# DD Sues Snowdogg / Buyers....



## Triple L (Nov 1, 2005)

I found this on another site, thanks to basher...

DOUGLAS DYNAMICS, L.L.C.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 19, 2010
Douglas Dynamics, LLC v Buyers Products Company
Western District of Wisconsin Jury Trial Verdict
Milwaukee, WI – On October 14 and 15, 2010 a jury in the Western District of
Wisconsin entered a verdict of patent infringement against Buyers Products
Company for their manufacture, use, sale and offer for sale of the entire series
SnowDogg® line of snowplows. The same jury also awarded Douglas Dynamics, LLC
damages for Buyers Products Company’s infringement of U.S. Patents. Additionally,
all patents asserted by Douglas Dynamics withstood each challenge to validity.
Douglas has further informed the Court of its intent to seek a permanent injunction
against Buyers’ manufacture, use, sale or offer for sale of infringing products.
Mr. Jim Janik, President of Douglas Dynamics, LLC stated that “Douglas considers its
intellectual property a valuable asset and will diligently and continuously work to
research and identify potential infringement of any intellectual property by
competitors, during this current enforcement action and beyond”.
Douglas Dynamics (NYSE: PLOW) headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is the
leading manufacturer of snowplows for four-wheel drive pickup trucks and sport utility
vehicles. Its snow and ice control products are manufactured in two locations in the
United States – Milwaukee, WI, and Rockland, ME and are sold under the
BLIZZARD®, FISHER®, and WESTERN® brand names.
# # # # #
MAIL: P.O. Box 245038, Milwaukee WI 53224-9538
SHIP: 7777 N. 73rd Street, Milwaukee WI 53223
PHONE: 414-354-2310 FAX: 414-354-8448


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## cubanb343 (Dec 13, 2007)

Wonder what will happen to SnowDoggs now?


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## badabing1512 (Aug 28, 2008)

interesting, subscribed


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## [email protected] (May 29, 2009)

I doubt much will come of it to be honest....


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## basher (Nov 13, 2004)

cubanb343;1093251 said:


> Wonder what will happen to SnowDoggs now?


I imagine they will have a response


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## cubanb343 (Dec 13, 2007)

I hope this gets interesting!


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## Luther (Oct 31, 2007)

It's always easier to copy/edit, than it is to create.


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## toby4492 (Dec 28, 2005)




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## Pushin 2 Please (Dec 15, 2009)

I'm in!


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## [email protected] (May 29, 2009)

Other than the wideout/ xp...I dont see much similar in the plows to be honest....


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## wizardsr (Aug 8, 2006)

It's all about trying to squash the competition, that's just how they roll.


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## Pristine PM ltd (Oct 15, 2005)

Even with their 810 version, it is different enough.


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## plowguy43 (Jan 2, 2008)

I'm sure Snowdogg will appeal


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## buckwheat_la (Oct 11, 2009)

well and lets be honest here, Buyers is a pretty large company, it is going to be interesting how this plays out


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## plowman4life (Jan 16, 2008)

[email protected];1093305 said:


> Other than the wideout/ xp...I dont see much similar in the plows to be honest....


just looking at the XP it has a lot of westerns features on it. the channel that holds the wing is identicle to the wideout and they also have the torsion bar on the xp which western uses on multiple plows im sure there are probobly more that i didnt notice... thats just from what i saw. so i can see how there would be copyright infringement


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## plowguy43 (Jan 2, 2008)

Yes but there are minor changes you can make to a design and not infring on a copyright/patent. 

I'm with Buckwheat- Snowdogg has plenty of money to throw around, I guarantee its fought


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## vt properties (Jan 28, 2010)

What was the issue for the infringment??


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## plowguy43 (Jan 2, 2008)

Probably that they are chain lift plows, funny how they don't care about the spreaders....


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## basher (Nov 13, 2004)

vt properties;1093440 said:


> What was the issue for the infringment??


For some interesting reading and the anwsers to many questions try here

http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/wisconsin/wiwdc/3:2009cv00261/22267/91/


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## plowguy43 (Jan 2, 2008)

This makes no sense, if they are suing buyers for these then why aren't they suing everyone else?


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## Luther (Oct 31, 2007)

Is it possible to dumb it down?

I get A.D.D. reading that much lawyer speak......


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## plowguy43 (Jan 2, 2008)

They are being sued for the lights, isomodule system, and minute mount hookup setup.

That's what I got out of it. The hydraulics may have been I there as well.


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## basher (Nov 13, 2004)

October 19, 2010





BUYERS PRODUCTS COMPANY
WESTERN DISTRICT OF WISCONSIN PATENT TRIAL


Madison, WI – On October 12-15, 2010, litigation was concluded between Buyers Products Company and Douglas Dynamics in the Western District of Wisconsin over five patents owned by Douglas Dynamics. Based on rulings by the Court and a jury, Buyers Products was found NOT to infringe Douglas Dynamics’ alleged “pioneering” easy attach/detach snowplow mounting patent as well as Douglas Dynamic’s patents for snowplow hydraulics systems and snowplow lighting circuits. Because of these findings, the validity of these patents was not determined. Buyers Products was, however, found to infringe two patents Douglas Dynamics itself characterized as “minor.” This finding should have no effect on its SnowDogg dealers, distributors and customers. Current dealer stock can be sold and new orders will be promptly shipped. We are anticipating a strong winter season and will have the inventory to support our distribution network. Buyers Products is considering its appeal options on the two “minor” patents.

Thank you for your continued support.


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## Pristine PM ltd (Oct 15, 2005)

interesting. I love the different spin each company took from the ruling...


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## Camden (Mar 10, 2007)

Pristine PM ltd;1093611 said:


> interesting. I love the different spin each company took from the ruling...


Same here. It's like both sides are saying they won. I would have to give the edge to Buyers because there was no injunction put on them and they can go about business as usual.


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## Scottscape (Nov 27, 2005)

DD was just trying to get the best of buyers. I would like to really know who does more in business.. buyers has been selling tool boxes and misc. parts forever. DD just has snowplows.


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## GMC Driver (Sep 9, 2005)

From what I could glean:


DD - 2009: $175 Million in sales, have around $400 Million in Assets NYSELOW

Buyers - 2009: Approx $50 million with Buyers Porducts. Entire Buyers Group estimated over $200 million. This is unconfirmed, as they are not a publicly traded company.


Both Titans of industry!


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## Matson Snow (Oct 3, 2009)

I give DD credit on this front......They went out and bought Blizzard for their patents..So..They paid for the Technology....Buyers from the looks of it ...Went out and bought the three plows and copied some of it and tweeked some of it..Smoorman over in the buyers section said as much...He said after they observed some V plows and the other expanding plows.....Hell they were even calling it the XP 810 for a while...I think they dropped the 810...Now, I like the stainless part and the plow looks good...I hope it holds up...Competition is good for everyone....


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## plowguy43 (Jan 2, 2008)

How do you think Meyers came about? Or cars/trucks in general? Anytime something comes out there are bound to be copies.


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## toby4492 (Dec 28, 2005)

plowguy43;1095290 said:


> How do you think Meyers came about? Or cars/trucks in general? Anytime something comes out there are bound to be copies.


Meyer (proper spelling with no s) is actually the oldest plow manufacturer in the US so I am not sure who you think they copied.


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## basher (Nov 13, 2004)

Buyers never copied the blizzard technology. The patents for the blizzard involved the forward rotation of the extending wings. The unique thing about the Blizzard is not the extension it is the forward rotation of the wings once they have extended. Extending moldboards existed in both the agricultural and excavating industry for years before blizzard introduced it to snowplows.

If you read the patent infringement suit DD never even mentions the XP, they focused on obscure points, electrical, hydraulic, the shape of a mounting channel in the lift system. Although they (DD) did claim Buyers infringed on DD's "pioneering easy attach/detach snowplow mounting system. I'm not surprised they lost that one as Snoway pioneered a easy attach/detach snowplow mounting system in the seventies long before any of the other manufacturers were forced by the changing federal statues to develop systems of their own.


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## Matson Snow (Oct 3, 2009)

basher;1095344 said:


> *Buyers never copied the blizzard technology*. The patents for the blizzard involved the forward rotation of the extending wings. The unique thing about the Blizzard is not the extension it is the forward rotation of the wings once they have extended. Extending moldboards existed in both the agricultural and excavating industry for years before blizzard introduced it to snowplows.


So...What you are saying is they Never Looked or took any ideas from a Blizzard plow.or XLS or Wideout.....Or any of the Powerplows or V-Plows out there....


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## Matson Snow (Oct 3, 2009)

I dont have a dog in this fight...Like i said competition is Good...I like the look of the SnowDogg XP and im keeping a close eye on it...If it holds up and turns out to be a good plow they might just have a customer down the road...Im not Married to Fisher although they have been good to me on some issues i had....


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## basher (Nov 13, 2004)

So you would build a car by re-inventing the wheel? Maybe Blizzard developed their blade after seeing this patent or maybe one of the actual blades

http://www.patents.com/cellular-bulldozer-blade-built-in-support-brackets-3974882.html

or this one

http://www.patents.com/plow-4207952.html

Or this one

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4778013.html


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## Matson Snow (Oct 3, 2009)

basher;1095383 said:


> So you would build a car by re-inventing the wheel? Maybe Blizzard developed their blade after seeing this patent or maybe one of the actual blades
> 
> http://www.patents.com/cellular-bulldozer-blade-built-in-support-brackets-3974882.html
> 
> ...


Like i said...Dont have a dog in this fight and could care less about it....Just seemed odd to me that it seems alot like a Blizzard and they even called it the 810...But they have seemed to lose the 810 Logo....Thats like me building a plow im my garage and calling it the CJ Wideout....Anyway Good Luck selling The XP im sure they will sell well..You might just have a customer in me....


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## basher (Nov 13, 2004)

Matson Snow;1095395 said:


> Good Luck selling The XP im sure they will sell well..You might just have a customer in me....


Not this year unless it's a customer request, I've learned my lesson about trusting manufacturer's first season units.


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## Matson Snow (Oct 3, 2009)

basher;1095400 said:


> Not this year unless it's a customer request, I've learned my lesson about trusting manufacturer's first season units.


:laughing::laughing:...I hear you....Have a Great Day


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## DaytonBioLawns (May 20, 2010)

Just read the opening portion of the link............. So DD is suing Buyers, and claiming to own the worst part of snow dogg plows, the mounting system and lights?!

LOL kinda a stretch if I got that right. I hate! the way that those jacks and the lights work! DD can have it if buyers had a good response....then maybe they will have a good mount like BOSS/MEYER has right now.... JMO on that portion


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## lilweeds (Aug 3, 2007)

Also the blizzard patent started in 99. Should that patent have run out by now? 10 years? Or is it 15?


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## vt properties (Jan 28, 2010)

If the patents have run out I bet Boss is going to come out with a wide out plow. Or based on this ruling they might develope one.


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## basher (Nov 13, 2004)

This suit had nothing to do with the Wide Out, the XLS or the Blizzard


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## RichG53 (Sep 16, 2008)

basher;1093471 said:


> For some interesting reading and the anwsers to many questions try here
> 
> http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/wisconsin/wiwdc/3:2009cv00261/22267/91/


 Nothing to read !!!!!!!!!!


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## toby4492 (Dec 28, 2005)

If you hit the link you will see where a pdf file is available to download and you can read til your hearts content.


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## plowguy43 (Jan 2, 2008)

Expandable Vplow- who will be the first?


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## gtstang462002 (Dec 23, 2009)

plowguy43;1096543 said:


> Expandable Vplow- who will be the first?


The problem there is getting it light enough to manage on a 1-ton. As each one sits they are right at the weight limits.


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## [email protected] (May 29, 2009)

They had to change they're mounting system a little....with that I have no idea what DD does with a mount similar to the Doggs, but they have to change it. 

Buyers is not going anywhere....unlike all the big boys, who's only business is snow and ice...buyers already had a huge business in place before jumping in the game...


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## Mike S (Feb 11, 2007)

I still dont get it? I understand about how the light module might be but the mounts and the plows are not much alike at all. DD get over it! This is why I will never buy anything from them, they are just mad that there is a new kid in town who is disrupting there normal rip off prices.


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## Mike S (Feb 11, 2007)

[email protected];1175190 said:


> They had to change they're mounting system a little....with that I have no idea what DD does with a mount similar to the Doggs, but they have to change it.
> 
> Buyers is not going anywhere....unlike all the big boys, who's only business is snow and ice...buyers already had a huge business in place before jumping in the game...


Isnt buyers the only company in the game that has ZERO debt?


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## dlcequip (Feb 19, 2007)

Buyers Will never compete with DD. We will see how long this snow dogg fad lasts


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