Ford Fighting Foreign Parts Makers

As if fighting bankruptcy weren’t enough for Ford Motor Co. , they are now involved in intense patent disputes.  Ford has asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit yesterday to uphold a ban on imports for the F-150 truck that were found to violate Ford’s design patents.  As reported by The Province, lawyers for Ford told the court that the auto-parts makers had failed to show that the design patents were obvious.

Yet, the parts makers contend that Ford showed off the F-150 before the design patents were even filed.  Therefore, the parts should be considered to have already been in the public domain.  Others support the parts makers by claiming that U.S. vehicle owners would pay as much as 60% less for replacement parts, if the imports were allowed.

Ford has a similar complaint that is currently pending before the ITC.  Ford states that Chicago-based LKQ, as well as other companies that are located in Taiwan, are impermissibly copying its patented designs for Mustang cars.  Ford is seeking to block the imports of these replacement parts as well.

It’s likely that even if Ford hadn’t lost $14.6 billion last year, they would still be fighting to keep these car parts out of the country.  But since Ford must now pinch every penny, it can be assured that Ford will fight these battles with renewed vigor.