per year from 1970.

Trademarks by filing year, up to 2024; applications still pending are not included.

The names behind the portfolio

Over the years the group has filed under several names – earlier company names, holding companies and subsidiaries. We count them together.

NameMarksFiling years
Vermont Sales2082002–2024

Where Vermont Sales expanded its business

Trademark classes show what a business sells. Vermont Sales' portfolio is concentrated in machines (class 7), hand tools (class 8), electronics & software (class 9). Its most recent moves were into paints (2024), paper & print (2024), rubber & plastics (2024).

Vermont Sales trademarks: expansion into trademark classes, 1970–2024

Vermont Sales trademarks: expansion into trademark classes, 1970–2024

Watch the video on its own page, with transcript – https://snz.co.za/trademark-country-selection-direct/vermont-sales-south-african-trademarks/class-expansion-video.html

Each tile is a class; it lights up when the group first files in it and darkens with more filings; the dots show how many of its closest rivals also file in that class. The chart compares the number of classes used with its rivals. The video runs from 1970; classes entered earlier are lit from the start.

ClassMarksShareSince
7 Machines3516.8%2009
8 Hand tools3114.9%2002
9 Electronics & software2913.9%2013
35 Advertising & retail2913.9%2015
3 Cosmetics & cleaning2110.1%2013
20 Furniture167.7%2013
41 Education & entertainment125.8%2015
1 Chemicals104.8%2022

The brands Vermont Sales protects most

The word marks and logo names Vermont Sales has filed most often – the same brand filed in more classes, in more versions or again over the years.

#BrandTrademarksClassesFiled
1D-TECH2172015–2024
2AIRCRAFT PNEUMATIC SYSTEMS1762024–2024
3AD1682022–2024
4VERMONT SALES11112024–2024
5AIR CRAFT PNEUMATIC SYSTEMS1052021–2021
6TORK CRAFT TOOLS FOR EVERY JOB1052018–2018
7TORK CRAFT872002–2018
8PRO-TECH822022–2022
9TALKCRAFT742024–2024
10A BLADE FOR EVERY CUT662024–2024
11TOOLS FOR EVERY JOB662024–2024
12D-TECH CHEMICAL ANCHOR552024–2024
13D-TECH DOMINATOR552024–2024
14D-TECH DYNAMIC552024–2024
15FACTORY TOOL SHOP552024–2024

Logos filed most often (since 2020)

Vermont Sales trademark logo
21 filings · 6 classes
Vermont Sales trademark logo
19 filings · 7 classes
Vermont Sales trademark logo
16 filings · 8 classes
Vermont Sales trademark logo
8 filings · 2 classes
Vermont Sales trademark logo
5 filings · 5 classes
Vermont Sales trademark logo
4 filings · 2 classes
Vermont Sales trademark logo
3 filings · 3 classes
Vermont Sales trademark logo
2 filings · 2 classes

Vermont Sales' logos

The 8 different logos Vermont Sales has had published since 2020 – each logo shown once, however many classes or versions it was filed in. Logos protected in more classes come first.

How quickly its trademarks are registered

Over the last five years, Vermont Sales' marks took a median of 2.2 years from filing to registration, faster than the market's 2.7 years. Most of that time is examination: 1.6 years from filing to acceptance (market: 1.9). Registration itself follows about half a year after acceptance.

Median years from filing to registration per registration year, split into examination (filing → acceptance) and acceptance → registration; the dashed line is the market median. A high recent value means older applications came through that year.

Who files the most in Vermont Sales' classes

Ranked by number of trademarks filed in Vermont Sales' main classes – any company that files there, whatever else it does (including retailers' own brands). This shows Vermont Sales' market position, not who is most like it.

In the last five years, Vermont Sales was #1 of 1,185 filers in class 7 (machines), with 27 of 1,880 trademarks; #1 of 395 filers in class 8 (hand tools), with 25 of 691 trademarks; #16 of 4,926 filers in class 9 (electronics & software), with 25 of 10,252 trademarks.

Vermont Sales' share of all trademarks filed in each of its main classes, per filing year.

Top trademark filers in class 7 (machines), South Africa 1975–2024: Vermont Sales

Top trademark filers in class 7 (machines), South Africa 1975–2024: Vermont Sales

Watch the video on its own page, with transcript – https://snz.co.za/trademark-country-selection-direct/vermont-sales-south-african-trademarks/class-7-race-video.html

Main competitors – the companies most like Vermont Sales

Ranked by how similar their whole trademark portfolio is to Vermont Sales' – the same mix of classes and the same words in their marks – not by size. Large filers in its classes that do something different rank lower here.

Vermont Sales trademarks vs competitors: filings per year, 2010–2024

Vermont Sales trademarks vs competitors: filings per year, 2010–2024

Watch the video on its own page, with transcript – https://snz.co.za/trademark-country-selection-direct/vermont-sales-south-african-trademarks/competitors-video.html

Trademark filings per year: Vermont Sales (orange) and its five closest competitors.

#CompanyRelationshipSimilarity
1MotusRetailer's own brands82%
2TFGRetailer's own brands79%
3AutozoneRetailer's own brands74%
4MassmartRetailer's own brands73%
5ShopriteRetailer's own brands71%
6BuildingRetailer's own brands70%
7WalmartRetailer's own brands66%
8BidvestOther field72%
9MichelinOther field68%
10LG ElectronicsOther field66%

Similarity of trademark activity since 2015 (classes and words used in marks). Retailers appear where their own brands compete on the shelf.

Vermont Sales – relevant export countries

South Africa exported US$6.9 billion of the goods Vermont Sales' main classes cover in the last year – machines; machine tools; parts; saws (class 7); hand tools; hand-operated; blades; parts (class 8); computer software; measuring; computers; gloves (class 9); cosmetics; essential oils; dentifrices; perfumery (class 3); furniture; mirrors; picture frames; not of metal (class 20). Combining where these goods are exported, imported, growing and made (and copied), and what protection costs, these are the markets where Vermont Sales' trademarks matter most.

Where South Africa exports Vermont Sales' top goods

Vermont Sales' trademarks most often cover machines, hand tools, cosmetics and furniture. South Africa's ten largest export markets for these goods took 66% of its exports of them in 2024.

South Africa's exports of each good to the country in 2024 (US$ million). The goods are the ones Vermont Sales' specifications mention most in its main classes; the figures are national exports, not the company's own sales.

Adjust the weightings

These weightings decide how the countries below are ranked. Change any value and the others adjust to keep the total at 100%.

Worldwide

#MarketScoreSA exportsImport growth / yrRouteCost, 5 classes
1European Union80US$1.2 billion+0%NationalUS$2,388
2United States of America73US$444 m+2%NationalUS$3,425
3Türkiye61US$286 m+6%NationalUS$1,258
4India60US$30 m+5%NationalUS$1,295
5United Kingdom59US$92 m-1%NationalUS$1,371
6Canada59US$55 m-0%NationalUS$2,192
7Australia57US$143 m-3%NationalUS$2,380
8Russian Federation55US$13 m+4%NationalUS$1,915
9Hong Kong SAR55US$10 m+6%NationalUS$1,715
10Indonesia54US$37 m+3%NationalUS$2,630

Africa

#MarketScoreSA exportsImport growth / yrRouteCost, 5 classes
1OAPI (17 states)50US$215 m+11%NationalUS$1,563 S&Z
2Morocco49US$17 m+20%NationalUS$1,408
3Zimbabwe48US$528 m+13%ARIPOUS$450 S&Z
4Namibia48US$506 m+18%ARIPOUS$450 S&Z
5Nigeria48US$45 m-6%NationalUS$1,015 S&Z
6Mozambique46US$356 m+13%ARIPOUS$450 S&Z
7Egypt46US$12 m-3%NationalUS$2,278
8Tanzania45US$111 m+2%ARIPOUS$450 S&Z
9Algeria45US$776 k+32%NationalUS$1,445
10Lesotho43US$103 m+37%NationalUS$326

SA exports = South Africa's exports of these goods to the market in the last year. Ranked with the default weightings. Score 0–100 from South Africa's exports of the goods to the market, net imports, import growth, foreign trademark filings, where the goods are made, market size and the cost of protection. Costs are total fees (official and professional) to file in 5 classes; ARIPO costs are per country, plus US$301 once per ARIPO application; S&Z = S&Z's own all-in price. Goods are taken from the classes and specifications, so the ranking is indicative.

Trade data: CEPII BACI (version 202601, trade flows 2022–2024), Licence Etalab 2.0; aggregated and combined with other data by S&Z.

Protecting its top brands in Nigeria and OAPI with S&Z

BrandClassesNigeriaOAPI (17 states)
D-TECH7US$1,421US$1,932
AIRCRAFT PNEUMATIC SYSTEMS6US$1,218US$1,748
AD8US$1,624US$2,117
VERMONT SALES11US$2,233US$2,671
AIR CRAFT PNEUMATIC SYSTEMS5US$1,015US$1,563

S&Z all-in prices per brand in its number of classes, filing to registration.

TM Country Selection  Rank the countries for your own goods and get the quotes.

Word marks you may have considered opposing

For Vermont Sales' five most-filed brands: word marks of other companies (not Vermont Sales' own group) that our similar word mark search, SimTM, found in the brand's own classes, and that we consider confusingly similar – from the earliest match found to today.

Similar to D-TECH (classes 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 35; searched 2018-02-28 to 2026-11-08)

No confusingly similar marks of other companies found in this period.

Similar to AIRCRAFT PNEUMATIC SYSTEMS (classes 3, 7, 8, 9, 20, 35; searched 2018-04-25 to 2026-11-08)

No confusingly similar marks of other companies found in this period.

Similar to VERMONT SALES (classes 3, 9, 35; searched 2018-06-27 to 2026-11-08)

No confusingly similar marks of other companies found in this period.

Similar to AIR CRAFT PNEUMATIC SYSTEMS (classes 3, 7, 8, 9, 20; searched 2018-01-31 to 2026-11-08)

No confusingly similar marks of other companies found in this period.

Similar to TORK CRAFT TOOLS FOR EVERY JOB (classes 3, 7, 8, 9, 20; searched 2018-08-29 to 2026-11-08)

No confusingly similar marks of other companies found in this period.

Similarity of the words only. Whether a mark could have been opposed depends on the goods and services, the reputation of the brand and the facts – S&Z can advise. New marks like these are what SimTM watch reports as they are published.

How S&Z can help you

S&Z does not just file trademarks. We are a technology-first firm that manages trademarks – analysing your data, monitoring competitors and making sure your trademark assets remain protected.

We manage your trademarks – not just file them

Analysing your data, monitoring competitors and making sure your trademark assets remain protected:

Renewal managementEvery renewal date in your portfolio tracked and paid online.
Competitor watchGet real-time competitor analysis.
Similar-mark watchNew word marks that come close to yours, found as they are published using SimTM.
Expansion into AfricaLowest-cost trademark expansion into Africa - Nigeria, OAPI.

Filing and renewal at fixed, all-inclusive prices

S&Z prices – South African trademarks

Filing, first class – incl. official fee, examination report, routine office action, acceptance, publication, registration and e-certificateUS$240
Each additional class of the same mark, filed at the same timeUS$225
Renewal online, per class (every 10 years from filing)R1,027
≈ US$62.29

Renewal in rand; US$ at R16.49 per US$.

Vermont Sales' next five years of renewals

29 of Vermont Sales' registered marks reach their ten-year renewal date in 2027–2031. Renewed online with S&Z, that costs about US$1,806 over the five years.

Vermont Sales: frequently asked questions

What should Vermont Sales consider for its trademarks?
  • Where to file next: its goods sell strongly in OAPI (17 states), Zimbabwe and Namibia – markets where South African exports of the same goods are large or growing, and where S&Z files at its own all-in prices (see “Vermont Sales – relevant export countries”).
  • Possible gaps: its competitors also protect class 11 (lighting & appliances), class 27 (carpets) – worth checking against what the business sells or plans to sell.
  • Renewals and use: keep track of the ten-year renewal dates and of marks that are no longer used – unused marks can be challenged after five years, and some may no longer be worth renewing.
Which are the top export countries for Vermont Sales' goods?
For the five goods Vermont Sales' trademarks cover most, South Africa's largest export markets in 2024 were Germany, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia. The ten markets in the chart take 66% of these exports, and 61% of that goes to other African countries. The largest of these markets per good: machines (US$5.4 billion): Germany, Zambia, Zimbabwe; hand tools (US$137 million): United States, Namibia, Zimbabwe; cosmetics (US$327 million): Botswana, Namibia, United States; furniture (US$191 million): Namibia, Botswana, Zambia. Exports to Botswana and Namibia move freely within the Southern African Customs Union, but a South African trademark does not protect a brand there – each country needs its own registration (or an ARIPO designation). These are national export figures for the goods, not the company's own sales. Trade data: CEPII BACI (version 202601, trade flows 2022–2024), Licence Etalab 2.0; aggregated and combined with other data by S&Z.
Which of Vermont Sales' brands have been protected the longest?
Several of Vermont Sales' brands have been protected for generations and are still being filed today: TORK CRAFT (first filed 2002, most recently 2018); D-TECH (first filed 2015, most recently 2024); TORK CRAFT TOOLS FOR EVERY JOB (first filed 2018, most recently 2018); AIR CRAFT PNEUMATIC SYSTEMS (first filed 2021, most recently 2021); GASCRAFT (first filed 2022, most recently 2022). Brands that are refiled over decades – in new classes, new logos or updated packaging – keep their protection current as the business changes.
How many new brands does Vermont Sales launch each year?
Counting only brand names it had never filed before, Vermont Sales filed about 4.6 new brand names a year over the last five complete years, more than the 1.4 a year in the five years before; its busiest year in the last decade was 2024, with 17. Its closest competitors averaged 9.7 new brand names a year over the same period (Motus 8.4, TFG 8.8, Autozone 1.8, Massmart 9.8, Shoprite 19.8). New brand names are a good indicator of product launches and innovation.
How broadly does Vermont Sales protect each brand?
Vermont Sales has filed 35 different brand names. 9% of them are protected in a single class, while 17 cover five classes or more – the widest is VERMONT SALES, in 11 classes. A brand used beyond its core product (merchandise, services, related goods) needs protection in each of those classes: in South Africa each class is a separate application.
When in the year does Vermont Sales usually file trademarks?
Over the last ten years, Vermont Sales filed most often in August (25% of its filings), June (19%) and July (12%); the busiest quarter was Q3 (45%). Filing well before a launch matters: rights in South Africa date from the filing date, and examination can take more than a year.
Which classes do Vermont Sales' competitors protect that Vermont Sales does not?
Several of Vermont Sales' closest competitors have filed since 2015 in classes Vermont Sales has never used: class 11 (lighting & appliances, 5 of its top five competitors); class 27 (carpets, 5 of its top five competitors); class 12 (vehicles, 4 of its top five competitors); class 39 (transport & travel, 4 of its top five competitors). These are not necessarily gaps – they may reflect different products – but they are worth reviewing against the goods and services the business actually offers or plans.
How do retailers' own brands compete with Vermont Sales in trademarks?
Retailers' house brands are a growing presence in Vermont Sales' market. In class 7 (machines), Motus, TFG and Autozone filed 1% of all trademarks in 2020–2024, compared with 1% in 2005–2014. Retailers are often a brand owner's largest customers and, through their own brands, also its competitors.
Why did some of Vermont Sales' trademarks take more than five years to register?
Of Vermont Sales' trademarks registered in the last two years, 0% had waited more than four years since filing. Almost all of that time is examination: the South African registry has been working through a backlog, so many applications filed in 2020–2022 are only now being accepted. Once a mark is accepted, it is advertised and normally registered within about six months. Prompt responses to the registry's examination reports (office actions) avoid adding further delay.
How long do Vermont Sales' South African trademarks last, and when must they be renewed?
A South African trademark registration lasts ten years from the filing date and can be renewed for further ten-year periods indefinitely. Renewal can be paid in the months before the due date, and a six-month grace period applies after it, with a late-payment fee; a mark that is not renewed is removed from the register. A registered mark can also be challenged if it has not been used for five years or more, so use matters as much as renewal.
Do Vermont Sales' South African trademarks protect its brands elsewhere in Africa?
No – trademarks are territorial, and a South African registration covers South Africa only. South Africa is not a member of the Madrid system, so international registration is not available to South African applicants. Protection elsewhere in Africa comes from national filings (for example Nigeria), a single OAPI registration covering 17 West and Central African states, or a regional ARIPO application designating member states such as Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. S&Z files in all of these, including Nigeria together with South Africa (SANi).
What can Vermont Sales do if someone files a mark similar to one of its brands?
When a new application is advertised for opposition, the owner of an earlier, similar mark can oppose it – in South Africa within three months of the advertisement (this period can be extended). After registration, a conflicting mark can still be challenged through rectification of the register, and use of a confusingly similar mark can be stopped through an infringement action. The key is seeing new applications in time, which is what a similar-mark watch does.
What is SimTM?
SimTM is the similar-trademark technology behind GlobalIPCo's South African trademark watching services, which S&Z uses. It identifies newly published trademarks that sound or look similar to a registered mark, at four levels of sensitivity that progressively widen the marks flagged – from the most relevant to marks of more general interest. It is fast enough to check every trademark journal as it is published, so owners can be alerted to similar marks while they can still be opposed within the three-month opposition period. The word marks listed under “Word marks you may have considered opposing” were found with SimTM's two closest levels and then reviewed, so only marks we consider confusingly similar to Vermont Sales' brands are shown.
How accurate is the information on this page?
The figures, charts and videos on this page are based on trademark and trade data obtained by S&Z, and are only as accurate as that data. Records can be incomplete, delayed or contain errors, and linking marks to Vermont Sales and its group companies involves judgement. S&Z therefore does not guarantee that all the information is 100% accurate or complete. It is a general overview, not legal advice: please contact S&Z before relying on it for a filing, renewal, opposition or other decision.