WAREGEM, Belgium — A jury in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas ruled March 3 in favor of Unilin in a patent infringement case against Vilox and one of its licensees.

The jury found that products sold under Vilox license were found to infringe all four asserted Unilin US patents and that Vilox was found to have willfully infringed on those patents and was ordered to pay damages to Unilin for all infringing products sold under Vilox license in the United States.

According to Law360.com, the jury awarded $3.8 million Unilin for infringement on the patents. Because the infringement was deemed willful, the court considered whether to impose enhanced damages of up to three times the awarded amount. Both parties may appeal the decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Woodworking Network has reached out to Unilin and Vilox for additional comments.

Bart Van der Stockt, president of Unilin’s IP business, said the ruling underscores the importance of protecting intellectual property and supporting innovation in the flooring industry. "Unilin," he said, "remains dedicated to creating a fair and competitive market environment while protecting the investments of its R&D efforts and promoting the interests of its licensed partners and their customers."