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Gray Manufacturing Company, Inc., (Gray) announced today a settlement agreement with Service De Freins Montréal Ltée., also known as Montréal Brakes Services Ltd. (Freno). As part of the agreement, Service De Freins admitted that the SEFAC wireless mobile column lifts it sold violate Gray’s Canadian Patent No. 2,406,340 covering Gray’s coordinated wireless lift system. Service De Freins further recognize the continued validity and enforceability of Gray’s Canadian Patent. The Canadian lawsuit was filed by Gray Manufacturing as a result of Service De Freins sale of SEFAC’s wireless mobile lifts in Canada to end-users. The settlement agreement will release Service De Freins from the pending lawsuit filed by Gray.
In response to the agreement, Gray’s president, Stet Schanze stated, “We appreciate Service De Freins Montréal Ltée’s cooperation relative to this matter and the fact that they agreed that the SEFAC wireless mobile column lifts they sold violated Gray’s patent. They also acknowledge the validity and enforceability of the Gray patent. More importantly, we appreciate that Service De Freins will no longer conduct marketing or sales of the wireless mobile column lifts manufactured by SEFAC, S.A., which Gray asserts infringe the Gray patent in Canada and multiple Gray patents in the United States. This was an unfortunate situation where Service De Freins was caught in the middle of a dispute between Gray Manufacturing and SEFAC. This agreement now gets Service De Freins out of unnecessary litigation as they recognize their infringement and the validity and enforceability of our patents which allows both companies to pursue our normal business matters rather than detracting and expensive litigation.”
Gray Manufacturing is in similar litigation with SEFAC S.A., and SEFAC USA in the United States where Gray alleges SEFAC has blatantly disregarded Gray’s patents directed to wireless mobile column lifts. Schanze stated, “Gray believes that SEFAC continues to damage Gray Manufacturing and Gray’s authorized license holders by SEFAC’s purposeful infringement and confusion to the market. Just because SEFAC wants to sell wireless lifts in the United States and Canada, it does not give them the legal right to do so. We believe these are reckless actions that SEFAC is taking and Gray has suffered irreparable harm and damages. Gray’s numerous wireless mobile column lift patents are well fortified and have survived challenges in the United States Patent and Trademark Office and in the United States Federal Court system. Gray will vigorously defend its intellectual property rights and fully expects the Federal Court to rule that Gray’s patents are valid and infringed by SEFAC USA and SEFAC, S.A. We look forward to our trial against SEFAC which will take place in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Gray’s patents are the result of substantial investments in research and development. Gray has an obligation to our customers, our stakeholders, our employees, our licensees, and the market to enforce these important patent rights agains SEFAC and anyone who uses the SW2.2 or SW3 wireless mobile column lifts in violation of those patent rights.”
Read official press release here.