EAST GREENVILLE, Pa. - Office furniture giant Knoll is suing one of its UK-based competitors for alleged patent infringement.

 

In a lawsuit filed October 2, Knoll says Senator furniture's Array table features "an ornamental appearance that is almost identical" to that of its 'C-leg' design on the company's Pixel desking system. Senator, a British furniture maker for the corporate, office, and hospitality sectors, unveiled the Array table at NeoCon last June.

 

Knoll says Senator had "actual knowledge" of its '638 patent during Array's development and before NeoCon.

 

“On information and belief, Defendant designed its Array table to mimic the design of Knoll’s Pixel table, with a goal to develop, make and sell a table that would compete with the Pixel, but would have a lower price point for competition,” Knoll says in the suit.

 

Knoll wants a jury trail. The company is seeking damages for lost profits and royalty payments.

 

At NeoCon, the Array table won a Best of NeoCon silver award.

 

Knoll is the fifth-largest contract furniture company in the U.S. and is ranked #12 on the FDMC 300 list of top North American wood products producers. The company reported net sales of $1.3 billion for year-end 2018. Knoll employs 4,000 workers.

 

Founded in 1938 and headquartered in East Greenville, Pennsylvania, Knoll Inc.'s (NYSE:KNL) portfolio includes furniture, textiles, leathers, lighting, accessories, and architectural and acoustical elements. The company's brands include: Knoll Office, KnollStudio, KnollTextiles, KnollExtra, Spinneybeck | FilzFelt, Edelman Leather, HOLLY HUNT, DatesWeiser and Muuto. A recipient of the National Design Award for Corporate and Institutional Achievement from the Smithsonian`s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Knoll, Inc. is aligned with the U.S. Green Building Council and the Canadian Green Building Council, and is the founding sponsor of the World Monuments Fund Modernism at Risk program.