- All legal procedures between the parties settled
- Settlement agreements cover all new materials, including LVT, SPC and EPC products, with locking
- I4F has the right to ensure that its licensees will not be subject to the currently pending ITC proceedings in the United States as a result of the settlement
WILLEMSTAD, CURAÇAO – I4F today announced that it has recently entered into separate, confidential settlement agreements with Flooring Industries (Unilin) and Välinge Innovation AB.
As a result, the three parties will withdraw from all pending litigation in the United States and Europe. Based on the agreement with Unilin, I4F has the right to ensure that its licensees will not be subject to the currently pending ITC proceedings in the United States.
The scope for both settlement agreements is for so-called “New Materials Products” with locking. This means floor coverings using a locking, on both the long and/or short sides – with or without a bevel – featuring a thermoplastic-based or mineralbased core. These floor coverings are also known as luxury vinyl tile (LVT), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), multi-layer flooring (MLF), waterproof polymer core (WPC), solid polymer composite (SPC), expanded polymer core (EPC), magnesium oxide (MgO), polypropylene (PP) or polyurethane (PU).
Various on-going litigation during the last five years between the parties has led to continuous legal uncertainty, costs and commercial risks in the global flooring market. To put an end to these detrimental effects on innovation, investment and competition, the parties have agreed to settle their disputes. For I4F licensees, this means that all on-going legal proceedings linked to I4F, involving Unilin, Mohawk or Välinge will be withdrawn. This new situation also gives I4F licensees the possibility to sign up for a significantly expanded scope of protection against future risks of litigation when producing and selling new materials products with I4F’s locking technologies.
I4F believes these confidential settlement agreements are the best possible outcome for its licensees and all parties as it enables business to move forward with a focus on innovation.