Bobrick Settles Bathroom Partition Lawsuit

Bobrick Washroom Equipment Inc. has settled a lawsuit with a competing bathroom manufacturer in a case over code compliant partitions. Scranton Products, a division of Azek Co., in Skokie, Ill., will pay $7.5 million to Bobrick, in North Hollywood, as part of the settlement. Scranton filed a lawsuit in 2014 against Bobrick for allegedly creating a campaign to scare architects and others in the building trades into believing that Scranton’s toilet partitions were fire hazards. Bobrick would later file a counter-claim against Scranton with allegations of false advertising of its partitions for complying with fire and building codes. Scranton’s lawsuit against Bobrick would later be voluntarily dismissed. Alan Gettelman, vice president of external affairs with Bobrick, said the company wanted to move on from the legal disputes over issue of manufacturers selling code-compliant high-density polyethylene toilet partitions. Learned from the disputes is that manufacturers have a responsibility to provide code-compliant materials supported by documentation that verifies compliance, he added. “It is also the responsibility of toilet partition manufacturers to adhere to the rigorous testing protocols associated with all relevant compliance standards,” Gettelman said in a statement. In addition to the $7.5 million payment, Scranton, located in Scranton, Pa., must complete an initial product certification of its high-density polyethylene partitions. The counter-claim filed by Bobrick will also be dismissed.