22 Jan 2007
FAVORABLE RULING IN PATENT LAWSUIT FOR DSM DYNEEMA
Urmond (NL), January 26, 2007 – The “Tribunal de Grande Instance” of Paris, France, has ruled in favor of DSM Dyneema, the inventor and manufacturer of Dyneema®, the world’s strongest fiber™, in a patent infringement lawsuit instituted against Hangzhou Pivot International Co. Ltd., of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
Prior to filing this lawsuit, in November 2005 DSM Dyneema obtained authorization to seize merchandise, including fiber as well as intermediate products and finished articles containing such fibers, which Hangzhou Pivot intended to present at the Milipol exhibition on state security in Paris.
The Tribunal has now established that merchandise seized infringes on several DSM patents, and forbids the sale or offering for sale of these fibers, as well as any intermediate and finished article containing such fibers, by Hangzhou Pivot in France. In addition, the Tribunal has ruled that Pivot International shall pay damages to Royal DSM, as well as compensate the costs for the public announcement of the verdict.
DSM Dyneema reconfirms its policy to continuously and actively protect its intellectual property rights from infringements.
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Notes for editors
About DSM Dyneema
DSM Dyneema is the inventor and manufacturer of Dyneema®, the world’s strongest fiber™. Dyneema® is an ultra strong polyethylene fiber that offers maximum strength combined with minimum weight. It is up to 15 times stronger than quality steel and up to 40% stronger than aramid fibers, both on weight for weight basis. Dyneema® floats on water and is extremely durable and resistant to moisture, UV light and chemicals. The applications are therefore more or less unlimited. Dyneema® is an important component in ropes, cables and nets in the fishing, shipping and offshore industries. Dyneema® is also used in safety gloves for the metalworking industry and in fine yarns for applications in sporting goods and the medical sector. In addition, Dyneema® is also used in bullet resistant armor and clothing for police and military personnel.
Dyneema® is produced in Heerlen (The Netherlands) and in Greenville, North Carolina (U.S.A.). DSM Dyneema is also a partner in a high modulus polyethylene (HMPE) manufacturing joint venture in Japan. Further information on DSM Dyneema is available at www.dyneema.com.
About DSM
DSM is active worldwide in nutritional and pharma ingredients, performance materials and industrial chemicals. The company creates innovative products and services that help improve the quality of life. DSM's products are used in a wide range of end markets and applications such as human and animal nutrition and health, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, automotive and transport, coatings, housing and electrics & electronics (E&E). DSM's strategy, named Vision 2010 - Building on Strengths, focuses on accelerating profitable and innovative growth of the company's specialties portfolio. Market-driven growth, innovation and increased presence in emerging economies are key drivers of this strategy. The group has annual sales of over EUR 8 billion and employs some 22,000 people worldwide. DSM ranks among the global leaders in many of its fields. The company is headquartered in the Netherlands, with locations in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas.
Dyneema®, Dyneema Purity® and Dyneema®, the world's strongest fiber™ are trademark(s) (applications) owned by Royal DSM N.V.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Forward-looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections of DSM management and information currently available to the company. The statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and therefore DSM does not guarantee that its expectations will be realized. Furthermore, DSM has no obligation to update the statements contained in this press release.
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