Faiveley Transport successfully wins claim in US court case against Wabtec. 

On 22 August 2008, a U.S. Federal Court preliminarily found that Faiveley Transport has protectable trade secrets in the underlying design of the brake friction cylinder tread brake unit (BFC TBU). The Court also made a preliminary finding that Wabtec improperly used Faiveley Transport’s intellectual property to develop and supply customers with competing BFC TBU products.

Wabtec has been instructed by the Court to refrain from bidding for or entering into any contract for the manufacture, supply or sale of BFC TBUs or components, until there is a final determination by an arbitration panel in Sweden.  In that arbitration, Faiveley Transport is continuing to pursue claims to seek damages for Wabtec's misappropriation of Faiveley Transport's intellectual property in the BFC TBU and two of Faiveley Transport's other unique brake product designs (PB and PBA actuator).

"Over the years, Faiveley Transport has invested a tremendous amount of resources in developing its innovative brake products.  We are pleased that the Court has recognised Faiveley Transport's rights in those unique brake components, and we look forward to continuing to meet our customers' demands with our industry-leading solutions," said Robert Joyeux, Faiveley Transport's Chief Executive Officer.

Faiveley Transport has been selling BFC TBUs since the 1970s.  Faiveley Transport's customers for the BFC TBU include some of the largest transit authorities in the world, such as SNCF (France), Deutsche Bahn (Germany), RENFE (Spain), ÖBB (Austria), Queensland Rail (Australia), Metro Santiago (Chile) and NYCT (USA).