Fossil Crete --- The Big Come Back ???

[Nathan Giffin Vertical Artisans]

As you have read in the main page Fossil Crete has sent a letter to almost every manufacturer of a vertical bag mix asking for a $1.00 levy for every bag sold.

It's hard to imagine such companies like Flex-C-Ment, Butterfield, AE, SureCrete, Speeco and about a dozen more would take this seriously. The few I have spoken with have called it a joke.

But to charge a $1.00 per bag is a little odd when you should be trying to put a competitor out of business because the "stole" your baby.

In the letter the Fossil Crete mix design was included as well. So far I have not heard anyone's mix being even close to the formula but that's not what interested me. It was the claim to the entire process that they have included in their patent included the application, texture and other tools that I found interesting.

That's like trying to patent pouring a drive way or a patio and then telling the world it's my idea.

I have much to say about this as my manufacturer has received a letter as well.

I would like to hear your voice on this matter and I will make more available in the next few days.

[Paul]

It seems this issue is dead now.

 

 

[Christian Maucieri]

I have decided to patent creativity and would like you to all to start paying me a royalty. Also while were here i'm going to patent bed time so stay awake for the rest of your life. You will all be getting photo copied hand written letters soon so keep you eyes peeled

VerticalArtisans.com said:

Well I did speak to Rene the owner of Fossil Crete today and I must say that I don't think that I have ever spoken to a more ambitious man. I specifically asked him many questions regarding his letters to the manufacturing community and what his position and plan in regards to artisans like myself.

I started the conversation off by telling him who I was and what I do for a living and about my online school. I also shared with him that I have been sculpting vertical decorative concrete (VDC) for the the last 11 years or so and have my own mixes and inventions for tools.

I asked him what exactly his goal was in regards to his patents.

Hes responses were impressive.

After several minutes of conversation I began to formulate a question that narrowed it all up to a head.

It was something like this:

....So you purchased a company that had several patents in the works and because nobody has patented a system or method for vertical concrete you feel that the industry at large has infringed on your patent.
His reply was yes. Anyone manufacturing a bag mix owes him his cut because he has purchased patents that are so vague the entire and I mean entire industry is now infringing on his newly acquired patents.

So I began to stretch the boundaries of the text found in the letter. I asked him if museums and zoos would have to pay tribute because of the decorative concrete that is being used , or I should say the process or system.

He was very clear that ANY VDC application is an infringement of his patents. I then stated that there are hundreds of artisans all over the world that have created vertical decorative concrete for over 5 decades with basic contentious mixes and his 2004 patent was a technicality vague and was passed by examiners who do not understand the industry.

He stated that his research showed that there has been VDC from the early 1800's.

My statement went something like this......

So because you were able to acquire some patents that somehow passed examination you will take credit for all VDC.

That's business

I then asked if he would go after the Home Depot, Menards, Lowes and other home centers for selling cementous bag mixes that can be used for VDC. That statement gave moment for pause and he then said he had not thought that far out yet.

I then asked him about the tools used in VDC. Once again all VDC is covered under his patent and is an infringement against his patents.

In all fairness he stated several times that he wasn't trying to shut anyone down, he just wants his cut.

He did mention companies by name that he was after because they were the "major" players violating his patents.

When I was finished and the conversation was over I thought of how many other industries I could do the same thing to...

For example:

Nobody has patented how to milk a cow and then drink the milk with or with out the cream. I can submit a diagram with my hands wrapped around cow utters and describe the up and down motion combined with the vigorous squeezing so forth and so on and seek out a patent for all technologies and advancements for this entire industry. If by chance I get it then I can pursue the entire dairy industry for my cut on their infringement of my patent.
Of course it may take a while for me to drag everybody to court for actually drinking my "system"

This is of course absurd and will only hold up in court if the patent holds. Seems like a big chance and a major aggressive move from the owner of Fossil Crete.

Even after many angles of questions....if a cementous mix is used, if the sub straight is vertical, if it is textured or imprinted and colored for effect......it violates his patent. End of story and he is serious.
I can't wait to see what happens.

Will the government uphold a vague patent for system, and allow attorneys to get rich off of the ambitious?

Will the industry bond together and flood the patent office with letters filled with white powder?

Will artisans make public their own mix designs and laugh as the manufactures try to sell their "patent infringed" over expensive bag mixes?

Will the producers and manufactures of sand and portland have to pay tribute to Fossil Crete?

Will the Lord himself have to pay tribute because his creation is in violation of a patent applied for some where?

I don't know.....but this is all exciting. As creative as I am I don't think I could have dreamed this one up.

[Nathan Giffin Vertical Artisans]

LOL

[Lee Woolsey]

That's amusing. I had emailed them several times trying to find a location where I could purchase their material and never received a reply.

 

Interesting that someone who wants everyone to pay them doesn't appear the least bit interested in selling their own product...

[Paul]

Lee, that was my experience as well, poor customer service.

[Kenny]

It's all about research and experiments.  In today’s day and age, the best is yet to come for less.  There are already companies that have let enough of their specialty mix make-up ingrediants out, that there is not a lot left to figure out.  There are really only two things that we should be concerned about for a good mix: low permeability and low shrinkage.  The truth is, custom mixes may not be the best mix out there.  It almost sounds like a desperation move because they realize this.

[Kenny]

A lightweight vertical concrete admixture  mix  need to be sold in a  small bag, to just mix into the 90 pound Portland cement.  This is what we need, yes, stop paying for heavy weight shipping cost when we can already  buy the Portland cement for a fair price.  The feature for us is a little specialty mix to add to Portland cement to get what we want.  I think this is what we all should be thinking about buying for our future use.  And yes, this should be very affordable to buy!  I think it is coming soon…

[Kenny]

I guess some companies don't get it, I spoke with XXXXX today, and they told me they raised their price last march from $15.oo per 50 lb bag to $16.50.  They don’t have a distributor in my area and these kinds of companies are not helping us get what we really need at an affordable price.  All the better reason for a customer needs sensitive company to race to the finish line with the affordable alternative that eliminates the shipping cost and gets their new product on the building suppliers store shelves.

[scott dobert]

this is a pretty old disscusion  but you got the right solution and its here now! tru pack 20lb addetive makes a 60 lb bag of standered mix from home depot a light weight vertical mix thats just as good as pre mixes sold by speciaty companies. available from walt tools.

Kenny Laverdiere said:

A lightweight vertical concrete admixture  mix  need to be sold in a  small bag, to just mix into the 90 pound Portland cement.  This is what we need, yes, stop paying for heavy weight shipping cost when we can already  buy the Portland cement for a fair price.  The feature for us is a little specialty mix to add to Portland cement to get what we want.  I think this is what we all should be thinking about buying for our future use.  And yes, this should be very affordable to buy!  I think it is coming soon…

[Tru Pac/Walttools/Don]

Thanks Scott, nice shout out there.  Yes, the Trupac is a great option.  It is still 20 lbs but that is sure better than shipping 50 lbs bags when the 20 lbs ends up making 80 lbs of vertical. Even with shipping it is less than standard bag mix costs and is much bigger batch size.

[scott dobert]

i mean no problm don trupac is an awsome product!

[Kenny]

Don/Walttools said:

Thanks Scott, nice shout out there.  Yes, the Trupac is a great option.  It is still 20 lbs but that is sure better than shipping 50 lbs bags when the 20 lbs ends up making 80 lbs of vertical. Even with shipping it is less than standard bag mix costs and is much bigger batch size.