Certain Gun Barrels Used in Firearms Training Systems; Notice of Investigation

AGENCY:

U.S. International Trade Commission.

ACTION:

Institution of investigation pursuant to 19 U.S.C. 1337.

SUMMARY:

Notice is hereby given that a complaint was filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission on February 11, 2004 under section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, 19 U.S.C. 1337, on behalf of Beamhit, LLC of Columbia, Maryland, SafeShot, LLC of Columbia, Maryland, and SafeShot, Inc. of New York, New York. An amended complaint was filed on February 27, 2004. The amended complaint alleges violations of section 337 in the importation into the United States, the sale for importation, and the sale within the United States after importation of certain gun barrels used in firearms training systems by reason of infringement of claims 1-2, 4-5, 8, 15, 21-22 and 26 of U.S. Patent No. 5,829,180 and claims 1-3, 7, 9, 14-18, 20, 24, 27, 32-33, 37-40, 44-45, 49-51, and 54 of U.S. Patent No. 6,322,365 B1. The amended complaint further alleges that an industry in the United States exists as required by subsection (a)(2) of section 337.

The complainant requests that the Commission institute an investigation and, after the investigation, issue a permanent exclusion order and a permanent cease and desist order.

ADDRESSES:

The amended complaint, except for any confidential information contained therein, is available for inspection during official business hours (8:45 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.) in the Office of the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street, SW., Room 112, Washington, DC 20436, telephone 202-205-2000. Hearing impaired individuals are advised that information on this matter can be obtained by contacting the Commission's TDD terminal on 202-205-1810. Persons with mobility impairments who will need special assistance in gaining access to the Commission should contact the Office of the Secretary at 202-205-2000. General information concerning the Commission may also be obtained by accessing its Internet server at http://www.usitc.gov . The public record for this investigation may be viewed on the Commission's electronic docket imaging system (EDIS) at http://edis.usitc.gov .

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Kevin Baer, Esq., Office of Unfair Import Investigations, U.S. International Trade Commission, telephone 202-205-2221.

Authority: The authority for institution of this investigation is contained in section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, and in section 210.10 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, 19 CFR 210.10 (2003). Scope of Investigation: Having considered the amended complaint, the U.S. International Trade Commission, on March 9, 2004, ordered that— (1) Pursuant to subsection (b) of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, an investigation be instituted to determine whether there is a violation of subsection (a)(1)(B) of section 337 in the importation into the United States, the sale for importation, or the sale within the United States after importation of certain gun barrels used in firearms training systems by reason of infringement of claims 1-2, 4-5, 8, 15, 21-22 or 26 of U.S. Patent No. 5,829,180 or claims 1-3, 7, 9, 14-18, 20, 24, 27, 32-33, 37-40, 44-45, 49-51, or 54 of U.S. Patent No. 6,322,365 B1, and whether an industry in the United States exists as required by subsection (a)(2) of section 337. (2) For the purpose of the investigation so instituted, the following are hereby named as parties upon which this notice of investigation shall be served: (a) The complainants are—Beamhit, LLC, 10220 Old Columbia Road, Suite A & B, Columbia, Maryland 21046; SafeShot, LLC, 10220 Old Columbia Road, Suite A & B, Columbia, Maryland 21046; SafeShot, Inc., 10 West 37th Street, New York, New York 10018. (b) The respondents are the following companies alleged to be in violation of section 337, and are parties upon which the complaint is to be served:

Widec S.A. Décolletage, CP 1054, Rue Industrielle 16, CH-2740 Moutier, Switzerland; AMI Corporation SA, CP 1054, Rue Industrielle 16, CH-2740 Moutier, Switzerland;

Crown AirMunition Holding, Vaartweg 200, P.O. Box 2139, NL-1200 CC Hilversum, The Netherlands;

AirMunition International Corporation, Vaartweg 200, P.O. Box 2139, NL-1200 CC Hilversum, The Netherlands;

AirMunition Industries S.A., Près-des-Nants 71, CH-2744 Belprahon-Moutier, Switzerland;

AirMunition North America, Inc., 7001 Peachtree Industrial Blvd., Suite 116, Norcross, Georgia 30092.

(c) Kevin Baer, Esq., Office of Unfair Import Investigations, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street, SW., Suite 401, Washington, DC 20436, who shall be the Commission investigative attorney, party to this investigation; and

(3) For the investigation so instituted, the Honorable Sidney Harris is designated as the presiding administrative law judge.

A response to the complaint and the notice of investigation must be submitted by the named respondents in accordance with section 210.13 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, 19 CFR 210.13. Pursuant to 19 CFR 201.16(d) and 210.13(a), such responses will be considered by the Commission if received not later than 20 days after the date of service by the Commission of the complaint and the notice of investigation. Extensions of time for submitting the responses to the complaint and the notice of investigation will not be granted unless good cause therefor is shown.

Failure of a respondent to file a timely response to each allegation in the complaint and in this notice may be deemed to constitute a waiver of the right to appear and contest the allegations of the complaint and this notice, and to authorize the administrative law judge and the Commission, without further notice to the respondent, to find the facts to be as alleged in the complaint and this notice and to enter a final determination containing such findings, and may result in the issuance of a limited exclusion order or cease and desist order or both directed against such respondent.