i4F and Happy Feet settle potential US lawsuit out of court on rigid vinyl SPC “Stone Elegance” branded products

• New protection covers all new materials, including LVT, SPC and EPC products, with locking
• More freedom to operate on new material products featuring i4F locking technologies
• Unlicensed products using i4F drop-lock technologies exposed as part of its US sweep program
• Happy Feet commits to labeling all products using i4F technologies with L2C holographic labels
• i4F further strengthens patent protection for licensees and partners via vigorous enforcement

HAMONT, BELGIUM – i4F®, a group of companies providing patents and technologies to the flooring industry, today announced an out of court settlement following i4F’s complaint with a view to civil action served on US distributor Happy Feet International. The parties settled for an undisclosed amount, and a commitment from Happy Feet ensuring that all future products using i4F locking technologies will feature an L2C holographic label.

i4F discovered the unlicensed products as part of its on-going enforcement program designed to ensure all i4F technologies, including 3L Triplelock and Click4U, as well as those it represents on behalf of its partners, are not infringed upon, or used without the appropriate license agreement. This on-going enforcement program also ensures that i4F licensees remain first in line with accessibility to the most advanced industry innovations.

During its US-wide retailer/distributor sweep, i4F discovered the “Stone Elegance” collection of rigid vinyl SPC panels, produced by Wonderful Flooring, was on sale in Brookside Lumber Store without the required license. In March 2021, i4F notified Happy Feet that it was aware that Happy Feet was distributing Stone Elegance products using i4F’s proprietary locking technologies not carrying the i4F label. 

The out of court settlement has avoided further litigation. i4F continues to do everything in its power to safeguard its licensees, patents and technologies around the world by implementing a patent strategy providing licensees with transparency and flexibility, a strong and broad scope of patent protection as well as vigorous enforcement.