A U.S. district court judge rejected Prairie Land Millwright Services’ attempt to overturn the December 2022 jury verdict awarding Sioux Steel Company $11.8 million in damages based on Prairie Land’s willful infringement of Sioux Steel’s patent for grain bin paddle sweeps.
In addition to denying all of Prairie Land’s post-trial motions, the court granted Sioux Steel’s separate post-trial motion for a permanent injunction. By court order, Prairie Land and defendant Duane Chaon are now precluded from continuing to manufacture, advertise or sell infringing products in the market, including the Bin Gator products that infringe.
In December 2022, a jury found Prairie Land willfully infringed on Sioux Steel’s intellectual property, reported the Dakota Scout.
The verdict said Prairie Land Millwright Services used the intellectual property to develop a knock-off of a commercial grain bin sweep that had been patented by Sioux Steel. A jury found that Prairie Land and its owner, Chaon, knew that they were infringing on Sioux Steel’s intellectual property and depriving Sioux Steel of sales and profits.
Sioux Steel Company is a fourth generation, family-owned company that has been manufacturing high quality products since 1918. Sioux Steel offers an extensive line of products, including farm & commercial grain systems, paddle sweeps, ProTec buildings, livestock equipment and grain baggers.
