Hockey equipment manufacturer Bauer Hockey announced an agreement with STEP Skating to resolve the ongoing dispute regarding STEP Skating’s sale and manufacture of various models of replacement blades for the Bauer Tuuk Lightspeed Edge blade holder.
“We take considerable pride in and invest significant resources to protect our intellectual property assets,” said Ed Kinnaly, CEO of Bauer Hockey. “This broad patent portfolio reflects the innovations we deliver to our athletes and the strength of our brand, which is why we vigorously defend Bauer technologies and aggressively pursue those who infringe upon our intellectual property. We are pleased with this settlement.”
In 2017, Bauer Hockey filed a lawsuit in the Federal Court of Canada alleging that STEP Skating was directly and indirectly infringing the patent and design rights Bauer Hockey obtained in Canada on the innovative Tuuk Lightspeed Edge blade holder and Lightspeed Edge steel that were developed by Bauer Hockey. Bauer introduced the Tuuk Lightspeed Edge blade holder and Lightspeed Edge steel on the market in 2013.
While the parties have agreed to keep the agreement terms confidential, Bauer Hockey confirmed that STEP Skating has been granted a limited license and will stop selling replacement steel for the Bauer Tuuk Lightspeed Edge blade holder to professional leagues by December 31, 2019, and to retail accounts by April 30, 2020.
Bauer is the No. 1 global hockey brand and the No. 1 hockey skate in the world. In the National Hockey League, 72 percent of players choose to wear Bauer skates to help them perform their best. As part of the company’s commitment to innovate and advance player performance, Bauer Hockey has continuously invested into its newest skate collections, including with the recent launch of the new Bauer Pulse Ti and Pulse blades. The Pulse Ti utilizes a titanium coating to increase durability and offers premium in-game edge retention.
Additionally, the new Bauer steel product line features the highest-performing steel on the market, and a new custom program through the MyBauer platform. New blade profiles were developed and tested in partnership with premier skate profiler, ProSharp, and allow for greater ice contact and maximum consistency throughout each stride and turn.
