Elmsford, NY (Vocus) February 5, 2008
A judgment was entered today by the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan on a verdict returned by a jury in favor of Gemtron Corporation and against Saint-Gobain Corporation. Gemtron is a joint venture between SCHOTT Corporation and AGC-Flat Glass North America, Inc. (“SCHOTT-Gemtron”). The jury found that Saint-Gobain is infringing United States Patent No. 6,679,573 (“the ‘573″ patent”), owned by SCHOTT-Gemtron. The jury also rejected Saint-Gobain’s defense that the ‘573 patent was invalid. The ‘573 patent covers refrigerator shelves that are made of a plastic frame and a glass panel that snap together. Judgment has been entered against Saint-Gobain on 35 specifically identified lines of refrigerator shelves, as well as any similarly constructed refrigerator shelves, that have been or are being imported into, used, or sold in the United States.
A trial on damages and willful infringement is scheduled to begin on April 7, 2008.
SCHOTT-Gemtron expects that certain post-trial motions will be filed by Saint-Gobain with the Court with respect to the jury’s decision. In the near future, SCHOTT-Gemtron intends to ask the Court for permanent injunctive relief to prohibit Saint-Gobain continuing infringement of the patent. The decision may be appealed by Saint-Gobain to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
“We are gratified the jury found that the SCHOTT-Gemtron patent pertaining to refrigerator shelves is valid and enforceable and that Saint-Gobain’s actions infringe on that patent. The verdict further demonstrates both SCHOTT-Gemtron’s resolve to vigorously defend our intellectual property portfolio and the strength of SCHOTT-Gemtron’s patent portfolio in the U.S. marketplace,” said Dr. Hans-Joachim Konz, Chairman of the Board of Directors of SCHOTT Gemtron Corporation.
About SCHOTT:
SCHOTT is a technology-driven, international group that sees its core purpose as the improvement of how people live and work through expert solutions in specialty materials, components and systems. Its main areas of focus are special glasses and glass-ceramics for architectural applications, the household appliance industry, pharmaceutical packaging, optics and opto-electronics, information technology, consumer electronics, lighting, automotive engineering and solar energy.
SCHOTT has a presence in close proximity to its customers through highly efficient production and sales companies in all of its major markets. It has more than 17,000 employees producing worldwide sales of approximately $ 2 billion. In North America, SCHOTT’s holding companies SCHOTT Corporation and its subsidiary SCHOTT North America, Inc. employ about 2,500 people in 16 operations.
The company’s technological and economic expertise is closely linked with its social and ecological responsibilities.
Press Contact:
Brian Lynch
P: (914) 831-2287
http://www.us.schott.com
###
