Välinge Files Patent Infringement Suit

Viken, Sweden, December 1, 2016—Välinge has filed an action for patent infringement in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware against Halstead New England Corporation, part of the Halstead International Group (Halstead) and Home Depot Incorporated (Home Depot) for the wrongful importation, marketing and sales of LVT and WPC flooring products marketed under the names Allure Ultra, Allure Isocore and Trafficmaster. It is believed that these products are being manufactured in China under license from the company Innovations4Flooring (I4F).

Välinge has chosen to commence legal action against these defendants due to its strong opinion that the accused LVT and WPC flooring products infringe several of Välinge’s U.S. patents relating to both locking technology and product build-up, and to protect the interest of Välinge's licensees. Välinge is committed to protecting its intellectual property rights and is always prepared to take whatever legal steps are required to prevent infringement of its patents in the United States and elsewhere.

Innovations4Flooring refutes this as a “manipulative announcement” made by Välinge. “This frivolous and unsubstantiated U.S. lawsuit against one of its own customers is but another example of how Välinge is trying to ‘stamp out’ freedom of choice in the flooring industry through legal intimidation,” said John Rietveldt, CEO of I4F.

I4F believes that Välinge’s claims are counter to fact and law, and, furthermore, it believes that the company does not provide any concrete details or proof as to how or why the product brands referred to infringe any of the U.S. patents listed in its press release.

I4F says that Välinge’s announcement inaccurately names brands not represented by Halstead, as well as highlights patents completely unrelated to the allegedly infringing product brands.

In this lawsuit, Välinge asserts that the defendants by using, importing and/or selling the products in question infringe multiple claims in no less than nine different Välinge patents duly and properly issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, including: (a.) U.S. Patent No. 7,398,625; (b.) U.S. Patent No. 7,763,345; (c.) U.S. Patent No. 8,021,741; (d.) U.S. Patent No. 8,365,499; (e.) U.S. Patent No. 8,584,423; (f.) U.S. Patent No. 8,658,274; (g.) U.S. Patent No. 8,756,899; (h.) U.S. Patent No. 8,834,992; and (i.) U.S. Patent No. 9,249,581.