Unilin Patent 311 Confirmed by EPO; Windmöller to Appeal

Wielsbeke, Belgium, May 8, 2019-On May 6, the European Patent Office (EPO) confirmed the validity of European patent No. 2 588 311 (EP 311) owned by Unilin BVBA in opposition proceedings filed by Windmöller GmbH; Windmöller will appeal the EPO decision, believing it has strong non-infringement arguments against this patent.

The patent covers the majority of clic LVT panels with a fiberglass layer being on the market nowadays, given the fact that the patent places no limitation on the particular type of locking system being used on the panel.

Windmöller filed the opposition against EP 311 before the EPO on February 2. After having heard all of Windmöller’s arguments, the EPO decided to maintain the patent in a form being novel and inventive over all of the cited prior art. The decision was pronounced at the oral hearing of May 6th, 2019 and is appealable.

Unilin had already filed an infringement action based on EP 311 against Windmöller before the court of Düsseldorf, Germany.