"Nike is widely recognised for its product innovation in footwear and
athletic products and we invest heavily to provide performance products to our
consumers. It is deeply frustrating and inappropriate when companies borrow or
refashion such technologies as their own without making similar investments,"
said Nike, Inc vice president global footwear Eric Sprunk. As an example of
Nike's commitment to innovation, Sprunk referenced the Air Max 360, the company's
latest offering in its transformative line of Nike Air footwear that originally
debuted in 1979. Using a patented manufacturing process called "thermoforming"
the Air Max 360 shoe has a foamless mid-sole that features a superior cushioning
system and has already shown promising future applications for athletic footwear
performance. Similarly, Nike's Shox cushioning technology, which debuted
in 2000, is protected by 19 or more separate patents on its unique cushioning
system and required 16 years of development and considerable financial investment
to transition it into the athletic footwear marketplace. "Nike often
reinvests its revenues into research and development of such new products. Understandably,
Nike and its shareholders cannot allow infringement to occur unchallenged,"
added Sprunk. During last week's World Shoe Association Show in Las Vegas,
Nike also served complaints on two other companies infringing on Nike's intellectual
property and patents. Those companies, Air Max Import and Export Inc. and Romeo
and Juliette had previously come to Nike's attention regarding violations of Nike's
patent rights. | 
