Strix Group PLC Further Successful Patent and IP Protection (1662K)
12 Dezember 2018 - 8:00AM
UK Regulatory
TIDMKETL
RNS Number : 1662K
Strix Group PLC
12 December 2018
12 December 2018
Strix Group Plc
("Strix" or the "Group")
Further Successful Patent and IP Protection
Strix Group Plc (AIM: KETL), the AIM listed global leader in the
design, manufacture and supply of kettle safety controls and other
complementary water temperature management components, is pleased
to provide an update on its intellectual property protection
initiatives.
Building on successes announced earlier in the year whereby
Strix was able to both enforce its patent rights and, where they
have expired, utilise other legal redress such as copyright to take
legal action against those that seek to copy its products, Strix is
pleased to report the following recent developments:
-- Although all manufacturers that currently seek to copy
Strix's controls and connectors are based in China,
not all these manufacturers sell their products on the
China domestic market where Strix has much of its IP
registered. In an effort to try and avoid patent infringement
proceedings some of these manufacturers only export
their products, often to countries where Strix does
not have its IP registered. However, under China patent
law it is still an offence to manufacture infringing
product in China regardless of its ultimate destination.
Acting on information provided by Strix, local IP enforcement
authorities were able to raid a factory in Guangdong
province belonging to Foshan Shunde Xiaolong Electrical
Appliance Co. and seize electronic kettles that infringed
Strix's IP and which were to be exported to South Korea.
The parties subsequently settled matters as set out
below.
-- In an example highlighting the different ways the Company
can protect its position concerning its older products,
Strix brought a claim based on unfair competition against
Expo Börse GmbH and Schou Germany GmbH who had
imported kettles into Germany which, according to Strix,
incorporated copies of its controls and connectors.
The parties subsequently settled matters as set out
below.
-- Strix continues to monitor internet product sales and
takes action where appropriate. The Company recently
brought a complaint of electronic kettle patent infringement
to the attention of Amazon who swiftly removed the webpage
from their platforms of one vendor, DEUBA, who settled
with Strix as set out below.
Mark Bartlett, Chief Executive Officer, commented: "Protection
of our technology and products remains a key focus of the Company.
The maintenance of our brand value supports us in retaining our
market share and strong relationships with our customers.
"We continue to monitor the market for copyists and take actions
to disrupt those that infringe on our IP. As illustrated, we are
able to defend our technology in a number of different ways and
ensure that consumers, our customers and our brand are
protected."
For further enquiries, please contact:
Strix Group Plc
Mark Bartlett (CEO)
Raudres Wong (CFO) 01624 829 829
Zeus Capital Limited (Nominated Adviser)
Nick Cowles / Jamie Peel / Jordan Warburton
(Corporate Finance)
Dominic King (Corporate Broking) 020 3829 5000
IFC Advisory Limited (Financial PR & IR)
Graham Herring / Tim Metcalfe / Heather Armstrong 020 3934 6630
Notes to Editors:
Foshan Shunde Xiaolong Electric Appliances Company settlement
text:
-- Strix Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Strix) brought a
patent infringement claim against Foshan Shunde Xiaolong Electric
Appliances Company Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Litlon) who had
been manufacturing electronic (healthy eating) appliances in the
People's Republic of China and exporting them to the Republic of
Korea. These electronic appliances incorporated controls and
connectors that Strix believed infringed its China patent no.
00802943.1. The two parties reached a settlement through friendly
consultations and Strix and Litlon signed an agreement whereby
Litlon agreed to cease trading such appliances and undertook to fit
Strix controls and connectors into its range of electronic (healthy
eating) appliances and to no longer purchase controls and
connectors from other suppliers that infringed Strix's patent.
Furthermore, Litlon undertook to pay undisclosed compensation to
Strix.
Expo Börse and Schou Germany settlement text:
-- The water kettle type "Kitchen Power WK-2200.20" has been
imported into Germany by Schou Germany GmbH and has been
distributed in Germany by Expo Börse GmbH via several channels
since 2015. These water kettles were fitted with control units
labelled "Fada SDK-10A". Such control units are a slavish copy of
Strix Limited's renowned and widespread control and connector units
"R7" and "P69" respectively. This means the copied control and
connector units are identical to the original down to the minutest
details. Fitting water kettles distributed/imported by Expo Börse
GmbH and Schou Germany GmbH with such identically and illegally
copied control and connector units infringed Strix Limited's right
to competitive product protection for their products "R7" and "P69"
under German law. Expo Börse GmbH acknowledged the claims brought
by Strix Limited to the Düsseldorf Regional Court (file number 14c
O 239/17) and agreed to cease and desist from advertising and/or
offering and/or placing on the market water kettles fitted with
slavish copies of Strix's R7 control unit and P69 connector unit
and also agreed to pay Strix an undisclosed sum in damages.
DEUBA agreed settlement text:
-- Strix brought a patent infringement claim against DEUBA GmbH
& Co. KG who imported kettles into Germany and sold them via
Amazon that incorporated controls and connectors that infringed
Strix's European patent EP 1 858 297 B1 and also its Chinese patent
ZL00802943.1 where the kettles were made and exported. The parties
settled matters and DEUBA GmbH & Co. KG agreed to pay an
undisclosed sum to Strix and undertook to cease and desist from
infringing Strix IP in the future.
About Strix Group plc
Isle of Man based Strix, is a global leader in the design,
manufacture and supply of kettle safety controls and other
components and devices involving water heating and temperature
control, steam management and water filtration.
Strix's core product range comprises a variety of safety
controls for small domestic appliances, primarily kettles. Kettle
safety controls require precision engineering and intricate
knowledge of material properties in order to repeatedly function
correctly. Strix has built up market leading capability and
know-how in this field since being founded in 1982.
This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the
London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct
Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United
Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution
of this information may apply. For further information, please
contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.
END
MSCEAKAFFLNPFFF
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
December 12, 2018 02:00 ET (07:00 GMT)
Strix (LSE:KETL)
Historical Stock Chart
Von Jun 2024 bis Jul 2024
Strix (LSE:KETL)
Historical Stock Chart
Von Jul 2023 bis Jul 2024