“Expanding the sales market and securing a stable business platform”
U.S. Federal Court of Appeals retains first-trial court conclusions
PI Advanced Materials, the world’s No. 1 polyimide (PI) film company, announced on the 17th that it won the appeals trial for the confirmation of non-infringement of patents conducted in Kanekawa in Japan and the United States. PI Advanced Materials can be expected to expand PI film sales by eliminating patent uncertainty.
PI Advanced Materials (at the time, SKC Kolon PI) filed a’patent non-infringement confirmation lawsuit’ in the US Central Federal Court of California in August 2016, claiming that it did not infringe on the Kaneka patent. PI Advanced Materials responded with a lawsuit when Kaneka sent a warning letter indicating infringement of its patent prior to the lawsuit. PI Advanced Materials insisted that the PI film produced and sold by the company was developed in a complaint filed with the court.
Three years later, in July 2019, the court ruled that PI Advanced Materials did not infringe on the Kaneka patent and concluded the first trial. Kaneka appealed, but on the 16th (local time), the US Federal Court of Appeals (CAFC) raised the hands of PI Advanced Materials. Kaneka can appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, but less than 1% of the cases are accepted by the Supreme Court.
With this victory, PI Advanced Materials reaffirmed that the PI products currently produced and sold did not infringe other companies’ patents. PI Advanced Materials has maintained the No. 1 position in the global PI film market since 2014.
A company official said, “We have filed this lawsuit to ensure continuity of our business activities and eliminate the possibility of dispute,” and said, “The patent problem for PI films currently produced and sold has disappeared.” “Aggressive sales activities have become possible in some regions and markets for specific uses that have been refrained from responding,” he said. “We will use the win as a platform to expand market and sales and solidify our position as the world’s No. 1 PI film company.”
Copyright © The Elec, the electronic component specialty media Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution are prohibited.