Gray Manufacturing Issues Second Buyer Beware Statement

Sefac Wireless Lifts Still Part of Ongoing Patent Infringement Suit

Gray Manufacturing Company, Inc., a family owned and operated business in St. Joseph, Missouri, specializing in manufacturing and selling portable lifting equipment for use by professional mechanics and original inventor of wireless mobile column lifts, re-iterates its previously issued “Buyer Beware” notice regarding the purchase of wireless mobile column lifts in the United States sold by Sefac USA Inc.- lifts which are the subject of an active patent infringement suits brought by Gray against Sefac USA. Sefac USA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sefac S.A., a French corporation.

Gray initiated its patent infringement lawsuits against Sefac USA Inc. in October 2017, and since that time Sefac has continued to market and sell wireless mobile column lifts to customers in the United States that Gray alleges blatantly infringe Gray’s intellectual property rights. There are currently 3 actively pending separate lawsuits between Gray and Sefac surrounding Gray’s allegations of patent infringement of the wireless mobile column lifts and the parties are currently awaiting rulings from the court.

Any representation by Sefac that their wireless lifts are “certified” does not mean the lifts do not infringe Gray’s patent rights. Any suggestion that Gray is allowing Sefac to sell mobile column lifts into the U.S. market or that
Sefac has acquired a license from Gray to sell its wireless mobile column lifts into the U.S. market are false.

Gray company president, Stet Schanze, stated: “Gray has an obligation to our customers, our stakeholders, our employees, our licensees, and the market to enforce these important patent rights against Sefac USA and anyone who uses the SW2.2 mobile column lifts in violation of those rights. We will not standby and allow any manufacturer of wireless mobile column lifts to infringe these patent rights. We have vigorously sought to enforce
our patent rights against Sefac’s wireless mobile column lifts and fully expect the Federal Court to rule in Gray’s favor. While the current pandemic has undoubtedly delayed long-anticipated rulings in Gray’s favor, we look
forward to the day when the Court rules and holds Sefac accountable for its intentional and reckless infringement of Gray’s U.S. patent rights.”

About Gray Manufacturing
Gray Manufacturing has been designing, manufacturing and selling lifting equipment since 1952 and practices principled business actions. Gray Manufacturing is a market leader in the lifting industry through innovative
designs and unsurpassed service to its customers. Patents are issued to spur American companies to invent and develop products that improve our way of life and are the backbone of American manufacturing and entrepreneurialism.

Click here for a PDF of the press release.

Gray Manufacturing Company, Inc.
St. Joseph, Missouri
www.grayusa.com