Pipe Rehabilitation Process Lawsuit Resolved
In August 1995, Insituform filed suit against Spiniello Limited Inc., Spiniello Construction Co., Inc. and three of its employees in the United States District Court for the Central District of California charging that the defendants infringed Insituform's U.S. patent 4,306,012, and further misappropriated trade secrets relating to the Insituform process. The patent at issue covers Insituform Technologies' serial vacuum impregnation method, which is a key step in the company's well-known pipe rehabilitation process. The Spiniello employees named in the suit were formerly employed bv Insituform East. On November 2, 1995, the court granted Insituform the preliminary injunction, barring the defendants from using the patented process and certain of the firm's trade secrets.
Under the terms of the settlement reached in the case, the preliminary injunction has been converted to a permanent injunction which restrains and enjoins the defendants from any further infringement of Insituform's patented impregnation process or any further misappropriation of specified trade secrets. The injunction covers the patent during its life, and the trade secrets for an agreed period. The settlement also includes monetary payment to the plaintiffs.
Insituform Technologies, Inc. provides proprietary trenchless technology systems worldwide for the rehabilitation of sewer, water, gas, and industrial pipes. The company can be contacted in Memphis, Tennessee, at: Tel. 901-759-7473; Fax. 901-759-7500.