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Global Alternate Commission Opens Parallel Investigation Into Doosan Bobcat
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Picture by Jeff Yoders/ENR
Bobcat’s compact loader, supplied at ConExpo 2026, makes use of lots of of the applied sciences that Caterpillar and Bobcat are engaged in a patent fight over.
On June 26, the U.S. Global Alternate Commission voted to institute an investigation of machinery and parts from Doosan Bobcat, having a detect into whether or no longer its imports of making instruments violate section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930.
Dallas, Texas-primarily based mostly Caterpillar, Inc. filed its initial complaint with the ITC in May perchance, claiming that Bobcat had violated its mental property and afflict its industry with its imports of skid steers, compact excavators and other building instruments. Alternatively, this adopted identical actions in December 2025 when Bobcat filed separate charges with both the ITC and a Texas-primarily based mostly federal district court docket alleging that it became once Caterpillar that became once infringing on its U.S. patents.
The ITC acknowledged in its press originate announcing the investigation that instruments from all of Bobcat’s operations would be going under the federal microscope. Bobcat’s guardian firm Doosan Neighborhood is primarily based mostly in Seoul, South Korea, but its subsidiary Bobcat is primarily based mostly in West Fargo, N.D. The producer became once owned by Ingersoll-Rand forward of it became once got by Doosan in 2007.
The escalating mental property fight between the two companies entails extra than 44 separate patents filed over eight decades by both. The applied sciences disputed encompass joystick-operated faraway machine controls, geofencing safety instrument, hydraulic adjust programs, low-consumption fuel management programs and even grade adjust for compact earthmoving instruments.
“The ITC will address Caterpillar’s request to address the unlawful importation and sale of products by Doosan that the company believes incorporate current Caterpillar innovations and infringe valid and enforceable Caterpillar patents that collectively represent a decade of innovation and sustained investment and that have earned our machines their reputation for reliable and efficient operation,” Caterpillar acknowledged in a assertion June 26.
Bobcat acknowledged it remains undeterred by the ITC investigation and alleges Caterpillar’s actions in filing it are a distraction from its own allegations towards the producer.
“We believe Caterpillar’s countersuits are without merit and are simply an attempt to distract attention from the legal actions Bobcat has taken to protect our patented technologies, defend fair competition and safeguard the innovation and craftsmanship that have defined our company for more than 65 years,” Bobcat acknowledged in a assertion.
The escalating staunch fight now entails separate court docket cases and ITC complaints from both companies. The ITC is investigating both companies’ unfair import complaints and the commission investigation process entails a hearing forward of an ITC administrative legislation resolve who will create an initial resolution on a violation. That resolution is then self-discipline to learn about by the fat commission. A hearing on Bobcat’s complaint towards Caterpillar is scheduled for August 10-14, with a procedure completion date of May perchance 7, 2027, in accordance with the ITC. No hearing has but been plan in Caterpillar’s complaint and the investigation factual announced concerning it.
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ENR Affiliate Technology, Equipment and Products Editor Jeff Yoders has been writing about make and building innovations for Two decades. He is a five-time Jesse H. Neal award winner and extra than one ASBPE winner for his tech coverage. Jeff beforehand wrote about building skills for Structural Engineer, CE Data and Constructing Originate + Constructing. He also wrote about materials prices, building procurement and estimation for MetalMiner.com. He lives in Chicago, the birthplace of the skyscraper, where the fling of innovation never leaves him with out a fable to dawdle.
