Richard Mumford-yoyoman
Been here a while
- Location
- Atlanta GA
Release July 27, 2016
PRESS RELEASE
Current News Regarding the SAKA Device
As many of you are aware, there has been a significant reduction in availability of the SAKA device recently. This has been due to letters sent by one of our competitors. These letters basically put our resellers on notice of their exposure to potential liabilities for patent infringement. The resellers took these notices very seriously, as did we.
We would like to congratulate Mr. Frankhauser on his receipt of U.S. Patent number 9,352,190. He has made a valuable addition to rope climbing technology. However, as we are all aware, technology continues to advance. One such advancement has been the SAKA device, and here at Climbing Innovations, we continue to make more. Innovation can be a tricky thing, and some advances require much background work and proof testing, but we look forward to releasing additional devices that are based on our current designs. Additionally, we will be introducing new devices based on some exciting new technologies that we are developing.
In our current situation, we attempted to negotiate a resolution with Mr. Frankhauser’s attorneys to settle the allegations described in the letters. However, they broke off discussions with us. Thus, we are left with a cloud over our business as well as questions around the SAKA device.
To be clear, no one on our team has ever been convinced that the SAKA device infringes any valid claim in the Frankhauser patent. For this reason, we never pulled the SAKA device from the market. Our position remains that we want to abide by all laws and respect the intellectual property rights of others, while providing the industry with the ability to choose which device works better for them. In the future we anticipate adding back resellers to get the SAKA back on the market, we will keep you apprised. Details will follow soon.
Obtaining patents, in our opinion, can be a necessary step to protect a business. If you come up with a great new invention but do not protect it, a large manufacturer could copy it, and underprice you. We are willing to accept certain risks in devoting considerable time and effort to getting a new product to market; however, the risk of having someone better equipped simply underprice us, is not a risk that we wish to take. In that regard, we have always, and will always protect our innovations with patents to the best of our ability.
Having said that, if we feel that resellers are infringing any patent granted to us, we will go directly to the manufacturer. We will not go to the resellers; no matter how large or how small they are. This is simply not the way we conduct business.
We wish to thank all of our friends and colleagues who have expressed their support through this difficult time. As I am sure you have concluded, my attorneys have continuously stressed that I needed to remain silent throughout this process. I now thank them for their guidance, and look forward to getting back to providing great products that will make your business and your recreation more efficient and enjoyable. We will soon be providing you updates on our upcoming products, and other behind-the-scenes news.
Richard Mumford
PRESS RELEASE
Current News Regarding the SAKA Device
As many of you are aware, there has been a significant reduction in availability of the SAKA device recently. This has been due to letters sent by one of our competitors. These letters basically put our resellers on notice of their exposure to potential liabilities for patent infringement. The resellers took these notices very seriously, as did we.
We would like to congratulate Mr. Frankhauser on his receipt of U.S. Patent number 9,352,190. He has made a valuable addition to rope climbing technology. However, as we are all aware, technology continues to advance. One such advancement has been the SAKA device, and here at Climbing Innovations, we continue to make more. Innovation can be a tricky thing, and some advances require much background work and proof testing, but we look forward to releasing additional devices that are based on our current designs. Additionally, we will be introducing new devices based on some exciting new technologies that we are developing.
In our current situation, we attempted to negotiate a resolution with Mr. Frankhauser’s attorneys to settle the allegations described in the letters. However, they broke off discussions with us. Thus, we are left with a cloud over our business as well as questions around the SAKA device.
To be clear, no one on our team has ever been convinced that the SAKA device infringes any valid claim in the Frankhauser patent. For this reason, we never pulled the SAKA device from the market. Our position remains that we want to abide by all laws and respect the intellectual property rights of others, while providing the industry with the ability to choose which device works better for them. In the future we anticipate adding back resellers to get the SAKA back on the market, we will keep you apprised. Details will follow soon.
Obtaining patents, in our opinion, can be a necessary step to protect a business. If you come up with a great new invention but do not protect it, a large manufacturer could copy it, and underprice you. We are willing to accept certain risks in devoting considerable time and effort to getting a new product to market; however, the risk of having someone better equipped simply underprice us, is not a risk that we wish to take. In that regard, we have always, and will always protect our innovations with patents to the best of our ability.
Having said that, if we feel that resellers are infringing any patent granted to us, we will go directly to the manufacturer. We will not go to the resellers; no matter how large or how small they are. This is simply not the way we conduct business.
We wish to thank all of our friends and colleagues who have expressed their support through this difficult time. As I am sure you have concluded, my attorneys have continuously stressed that I needed to remain silent throughout this process. I now thank them for their guidance, and look forward to getting back to providing great products that will make your business and your recreation more efficient and enjoyable. We will soon be providing you updates on our upcoming products, and other behind-the-scenes news.
Richard Mumford
