The out-of-court settlement, in which BSW also agreed to pay legal costs, follows a dispute about use of photography featuring BSW decking and Richard Burbidge balustrade and technical drawings.
The photos, the copyright of Richard Burbidge, continued to be used by BSW after the two companies’ business relationship ceased.
Richard Burbidge said its copyright materials should have been withdrawn once the relationship ended but BSW inadvertently continued to use them in new brochures when promoting a range of products supplied by another company.
“We take legal action only as a last recourse but we are determined to protect our intellectual property against infringements and, unfortunately, we have a number of other cases in progress, as more companies now seem unwilling to make the necessary investment in innovation and prefer to pirate our designs and developments,” said Richard Burbidge chief executive Steve Underhill.
Mr Underhill said financial compensation was not the issue in the case. “It is the principle of defending our intellectual property that matters.”
Richard Burbidge has made legal contact with “a number” of other companies regarding alleged infringement of registered product designs.
BSW Timber chief executive Paul Barham said the company was pleased the matter could be resolved swiftly and amicably.
“This was an unfortunate dispute which arose due to an oversight and we fully recognise the importance of companies developing and protecing their own intellectual property,” said Mr Barham.
