TORONTO, ONTARIO (October 11, 2016) –Neo Chemicals & Oxides Europe LTD. (“Neo”, “the Company”), which produces and distributes a broad range of light and heavy rare earth engineered products, reported today its successful outcome in the German Federal Patent Court in Munich on September 26 to invalidate several of Solvay’s patent claims on product composition in patent number EP0605274. The verdict is subject to Solvay’s right of appeal.
Solvay had previously sued Neo in the German Court of Dusseldorf for infringement of the patent claims in EP0605274, now held to be invalid in first instance in Germany, and obtained a judgment of infringement, which Neo has appealed. Based upon the German Federal Patent Court’s ruling invalidating certain patent claims belonging to Brussels-based Solvay and its affiliates, Rhodia Operations and Rhodia Chimie, Neo has applied to the Dusseldorf Court for a stay of the proceedings to enforce the judgment of infringement related to EP0605274.
Neo is a unit of Neo Performance Materials, a leader in rare earths and other advanced materials globally.
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About Neo Performance Materials
Neo Performance Materials is a leading supplier of advanced materials used in a wide range of technology applications across many sectors, including consumer electronics, fiber optics, hybrid and electric vehicles, and clean energy technologies. With state-of-the-art processing and separating facilities in Europe and Asia, the Company helps customers to diversify the risk of sourcing materials from a single country. The Business, which is organized along three business segments: Neo Chemicals and Oxides, Neo Magnequench, and Neo Rare Metals, is engaged in the production, processing and development of rare earth and zirconium based engineered materials; magnetic powders; and rare metals. Neo Performance Materials is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; with corporate offices in Greenwood Village, Colorado, US; and Beijing, China. The Company operates globally with sales and production across 10 countries, being Japan, China, Thailand, Estonia, Singapore, Germany, United Kingdom, Canada, United States, and South Korea. For more information, please visit www.neomaterials.com.
Contacts
Abernathy MacGregor
Rivian Bell, rlb@abmac.com
Kristin Cole, kec@abmac.com
213-630-6550
