The good news for KSR International Co. came in the middle of 2000 when General Motors tapped it to provide gas, brake and clutch pedal assemblies for its Chevrolet and GMC light truck lines. The contract was to commence with the 2003 model year.
It was a short-lived celebration at KSR. In Spring 2001 the Canadian company received a letter from rival parts manufacturer, Teleflex Inc. The Pennsylvania-based company claimed it owned a patent on the type of gas pedal that GM had hired KSR to supply. About a year later, Teleflex sued KSR for patent infringement.
