ITC finds Sany guilty of infringing Manitowoc patents, bars Chinese company from selling SCC8500 in US

Updated Apr 28, 2015
Following a ruling from the U.S. International Trade Commission, Sany is banned from importing and selling the SCC8500 in the U.S.Following a ruling from the U.S. International Trade Commission, Sany is banned from importing and selling the SCC8500 in the U.S.

After making an initial ruling in favor of Manitowoc last year, the U.S. International Trade Commission has made a final judgement in favor of the company in its crane patent case against Chinese equipment manufacturer Sany.

The ITC ruled Sany’s SCC8500 crawler crane violates section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, infringing upon one Manitowoc patent and misappropriating six Manitowoc trade secrets.

 

RELATED >> Manitowoc lawsuit against Sany based on counterweight patents to be used in two future cranes

The infringed patent covered Manitowoc’s Variable Position Counterweight technology (VPC) which allows the crane’s counterweight to move forward and away from the boom of the crane, rather than remaining stationary on the ground.

As a result, the commission has barred Sany from importing and selling in the U.S. the SCC8500 and any other cranes that infringe on Manitowoc patents or use any of the ruled upon trade secrets, for 10 years.

Sany is also not permitted to market, advertise or distribute the offending cranes in the U.S.

Manitowoc filed its complaint against Sany on June 12, 2013 in Wisconsin, originally accusing Sany crane engineer John Lanning of misappropriating two patents which deal with counterweight systems. Lanning spent 24 years at Manitowoc before accepting a job offer from Sany in 2010.

A Manitowoc federal civil case against Lanning is still pending.