I4F, a group of companies providing patents and technologies to the flooring industry, announced that it has obtained the full rights to the U.S. “SPC” trademark and is freeing the flooring industry from current U.S. customs restraints related to SPC products carrying L2C program holographic labels. 

Over the past months, the flooring industry faced large-scale U.S. customs border seizures and, consequently, was forced into paying large sums to have containers holding their SPC products released. I4F filed legal procedures against Kolay Flooring as well as its owner, Dan Mitchell.

As a result of a settlement and follow-up amendments to the existing settlement agreements with SPC flooring technology licensors Unilin and Välinge, all customs actions based on the “SPC” trademark against SPC products carrying an L2C label have stopped. This also means that it is no longer necessary to cover up the word “SPC” from such products imported into the U.S.  

The L2C program is an industry authentication labelling program for licensed partners which requires an authorized and unique holographic label on every box of product that is covered by certain intellectual property. 

Unilin Technologies, the IP and technology division of Unilin, has entered into an agreement with i4F relating to the use of U.S. “SPC” trademark. This agreement resolves the issues surrounding “SPC” branded products in the U.S. market, ensuring freedom to operate for Unilin’s licensees and their partners. 

"What we want to convey, is that the issue is now solved," said Mattie de Koning, chief IP officer, i4F. "Containers will no longer be seized at the border. What we also did because you have a lot of SPC product manufacturers that have i4F click systems but also have a click system for Unilin or Välinge, so we formalized with them. We basically confirmed that we will not ourselves assert this trademark against their customers."

To listen to the full conversation with de Koning, click here. 

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