USTC Seizes SPC for Unilin Patent Infringement

Waregem, Belgium, May 4, 2023-In April 2023, the U.S. International Trade Commission (USTC) again ordered to seize and forfeit containers of infringing SPC products, this time imported by a company from Toronto.

Four months ago, the U.S. ITC also publicly seized products that violate the General Exclusion Order regarding Unilin’s click SPC patents.

The General Exclusion Order issued by the U.S. ITC has been in place since 2020 to secure against companies that import products that infringe on Unilin’s patents concerning SPC products. The Toronto company’s vinyl tiles that are in violation of the exclusion order, and those belonging to its affiliated or related businesses, will be seized and forfeited as a results of the seizure order.

Unilin requested that the General Exclusion Order be issued to prevent the importation of such infringing products. Such an order would not only protect Unilin's intellectual property rights, but also preserve the integrity of the market by ensuring fair competition and safeguarding the investment of innovative companies in research and development, as well as by protecting their licensed partners.