TriMas
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Oct 18, 2013

TriMas' Cequent Performance Products Enforces Protection of Intellectual Property Rights

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- TriMas Corporation (NASDAQ: TRS) — a diversified global manufacturer of engineered and applied products — today announced that Cequent Performance Products reached an agreement with Pacific Rim International, LLC that protects Cequent's intellectual property rights for its Bulldog® brand 2-speed jack design.

Cequent owns the patent that protects its Bulldog® 2-speed jack, which is the leading design in the horse, livestock and industrial trailer markets. Cequent's patented Bulldog® 2-speed jack incorporates a proprietary 2-speed gearbox designed with a drop leg jack in mind. Bulldog®'s 2-speed jack makes cranking easier when fully loaded and faster when unloaded by utilizing advantageous gear ratios. In low gear, the ratio delivers full lifting power at a super smooth, easy-lifting 27 turns per 1" (planetary gear set) and 29 turns per 1" (traditional gear set) of travel. In high gear, the cranking ratio is a speedy nine turns per 1" of travel, the fastest in its weight class.

Cequent discovered that Pacific Rim sold jacks nearly identical to the patented technology in Cequent's Bulldog® jacks, and filed a patent infringement suit against Pacific Rim. Cequent demanded that Pacific Rim stop selling those jacks in the marketplace, and pay Cequent for monetary damages based on the sale of those jacks. In response to Cequent's claims, Pacific Rim agreed to a confidential settlement with Cequent. As a result, Cequent is still the only provider of state of the art jacks utilizing a 2-speed gearbox with power and speed for the most effective and efficient jack at all loads.

About Cequent™ Performance Products, Inc.

Cequent Performance Products, Inc. is the industry's largest manufacturer of towing and trailer aftermarket products. Each product is engineered and tested to meet and often exceed the industry's highest standards. Product focuses include vehicle specific trailer hitches, electric trailer brake controls, fifth wheel hitches, gooseneck hitches, weight distribution systems, cargo management, custom designed and standard electrical harnesses, trailer jacks, couplers and more. Brand names include: Bargman®, Bulldog®, Draw-Tite®, Fulton®, Hidden Hitch®, Pro Series™, Reese®, ROLA®, Tekonsha®, Tow Ready® and Wesbar®. Cequent is a subsidiary of TriMas Corporation.

About TriMas

Headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, TriMas Corporation (NASDAQ: TRS) provides engineered and applied products for growing markets worldwide. TriMas is organized into six reportable segments: Packaging, Energy, Aerospace & Defense, Engineered Components, Cequent APEA and Cequent Americas. TriMas has approximately 5,500 employees at more than 60 facilities in 17 countries. For more information, visit www.trimascorp.com.

TriMas Corporation
Christine Parker, (248) 631-5438
Communications Specialist
christineparker@trimascorp.com

Source: TriMas Corporation

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