Banner & Witcoff is pleased to report that a trial team of Charles Shifley, Marc Cooperman, Matthew Becker, Dr. Wendell Harris, and Michael Harris won a favorable court order today for its client, PNA Construction Technologies, Inc., that stops patent infringement by a competing company founded by a former employee, until a trial. Mr. Becker and Mr. Harris led the briefing, Mr. Cooperman and Mr. Becker led the preliminary injunction hearing, Dr. Harris and Mr. Harris took essential discovery, and another B&W lawyer, William Klein wrote the patent for which the order was granted. The judge of the case is the Honorable William S. Duffey, Jr. of the Atlanta federal district court. PNA asserts infringement of a patent on PNA’s Diamond Dowel® System by defendants including McTech Group, Inc. The decision is reported at 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4910 and 2006 WL 304052 (N.D.Ga.)
Founded in 1986, PNA Construction Technologies, Inc. is the industry leader in performance products for concrete flatwork that provide durable, maintenance-free floor slabs. PNA engineers and manufactures a range of products for providing load transfer and joint protection, including the PNA Diamond Dowel® System, PD3 Basket™ Assembly, Load Plate Basket™ Assembly, Armor-Edge™ Joint Assembly, HydraCure™ covers and round and square dowels, clips and baskets.
The Diamond Dowel® System has been industry accepted since 1999, and reached a company milestone in 2002, when it became a standard specification for several national big box retailers. Today, PNA products are in widespread use in slab-on-ground applications throughout North America and 20 countries worldwide.
The court order was gained in seven months from the filing of the complaint. B&W is pleased to have represented PNA since its founding.
Posted: February 8, 2006
