STATEMENT

Australian manufacturer of timber-look aluminium building products, DECO Australia, has been successful in its Federal Court action against Aliwood Pty Ltd. The case involved the alleged infringement by Aliwood of DECO’s certified Innovation Patent for DecoClad, DECO’s solid aluminium wall cladding.

DECO Australia is an innovative family business who has over many years invested significant time and resources to protect the intellectual property created by DECO, through Patents, Trademarks and Design Registrations.

In 2020, DECO Australia commenced proceedings in the Federal Court of Australia against Aliwood Pty Ltd, in which DECO alleged Aliwood had copied DECO’s unique and market leading cladding design.

On 30th March 2022, Aliwood provided an undertaking to the Federal Court to immediately stop selling their copied wall cladding, which was the subject of the legal proceedings, and to pay DECO Australia substantial compensation. These Federal Court orders signal a significant “win” for DECO in its fight to enforce its patent rights and to keep infringing products from the market.

DECO Australia’s Director, Ross Doonan, said “DECO invests a lot of time, resources and money developing unique designs for building products that address the needs of our customers. DECO protects these innovative designs through Patents and Design Registrations. We know that we have great designs and quality products, and DECO will vigorously pursue any company who infringes our intellectual property”.

Further to the intellectual property infringement, in December 2020 the Australian Anti-Dumping Commission found that Aliwood and its Asian-based supplier were dumping finished aluminium onto the Australian market and imposed an 18.5% countervailing tariff. Dumping of finished aluminium onto the Australian market undermines Australian manufacturing and Australian jobs. 

Mr Doonan went on to say that “DECO is a successful and rapidly growing business, and DECO has a responsibility to protect our innovations from those who seek to play outside of the rules”.

DECO Australia is an innovative leader in product design within Australia’s manufacturing and construction industries who is dedicated to protecting their intellectual property and strengthening the Australian manufacturing industry. This victory showcases the importance of intellectual property to Australian business, Australian manufacturing, and Australian jobs.

For more information about DecoClad, please click here.