H.C. Starck and Ningxia Reach Settlement Agreement in Patent Infringement Case

PR58640

MUNICH, Nov. 13 /PRN=KYODO JBN/ --

    H.C. Starck, one of the leading manufacturers of technology metals and

advanced ceramics, has reached a settlement agreement in an ongoing patent

infringement complaint with Ningxia Orient Tantalum Industry Co., Ltd.. The

settlement is highly favorable for H.C. Starck, thus constituting a significant

milestone on the company's route to protect its intellectual property for the

manufacturing of high-performance technology metal products.

    The subject of the lawsuit was the infringement of a patent held by H.C.

Starck relating to high capacitance tantalum powders and sintered anodes that

are manufactured from these powders. These materials are used in the electronic

industry to make capacitors for state-of-the-art, high-performance electronic

devices like smartphones and tablet PCs. "H.C. Starck is devoting significant

time and resources in developing high capacitance tantalum powders to enable

modern technologies and to ensure competitiveness in a fast-moving market

field," said Dr. Andreas Meier, CEO and President of the H.C. Starck Group. "To

make sure these efforts are well invested, we will continue to protect our

intellectual property and prohibit its illegitimate exploitation."

    H.C. Starck filed its first patents for technology metals over 60 years

ago. Today, the group holds almost 900 issued patents worldwide as well as more

than 400 pending patent applications, and invests approximately 3 percent of

its annual revenue in research and development. H.C. Starck pursues a

consistent strategy of protecting its intellectual property and will continue

to enforce its claims to also guard the interests of its customers.

    More information about H.C. Starck is available at

http://www.hcstarck.com/press.

    Contact:

    Ulrike Reich  

    Director Group Communications

    +49-89-500-942-155

    Source: H.C. Starck GmbH