Legal Action Surrounds Trade Show

The trade show at the National Auto Glass Conference doesn't open until tomorrow, and if supplier Lil Buddy had anything to say about it, it wouldn't open at all for some suppliers.

The owners of Lil Buddy filed lawsuits against a number of large industry suppliers including AEGIS Tools, C.R. Laurence, Pilkington, PPG and Sommer & Maca, alleging patent infringement and asking that a judge issue a restraining order to keep those companies from displaying their "two-man" set devices at the show. So far, no judge has issued such an order and the injunction was not granted by a Wisconsin judge this morning.

Two-man set devices are mechanical tools that allow one technician to install a windshield that would typically require two installers to set. Lil Buddy offers such a tool as do so, as do a number of other companies. Two-man set devices have been displayed in both Europe and the U.S. for many years and one such tool was displayed at this conference as long as three years ago.

Representatives from Little Buddy could not be reached for comment.