Shaw Integrated and Turf Solutions, Inc., a subsidiary of Shaw Industries Group, Inc., and related company, Columbia Insurance Company, have initiated legal action against Tuftco Corp. in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee (Chattanooga Division) alleging that Tuftco infringes two U.S. patents (Nos. 12,006,606 and 12,139,833) related to machinery Tuftco markets as “ColorTurf” for manufacturing artificial turf.
Shaw and Columbia are bringing this suit to protect their patented technology, uphold fair competition, and preserve and protect the innovations of Shaw’s engineers that have been the hallmark of Shaw’s business for more than half a century. The two patents at the center of this case are embodied in Shaw’s GAME ON® product, which integrates sports turf design elements—such as hash marks, lines, numbers, and logos—into the manufacturing process.
This patented technology earned Shaw the 2022 Innovator Award from the Synthetic Turf Council, which recognized the innovation for elevating the visual identity of the field, improving overall performance, and increasing safety in synthetic turf systems.