CHARLOTTE, NC—In a pair of legal battles between competitors in the cold-chain packaging industry, Shumaker’s intellectual property team secured a preliminary injunction on behalf of patent owner Yukon Packaging, LLC (Yukon) against Jones Sustainable Packaging, a member of the Jones Family of Companies (Jones). The same week, Yukon secured dismissal of substantially all of the claims brought against it by Jones’s predecessor-in-interest, Eco Fiber, Inc. (EFI).

The preliminary injunction ruling by the Honorable Kenneth Bell of the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina held that Yukon is likely to succeed in its assertion of patent infringement against Jones and that Yukon is likely to suffer irreparable harm absent an injunction. Likewise, the Dismissal ruling by the Honorable Frank Whitney of the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina held that the Court lacked subject matter jurisdiction over the patent claims brought by EFI and that EFI had failed to state a claim for patent false marking, false advertising, and unfair competition, dismissing the claims with prejudice.   

Yukon, which specializes in the production of cold packs used to ship vaccines, medicines, and perishable goods, plays a vital role in meeting the rising demand for temperature-sensitive packaging solutions. With an aging population and increasing global demand, Charlotte has emerged as a crucial hub for this growing sector.

“These rulings reinforce the market exclusivity afforded by Yukon’s robust patent portfolio and highlight Charlotte’s role as a hub for temperature-sensitive packaging, ensuring that innovative companies can compete fairly,” said Shumaker Partner Alex Long.

Key Legal Rulings Strengthen Yukon’s Position. Shumaker’s team, led by partners Alex Long, Tom BenGera, Christy Trimmer, and Lucas Garber, recently achieved two major legal victories that strengthen Yukon’s intellectual property position:

• First, on Monday March 31, Judge Frank Whitney of the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina granted a Motion to Dismiss a Complaint brought by Eco Fiber, Inc. (EFI) seeking a declaration of patent non-infringement against Yukon Packaging, LLC. Eco Fiber Inc. v. Vance, no. 3:24-cv-00465-FDW-DCK (W.D.N.C. 2024).

• Second, on Wednesday April 2, Judge Kenneth Bell of the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina granted a Motion for a Preliminary Injunction against Jones Sustainable Packaging, LLC (Jones) and extended the injunction to Jones’s parent company, the Jones Family of Companies. Yukon Packaging, LLC v. Jones Sustainable Packaging, LLC, no. 5:25-cv-00007-KDB-DCK (W.D.N.C. 2025).

Both cases center on Yukon’s patented three-piece insulated container, used for shipping pharmaceuticals and other temperature-sensitive items. These containers incorporate compostable and biodegradable materials, including recycled pre-consumer cotton waste from clothing production. Yukon’s family of patents covers the apparatus, method, and design of these innovative shipping solutions. Following EFI’s initial legal challenge last year, three additional patents were issued to Yukon on January 14, 2025.