NEWS
10
ACT
JULY 2013
Manitowoc files
ITC complaint
against Sany
Sany Heavy Industry and its
subsidiary Sany America.
A Section 337 investigation
pertains to intellectual
property rights. The
complaint alleges that Sany
Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. Of
China and Sany America,
Inc., of Peachtree City, GA
“unlawfully import into the
U.S., sell for importation, and/
or sell within the U.S. after
importation certain crawler
cranes and components
thereof that infringe on one
or more claims of U.S. Patents
Nos. 7,546,928 (the ‘928
patent) and 7,967,158 (the
‘158 patent) and that were
designed and manufactured
using Manitowoc Cranes’
misappropriated trade
secrets,” according to the
ITC 337 Law Blog and the
Association of Corporate
Council Lexology website.
Essentially Manitowoc is
accusing Sany of using its
technologies and patents that
are trade secrets in the realm
of crawler crane technology.
The trade secrets at issue
cover Manitowoc’s variable
position counterweight system
used on the Manitowoc Model
31000, and which Manitowoc
reportedly has plans to
introduce on smaller crane
models.
Specifically, the complaint
refers to the Sany SCC8500
model and components as an
infringing product. The use of
these patents and trade secrets
also refer to John Lanning, a
former Manitowoc employee
who now designs cranes for
Sany. Manitowoc contends
that Sany recruited Lanning
with the purpose of learning
Manitowoc’s trade secrets and
that he has illegally shared
them with Sany.
Manitowoc requested that
the ITC issue permanent
exclusion and cease and
desist orders on Sany and that
the company be required to
destroy all crawler cranes and
related molds, tooling and
other equipment that make
use of Manitowoc Cranes’
Manitowoc alleges that Sany
infringed on patents associated
with its Variable Positioning
Counterweight system, which
is used on the Model 31000
and is reportedly planned to be
used on future models.
misappropriated trade secrets.
The complaint also requests
that Sany release documents
and items in its possession
relating to the trade secrets,
and related information.
Sany issued a statement
saying: “Sany is proud of
its industry-leading crane
designs and the heavy
equipment products and
solutions we provide for
our customers. The Sany
SCC8500 crawler crane was
developed from start to finish
by Sany engineers, using
our own ideas and our own
technological innovations.
We categorically reject the
claims made by Manitowoc
and stand fully behind our
market-leading products.
Sany will respond actively
to this legal action through
appropriate legal measures to
protect our own intellectual
property. We will continue to
bring innovations to market,
and offer choices for our
customers in North America
and around the world.”
Manitowoc did not choose
to comment at this time.
■
HIGHLIGHT
■
Seattle-based transport
company Saltchuk Resources
has acquired Alaskan trucking
firm Carlile Transportation
Systems. Carlile will remain
a stand alone company
headquartered in Anchorage.
Carlile’s 700 employees will
join Saltchuk’s national team
of 5,500 persons. “As with all
of the Saltchuk companies, we
will reinvest in Carlile’s assets,
pursue growth opportunities
and build on the very strong
foundation the McDonald
family has built for the future,”
said Mark Tabbutt, chairman
of Saltchuk. Carlile will join
Saltchuk’s TOTE logistics
network in Alaska.
On June 12, Manitowoc
Cranes filed a complaint with
the U.S. International Trade
Commission (ITC) requesting
a Section 337 investigation
into cranes produced by
Morrow debuts new
Liebherr tower crane
Morrow Equipment is introducing the Liebherr 542 HC-L luffer to
Canadian and U.S. markets.
The Liebherr 542 HC-L uses one and two-line operation powered
with an efficient 160 kW variable frequency drive. In comparison
with series predecessor, the
542 HC-L has 30 percent
faster line speeds. It has a
compact slewing platform for
easy access to drive units and
control/monitoring systems.
It comes with load swing
dampening, horizontal hook
movement, latest control
technology, energy-saving
variable frequency drives,
integrated wind load control
as well as a fully updated PLC
system for precision control of
major crane functions.
