Patent rights are a decisive competitive advantage today. In the nonwovens industry in particular, competitive pressure  is becoming stronger than ever due to growing global markets and technological development. Because we operate in a global environment, we have to ensure that our innovations are protected – not only for us, but also for our customers who manufacture high-quality products on our systems, as well as their customers who process these nonwovens.

A good example is the production of asymmetrical composite nonwovens, in which a specific material structure is used, typically a structure consisting of two layers of spunbond and one layer of meltblown, where-in the first spunbond layer has a higher fabric weight than the last one. These products are known in variants such as SSMMMS, SSMMS or SSMS and are widely used in the hygiene and medical sectors including baby diapers and protective clothing.

In close cooperation with our company, the company Mitsui from Japan has further developed this special nonwoven structure which is  covered by the patent EP 1 980 390. Within this cooperation, Reicofil has become a licensee; this means that we can market systems for manufacturing such nonwovens and at the same time offer our customers legal security. Our customers know that they do not risk patent infringement if they manufacture such products on our lines.

This gives our customers a great advantage. They can manufacture products such as SSMMMS, SSMMS or SSMS and sell them on to their end customers without hesitation. The converters in particular, who then process these nonwovens into hygiene and medical products such as baby diapers or protective clothing benefit. They know that these end products can be offered on the market without legal uncertainty – a significant advantage compared to companies that may purchase nonwovens from copyists.

These companies have a high probability of becoming involved in patent disputes, which could result in high costs, possibly product recalls and, in the worst case, the shutdown of the entire plant. Patent prosecution is a real possibility and with increasing market transparency, it is only a matter of time before more infringements come to light. It is therefore of central importance to us that our systems are safe under patent law and that our customers can sell their products with peace of mind.

For the nonwovens industry, patent protection is an indispensable instrument for protecting innovative technologies from imitators. Global competitive pressure makes it necessary for us as a manufacturer not only to remain at the forefront of technology but also to be legally protected. Our customers and their customers expect not only efficiency and quality from us but also the certainty that their investments in machines and systems are protected in the long term.