WASHINGTON (Sept. 16, 2014) — The International Trade Commission (ITC) has terminated a patent infringement investigation involving windshield wiper parts made in Mexico by Trico Products Corp.
Federal-Mogul Corp. filed a complaint with the ITC in May 2013, alleging that Trico was manufacturing wiper blades in Mexico that infringed on Federal-Mogul's patents, then selling the blades in the U.S.
Trico denied the charges in a July 2013 ITC filing. The agency decided to pursue the investigation in November 2013, and in May 2014 an administrative law judge ruled in Federal-Mogul's favor.
On July 15, 2014, the ITC issued a notice saying it would review some of the judge's findings regarding the design aspects of the wiper blades involved in the case.
On July 29, Trico and Federal-Mogul filed a joint motion to terminate the investigation pending a settlement agreement. The next day, Trico and Crowne Group L.L.C. signed an agreement for Crowne to purchase Trico.
The ITC officially terminated the investigation in a Sept. 10 Federal Register notice.
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