Provisur Technologies Inc., a global provider of high-performance food processing equipment, won a major patent infringement case against Weber Inc. late last year for willfully infringing multiple food slicer patents. In January 2023, the court doubled the damages award.
After deliberating for just four hours, the jury found that Weber willfully infringed multiple food slicing patents held by Provisur and awarded the company $10.5 million in damages. Missouri U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough doubled the damages to $21 million, noting that Weber’s “systemic misconduct transcended that of a garden-variety infringer.” To support the enhanced damages, Judge Bough also said Weber "intentionally copied the plaintiff's patented ideas" and "this case did not involve close issues on validity, infringement or damages."