Langeman Manufacturing Wins Major Infringement Case

[10/20/2008] Madison, WI – The United States District Court in the Western District of Wisconsin has ruled the Langeman Manufacturing patents, covering the use of filament-bearing tape for trimming polyurethane truck bedliners, were infringed by several industry participants, including Rhino Linings, USA.

“The Court’s ruling confirms that many of Langeman’s competitors had unlawfully copied Langeman’s breakthrough invention for effectively trimming truck bedlinings by using copycat products to Langeman’s highly successful WireTrim® tape products,” says Bill Schuurman, a patent litigation expert with Vinson & Elkins, who represented Langeman in the litigation.

In July 2007, Langeman Manufacturing filed suit against a number of companies, including Rhino Linings USA, Trim Tape, Ultimate Linings, Pinnacle West, Vortex Sprayliners, Ziebart International and Zefr Composites, for patent infringement of its patents related to the use of filament-bearing tape to trim vehicle liners. “A great deal of time and money has gone into the development of our remarkable, industry-altering invention and into the development of our WireTrim® products and filing suit was absolutely necessary to protect our investment,” says Gary Langeman, President of Langeman Manufacturing. “Langeman was the first company to develop the concept and produce a filament-bearing tape for the trimming of spray-on liners. We obtained patent protection for our inventions and could not sit back while others were deliberately copying our patents.”

“The evidence in this case clearly demonstrated that Langeman invested the time and resources in developing and manufacturing this cutting-edge technology, and then obtained legally valid and binding patents for it,” says Avelyn Ross, a patent litigator with Vinson & Elkins LLP in Austin, who also represented Langeman. “These companies wrongfully piggy-backed off of Langeman’s work and thus took away Langeman’s well-deserved benefits,” says Ms. Ross.

In an order issued September 18, United States District Judge Barbara B. Crabb of Madison, Wisconsin, entered a final judgment that Rhino Linings USA and two of its dealers, infringed the patents obtained by Langeman. In an earlier order granting summary judgment of infringement, Judge Crabb noted that the defendants “do not argue that there is no evidence of infringement … Perhaps they have other arguments, but a party opposing summary judgment may not simply tell the court that other reasons for denying the motion are lurking somewhere in the record.”

Langeman is proud to announce that it has reached out-of-court settlements with each of the defendants. The terms of the settlements are confidential.

Langeman Manufacturing, an Ontario-based high-tech maker of machinery, chemicals, and industrial products, is a family owned and operated business with its roots firmly planted in innovation. Founded by Peter Langeman, Langeman Manufacturing focused initially on the invention, design and manufacture of automation equipment for farms and factories across Canada and the United States. Today, Langeman Manufacturing carries on this tradition of innovation under the leadership of Mr. Langeman’s son, Gary Langeman. Gary Langeman continues his father’s vision while continuing to guide the company in new directions, including the spray-on truck bedliner industry.

Langeman owns patents directed toward filament-bearing tape and its use to trim truck bedliners in Canada, the United States and several other countries. These patents include: 2,170,573 in Canada; 6,025,045, 6,284,319, 6,875,469, and 7,014,900 in the United States; 712983 in Australia; 3818670 in Japan; and 883445 in Europe.

Langeman Manufacturing was represented in the litigation by a multi-office patent litigation team from Vinson & Elkins LLP, led by Ms. Ross.

About Langeman Manufacturing – In business since 1954, Langeman Manufacturing Ltd. began as a machine repair and welding shop, evolving as a high-tech manufacturer of machinery and industrial products. Langeman Manufacturing has developed a multitude of products, raising the bar and taking the spray-on truck liner industry to a new level of consumer acceptance and satisfaction. For more information, please visit www.langeman.com.

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