ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Gray Manufacturing Company, Inc., a family-owned and operated business located in St. Joseph, Mo., manufactures and sells portable lifting equipment for use by professional mechanics in servicing and repair of trucks and buses.
In 2003, Gray was awarded U.S. Patent No. 6,634,461 relating to its revolutionary wireless system for synchronizing multiple lifting devices by means of radio communication to coordinate their lifting and lowering of a load. Since then, Gray has been awarded additional patents relating to this wireless technology.
Stertil-Koni U.S.A., Inc. had previously filed reexamination proceedings against Gray’s ‘461 wireless lift patent based on patents owned by Stertil B.V., a related company, and Hutchinson Industries Ltd. Gray is pleased to announce that on April 1, 2010, the U.S. Patent Office confirmed the patentability of claims directed to Gray’s wireless coordinated lift system.
As a result of this decision, Gray expects its patent to be reissued in the near future with the confirmed claims, which protect the wireless lifting technology developed by Gray. Additionally, Gray continues to pursue its federal lawsuit against Stertil-Koni and Stertil B.V. for patent infringement and fully expects the federal court to uphold the validity of its patents.
Please direct questions to:
Todd Michalski
Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Gray Manufacturing Company, Inc.
3501 S. Leonard Road
St. Joseph, MO 64503
