Outdry Obtains Injunction in Italian Patent Litigation

Columbia Sportswear Company said an Italian court authorized the seizure of certain Amphibiox products after ruling they infringed on a patent held by Columbia's Italian-based subsidiary OutDry Technologies.

Columbia said in an April 29 ruling, the Court of Milan, Italy, granted a preliminary injunction against defendants Geox S.p.A., Geox s.r.l., and Nibar S.r.l., in connection with the sale of certain

“Amphibiox” branded shoes in Italy. After determining that some Amphibiox shoes likely infringed an OutDry patent used to create waterproof-breathable footwear, the court authorized the seizure of certain Amphibiox products and issued an injunction to prevent further sale of the offending footwear. The interim decision is subject to appeal.

“We are very pleased with the ruling by the Court of Milan, and look forward to the next stage of the proceedings,” said Peter Bragdon, senior vice president of legal and corporate affairs for Columbia and OutDry. “We believe strongly that OutDry technology provides superior performance in waterproof-breathable footwear, and the OutDry patent portfolio is critical to the protection and advancement of our innovative technology. We will continue to pursue infringing products aggressively.”

Since its founding near Milan in 1998, OutDry, which is pursuing a similar infringement action against Geox in Germany, has established itself as a technology leader for producing waterproof, breathable footwear and gloves. OutDry’s patented and patent-pending construction methods bond a waterproof, breathable membrane directly to the inside of the outermost layer of a shoe or glove, thereby preventing water or dirt from penetrating to internal airspaces and fabric layers as commonly occurs with products that rely on bulky booties or bladders.

OutDry improves waterproof, breathable performance, reduces water-weight gain, maintains insulation capacity, and improves fit and dexterity, resulting in greater comfort. Avoiding water penetration beyond the outermost layer may also help reduce the incidence of mold, mildew and bacteria that often develop when internal fabric layers become wet. The company is based in the North of Italy with an operations branch in China.

By press release


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