B&G Equipment Co. filed a complaint in U.S. Federal Court against Airofog USA of Brooksville, Fla., as part of an ongoing legal battle over various pest control products made by Airofog that allegedly copied the design of specific B&G products.
The most notable of the disputed products is the B&G “Sprayer.” Class of 1998 PMP Hall of Famer Bill Brehm, founder of B&G, invented the sprayer with his classmate George Gilmore (the “G” in B&G). In 1957, Gilmore sold his stake in the business and Brehm became the sole owner.
Demand for the sprayer increased rapidly, and the B&G compressed air sprayer is now an industry standard. B&G has sold the product in the same configuration since at least 1962, and the product has always been manufactured in the United States, says the company.
In a 2017 Settlement Agreement, Airofog agreed to make specific design changes to its sprayer to make it look less like the B&G “Sprayer.” Airofog also agreed to mark its sprayer with a “Made In China” label, indicating the sprayer’s place of manufacture.
According to B&G’s complaint, which it filed on Feb. 14, 2019, Airofog failed to implement these changes, and continues to sell an infringing version of the B&G “Sprayer.”
Today, B&G is headquartered in Jackson, Ga., and operates out of an 85,000-square-foot manufacturing facility. The company is now owned by UK-based Pelsis Group.
In addition to its Brooksville, Fla., location, Airofog maintains operations in Germany, Shanghai, and Egypt. The company sells equipment for public health, vector control, agriculture and other markets in the Americas and Caribbean.
from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2019/02/21/bg-airofog-legal-battle-continues/
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