A German court has ruled that two companies have infringed copyright on patents for glue-free laminate floor panels held by Välinge Aluminium AB and licensed to the Berry Group.
A district court at Braunschweig found that Parador-Holzwerke and EFP (Egger Flooring Products) had infringed on two European patents by producing and distributing certain glue-free laminate floor panels in Germany. Parador has appealed while, at the time of going to press, EFP had yet to do so.
The Berry Group markets the mechanical glue-free installation system under the Berry Floor brand as BerryLOC and under the Alloc brand as Alloc Commercial, Alloc Original, Alloc Universal and Alloc Home.
Alloc, (formerly Norske Skog AS) a member of the Berry Group, holds a licence and distributes laminate flooring in the UK from its base at Bourne End, Buckinghamshire.
However, marketing manager for the Berry Group Philippe Harinck said he was unaware of any infringements on the flooring patents in the UK.
