NEUSS, Germany -- The Düsseldorf District Court has granted 3M Deutschland GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of 3M, preliminary ex parte injunctions against two suppliers of retro-reflective and fluorescent fire coat-trims for infringing a 3M patent.

 

The injunctions were granted during one of the industry’s top trade shows, A+A. They are against Zhejiang Daoming Optics & Chemical Co. Ltd. and Zhejiang Yijian Reflective Material Mfg Co. Ltd. The court ruled that Daoming's DM 1991A, DM 1991B and DM 1992 products and Zhejiang Yijian’s 7102 product infringe the German counterpart of 3M’s European patent EP 0 759 179. The decisions to grant the injunctions can be appealed to the Upper District Court in Düsseldorf.

 

3M also initiated proceedings against Zhejiang Daoming Optics & Chemical Co. Ltd., Viz Reflectives Ltd. and Sto. NOR Industri AS, alleging infringement of 3M’s patent by Daoming’s DM 1991A, DM 1991B and DM 1992 products, Viz Reflective’s YSL Vizlite 306 and YSL Vizlite 305 products, and Sto. NOR’s 9808 Trim product. Decisions in the main proceedings can be expected in about one year.