April 28, 2020
Synventive Molding Solutions, Inc.
(“Synventive”), a global leader in hot runner systems and components for the
injection molding industry, announced today that it has been awarded an
injunction, a damages award in principle, as well as ancillary awards in its patent
infringement lawsuit based on European Patent EP 2 620 266 B1 (the “Patent”) against
Inglass S.p.A. and its German subsidiary HRSflow GmbH (collectively “HRSflow”)
in the Mannheim Regional Court in Germany. The judgment is immediately
enforceable subject to Synventive putting up an enforcement bond. Synventive is
an operating unit of Barnes Molding Solutions, a strategic business unit of
Barnes Group Inc. (NYSE: B).
This judgment is the first ruling against
HRSflow related to the Patent, which up until this point Synventive has not
asserted against HRSflow anywhere else in the world.
The Mannheim Court
determined on April 24, 2020 that HRSflow’s FLEXflow
and FLEXflow ONE products are
infringing the Patent related to technology covering the use of actuators and
pin control of sequential valve gated hot runner systems (docket number 7 O
36/19 – Landgericht Mannheim). The Court also enjoined HRSflow
from offering and/or delivering these products to third parties in foreign
countries where HRSflow knows the products will be supplied to purchasers in
Germany.
Synventive regards its significant and ongoing
investment in developing innovative technologies, and the intellectual property
that protects that investment, as fundamental to its success. Synventive is
committed to vigorously enforcing its intellectual property rights against
suspected unauthorized use.
Synventive in
good faith entered into a technology license in 2014 that granted HRSflow the
necessary rights to implement Synventive’s patented SYNFLOW® pin control
technology. The patented technology, primarily utilized in the automotive
interior and exterior industry, provides superior performance of the injection
molding process by controlling the valve pin velocity to eliminate surface
defects in the molded part. Effective November 6, 2018, the technology license
agreement expired.
The Mannheim Court has issued an
injunction against HRSflow ordering it to refrain from using, offering,
selling, importing into or distributing infringing products in Germany. Moreover,
the court order also covers HRSflow’s servicing products in Germany with
respect to installing or supplying infringing pin velocities. The court also declared
that HRSflow is liable for damages with respect to historical sales of
infringing products after the expiration of the license agreement and has to
provide an accounting of its infringing activities, including service and
training activities.
The court refused HRSflow's request to stay the infringement case
pending the outcome of HRSflow’s nullity action against the Patent which
HRSflow has filed in the Munich based German Patent Court. HRSflow may appeal
the court decision. A further decision by the Mannheim Court regarding a
proposed redesign of HRSflow's product ("stepped profile") is expected during the summer of 2020.
About Barnes
Molding Solutions
Barnes Molding
Solutions is a strategic business unit within Barnes Group, which includes a
comprehensive portfolio of advanced technologies and value-added services that delivers
premium tool-based solutions where demanding specifications are required by global
customers in the plastic injection molding industry across a broad spectrum of
applications, including quality hot runners, complex molds, sensor
technologies, and control systems.
About Barnes Group
Barnes Group Inc. (NYSE: B) is a global provider of highly
engineered products, differentiated industrial technologies, and innovative
solutions, serving a wide range of end markets and customers. Its specialized
products and services are used in far-reaching applications including
aerospace, transportation, manufacturing, automation, healthcare, and
packaging. Barnes Group’s skilled and dedicated employees around the globe are
committed to the highest performance standards and achieving consistent,
sustainable profitable growth. For more information, visit www.BGInc.com. # # #