Trade Service sues Material Express.com and Vision Infosoft

Trade Service Corporation has accused Material Express.com and Vision Infosoft of misappropriating the layout and arrangement of the company’s Electrical Price File Maintenance Service (PFMS) and copying various data elements from the PFMS and TRA-SER products, all of which are protected under U.S. copyright laws. Trade Service filed suit against the companies on June 14.

The San Diego-based company alleges that Material Express.com and Vision Infosoft have used the protected elements from service programs and incorporated them into the ApeX electronic price updating service offered by Material Express.com and the EPIC electronic pricing and catalog information service offered by Vision Infosoft.

Tony Dubreville, Trade Service senior vice president and general manager, says his company will “continue to take all of the steps necessary to protect [its] assets.”