LOS ANGELES - A Los Angeles furniture manufacturer has agreed to rename his business, settling the latest in a series of trademark infringement suits by Century Furniture, Hickory, NC.

The latest complaint was originally filed May 17, 2011 in California Central District Court, by the Hickory, NC-based Century Furniture llc against Century Furniture Mfg.. or CFM. Based in Los Angeles, the complaint clharged that CFM infringed on Hickory-based Century Furniture by designing, manufacturing and marketing furniture under the Century name.

Court documents obtained by Woodworking Network name Pablo Contreras in the complaint, as well as his firm, Century Furniture Mfg., operating at 1438 East Slauson Ave. in Los Angeles. The case was dismissed December 2, 2011, with the understanding that Contreras would rename his business. Furniture Today reported the firm has done so. It is already listed in the Yellow Pages under CP Furniture Mfg.

The action in the California federal court follows other protective efforts by employee-owned Century Furniture, a unit of CV Industries. In 2010, Century Furniture sued Walmart and Costco over trademark infringement for selling furniture branded as Century but not made by it.