VMI Holland says it “strongly welcomes” the decisions made by the Higher People’s Court of Jiangsu Province in its favour in two final judgements, delivered on 3 November 2021. The court has not only refused Safe-Run’s application to set aside the first instance judgements that a lower court made against the company; it has also maintained the damages for Safe-Run’s continued infringement of one of VMI’s patents in China.
Leading tyre building machinery manufacturer VMI Holland B.V. has issued a firm rebuke to Safe-Run Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd after the latter issued a press release on 31 July claiming victory in the companies’ ongoing legal dispute. Contrary to Safe-Run’s view, VMI said the Jiangsu High People’s Court of China’s ruling represented “a major defeat for Safe-Run and almost total vindication of VMI’s position.” VMI first announced it had won “a significant lawsuit” against Safe-Run relating to its intellectual property in February 2021. Subsequently, the Netherlands-based firm said the appeal court finalised its judgement that Safe-Run were infringing on VMI’s two key patents relating to tyre building machines. Safe-Run was ordered to stop infringements immediately and pay VMI damages totalling RMB 2.46 million (around 320,000 euros). VMI notes that these payments are “very high [compared] to the average damage awards of around RMB 100,000 in similar cases in China.” Safe-Run’s statement is not currently available.
Pirelli says it will experience “no economic impact” as a result of a sentence given by the Court of Justice of the European Union yesterday. The sentence pertains to a cartel within the electrical cables market that confirms prior EU Tribunal and EU Commission decisions. The company reiterates that it has “already made the opportune provisions in its risk and charges fund for potential liabilities relative to these proceedings.”
Cho Hyun-bum, chief executive of tyre maker Hankook Tire & Technology, has received a suspended prison sentence after being indicted on charges of accepting bribes and embezzling corporate funds.
A court in China has ruled in Bridgestone Corporation’s favour in a design right infringement lawsuit against tyre makers Shandong Huasheng Rubber Co., Ltd. (Huasheng) and Shandong Hongsheng Rubber Co., Ltd. (Hongsheng).
It isn’t just idle words when Bridgestone says it “takes seriously any unauthorised use or infringement of its patents, trademarks or any other intellectual property.” A fortnight after reporting that a Chinese court ruled in its favour in a patent infringement lawsuit Wanli Tire, the tyre maker shares it has received a favourable ruling from the Intermediate People’s Court in Qingdao. The ruling relates to its design patent infringement lawsuit against Chinese firm Shengtai Group and its subsidiary, Shandong Shengshi Tai Lai Rubber Technology Co., Ltd.
A German court has ruled that certain Aeolus truck tyres infringe an EU design patent held by Continental. The matter has been resolved by an out-of-court settlement that covers damages and a recall of the products in question.
The sentencing of nine former Nokian Tyres employees for the misappropriation of business secrets has been welcomed by both the tyre maker and by Black Donuts Engineering – albeit for different reasons. Both parties now look forward to progressing beyond the case, which has been ongoing since 2011.
A further victory for Bridgestone Corporation in its battle against patent infringement was delivered by the Shanghai Intellectual Property Court, which ruled favourably in its lawsuit against Chinese tyre manufacturer Fangxing Rubber Co., Ltd. (Fangxing).
The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. has reported the “successful completion” of its latest effort to eliminate counterfeit versions of its aluminium wheels in China. The distributor of these fake products has been sentenced to prison and also fined.
After almost eight years, Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. (SRI) has won the lawsuit it filed against Italian manufacturer TEK Automotive S.r.l. concerning the infringement of SRI’s patents on emergency tyre puncture repair kit technology.
A court in the US state of Arizona ruled on 3 April that Goodyear Tire & rubber cannot continue to keep court documents relating to an alleged defect in a Goodyear tyre secret. The ruling from the Superior Court of Arizona, Maricopa County, comes in the Haeger v. The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company personal injury case and follows a motion from non-profit organisation the Center for Auto Safety (CAS) to unseal court records and remove a protective order.
A South Korean court has ordered Hankook Tire to compensate the family of a former worker who died of lung cancer in 2015. According to an article published by The Korea Herald last Friday, the Seoul Central District Court ruled that the tyre maker was “partially responsible for the death of a factory worker surnamed Ahn who died of lung cancer caused by toxic chemicals.”
A court in the US has sentenced a man to 20 months’ prison for insider trading related to Apollo Tyres’ attempted acquisition of Cooper Tire & Rubber in 2013. The US District Court in Boston gave Amit Kanodia the custodial sentence and, after finding him guilty of conspiracy and securities fraud last year, ordered him to pay a fine of US$200,000 and forfeit a further $252,500.
China’s Supreme People’s Court has ruled in favour of Bridgestone Corporation in a lawsuit that investigated the alleged infringement of its tyre tread design rights by Chinese manufacturer Triangle Tyre Co., Ltd.
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