According to a LinkedIn post by Torstein Myklebostad, CEO of Rottefella, the Norwegian company, in collaboration with Madshus, emerged victorious in a patent lawsuit against Amer Sports about MOVE, the company’s movable binding system.   

The Norwegian Court of Appeal ruled in favor of Rottefella, solidifying it as a pivotal win for innovation-driven enterprises. Torstein Myklebostad, the CEO of Rottefella, hailed the verdict as an essential safeguard for companies that take risks by investing in and advancing new inventions, technologies, and patented solutions.

“This is a ruling that will attract attention and also stand as an important victory for all innovation-driven businesses. The verdict provides necessary legal security for companies that take risks by investing in and developing new inventions, new technology, and new solutions based on patents,” says Torstein Myklebostad in a post on his LinkedIn. 

The legal battle centered around MOVE, an innovative binding system for cross-country skis that Rottefella introduced in 2018 after years of development. With Rottefella’s exclusive patents and a licensed patent from Madshus, MOVE revolutionized the skiing experience by allowing skiers to effortlessly adjust the binding for optimal grip or glide without the need to remove their skis.

However, the competitive landscape took a contentious turn when Salomon and Atomic, both subsidiaries of Amer Sports, launched a similar product three years later. Recognizing the potential infringement on their intellectual property, Rottefella and Madshus took legal action and filed a patent infringement lawsuit. In a significant win for the companies, the Oslo District Court ruled in their favor last summer. Nonetheless, Amer Sports refused to accept defeat and decided to appeal the decision, leading to the Court of Appeal affirming the District Court’s verdict in its entirety, including the ban on marketing and sales of the disputed product.

“For years, Rottefella has been committed to developing new and unique products that enhance interest and enjoyment in sports and leisure activities for all types of athletes. With the MOVE system, we developed a ski binding that can be moved quickly and easily with one hand while wearing the skis – even while moving,” stated Myklebostad.

“The MOVE system is an example of an innovation that has required large investments over time. Such investments only happen when companies have the chance to obtain legal protection for developed patents. Such protection has now been confirmed through a clear and well-written judgment. Unfortunately, there are several examples where large international players come too close to Norwegian inventions, and this important ruling will have a preventive effect in the future,” says Halvor Manshaus, a partner at the law firm Schjødt, which served as Rottefella’sRottefella’s legal counsel throughout the case. 

As part of the outcome, Rottefella has been awarded damages amounting to 9.2 million Norwegian kroner and 4.4 million kroner to cover legal costs. Furthermore, the District Court had already awarded Rottefella 5.6 million kroner for legal expenses.

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