Major win for Rieter in patent dispute in China
Textile machinery manufacturing group Rieter has won a court case in China over infringement of its intellectual property by a competitor there.
The case concerned patent-protected draw-frame technology that textile manufacturers use in yarn production.
Rieter said its draw-frames have a good reputation in the market because they produce high-quality slivers of fibre for yarn production and offer high levels of productivity and scanning precision.
According to the Swiss group, a competitor in China was using its patented draw-frame technology without authorisation and, in 2022, it took the case to court. The Shanghai Intellectual Property Court confirmed the patent infringement and prohibited the competitor company from continuing to use Rieter’s patented technology. The infringing party was also ordered to pay damages to Rieter.
But the competitor appealed this decision and asked the Supreme People’s Court of the People’s Republic of China to overturn it.
At the end of 2023, the supreme court upheld the Shanghai decision, confirming that the patent had been infringed. As a result, Rieter’s competitor is prohibited from selling the infringing machines and is required to pay the damages.
Because it invests around 5% of its annual turnover in research and development, Rieter has said it will take consistent action against infringements of its industrial property rights.
On this case, it said: “The decision represents a major success for Rieter in defending its proprietary technologies in China. It is further proof that foreign companies can effectively defend their intellectual property in China.”
Image shows Rieter’s patented draw-frame technology.
