On June 26, the US International Trade Commission voted to institute an investigation of Doosan Bobcat machinery and components, investigating whether its imports of construction equipment violate Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930.
Based in Dallas, Texas Caterpillar, Inc. filed its initial complaint with the ITC in May, alleging that Bobcat had violated its intellectual property and harmed its business with its imports of skid steers, compact excavators and other construction equipment. However, this followed similar actions in December 2025 when Bobcat filed separate charges in both the ITC and a Texas-based federal district court alleging that Caterpillar was infringing its US patents.
The ITC said in its press release announcing the investigation that equipment from all Bobcat operations would come under the federal microscope. Bobcat’s parent company, Doosan Group, is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, but its Bobcat subsidiary is headquartered in West Fargo, ND. The manufacturer was owned by Ingersoll-Rand before Doosan acquired it in 2007.
The escalating intellectual property battle between the two companies involves more than 44 separate patents filed over eight decades by both. Technologies in contention include remote joystick machine controls, geofencing security software, hydraulic control systems, fuel-efficient fuel management systems and even level control for compact earth-moving equipment.
“The ITC will address Caterpillar’s request to address the illegal importation and sale of Doosan products that the company believes incorporate current Caterpillar innovations and infringe on valid and enforceable Caterpillar patents that collectively represent a decade of sustained innovation and investment and have given our machines their reputation for reliable and efficient operation,” Caterpillar said in a statement.
Bobcat said it has not been deterred by the ITC’s investigation and alleges that Caterpillar’s actions in filing it are a distraction from its own allegations against the manufacturer.
“We believe Caterpillar’s counterclaims are without merit and are simply an attempt to distract attention from the legal actions Bobcat has taken to protect our proprietary technologies, defend fair competition and safeguard the innovation and craftsmanship that have defined our company for more than 65 years,” Bobcat said in a statement.
The escalating legal battle now involves separate lawsuits and ITC complaints from both companies. The ITC is investigating unfair importation complaints from the two companies, and the commission’s investigative process involves a hearing before an ITC administrative law judge who will make an initial determination of a violation. This determination is then subject to review by the full committee. According to the ITC, a hearing on Bobcat’s complaint against Caterpillar is scheduled for August 10-14, with a target completion date of May 7, 2027. No hearing has yet been set on Caterpillar’s complaint, and the investigation into it has just been announced.
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