A Patent Disturbance of EIR Flooring—Unilin and FAUS Signed a Mutual Benefit Agreement

Relevant Background Information: 18^th October, 2007, FAUS Group and Unilin signed a new agreement which will allow FAUS using Unilin’s lock technology and Unilin can use FAUS’s surface finish technology(press bevel and EIR) of laminate flooring. FAUS Group indicated that this agreement marks an ending between FAUS and Unilin’s legal dispute, and it is a mutual benifit result. Unilin and FAUS permit many flooring manufacturers to use their technologies, including European and North American markets.

About seven years ago, an European company showed me two pieces of floors which can be installed without glue. I thought it’s fun, but never considered how this will affect laminate flooring industry. However, two years later from that, more and more companies used click locking technology. Then, Unilin company started ITC legal proceedings to Chinese manufactures. The final result is that many laminate flooring factories need to produce laminate flooring with the permission of Unilin and Valinge company. This event greatly proved the protection to intellectual property.

Just recently, a unit company of Spain Faus Group obtained the patent of EIR technology which makes the vision and touch sense of laminate flooring quite close to wood flooring. EIR technology is also suitable for a kind of flooring named Joint Guard. Some Chinese factories used this technology without production license. CFL (Shanghai) Company is the first company which signed an agreement with Faus Group in China and can use EIR technology to produce flooring legally. So, CFL (Shanghai) Company occupied the absolute advantage in Chinese laminate flooring industry—it is the only one company in China who can legally produce and sell EIR flooring.

EIR technology has a great value because it can make low-end laminate flooring transferred to high-end one. Illegal manufacture will be responsible and even face substantial fines until company close-down.

China is facing great changes. Economy can grow healthy only when international conventions are been unanimous identified and complied. The company who realized this situation will win in the future.

The use of EIR technology makes PVC flooring more like real wood floor. The following is part of EIR patterns and Unilin click:

EIR pattern:

Unilin Click: