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Pending Litigation
12 Months Ended
Apr. 28, 2018
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Pending Litigation
Pending Litigation
 
Certain litigation arising in the normal course of business is pending against us.  We, from time to time, are subject to various legal actions and claims incidental to our business, including those arising out of alleged defects, breach of contracts, patent infringements claims, employment-related matters and environmental matters.  We consider insurance coverage and third party indemnification when determining required accruals for pending litigation and claims.  Although the outcome of potential legal actions and claims cannot be determined, it is the opinion of our management, based on the information available, that we have adequate reserves for these liabilities and that the ultimate resolution of these matters will not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial statements.

Hetronic Germany-GmbH Matters

For several years, Hetronic Germany-GmbH and Hydronic-Steuersysteme-GmbH (the “Fuchs companies”) served as our distributors for Germany, Austria and other central and eastern European countries pursuant to their respective intellectual property licenses and distribution and assembly agreements. We became aware that the Fuchs companies and their managing director, Albert Fuchs, had materially violated those agreements. As a result, we terminated all of our agreements with the Fuchs companies. On June 20, 2014, we filed a lawsuit against the Fuchs companies in the Federal District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma alleging material breaches of the distribution and assembly agreements and seeking damages, as well as various forms of injunctive relief. The defendants have filed counterclaims alleging breach of contract, interference with business relations and business slander, and an affiliated company has filed a suit in front of the European Union Intellectual Property Office seeking to invalidate the company’s NOVA trademark in the EU. On April 2, 2015, we amended our complaint against the Fuchs companies to add additional unfair competition and Lanham Act claims and to add additional affiliated parties. As of April 28, 2018, discovery has been closed, and the parties are briefing summary judgment.