Intellectual Property Cooperation between Chinese and International Companies

On April 11, Jiangsu Panhua Chemical Technology Co., Ltd. issued a public announcement in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, announcing that the company has formally reached a high-end intellectual property cooperation with Venator Pigment UK Co., Ltd. Ni Xiaoguang, chairman of Panhua Chemical Company, said that this is an important example of intellectual property cooperation between Chinese TITANIUM dioxide industry enterprises and large international companies, and also the first mutual recognition of intellectual property rights between Chinese Titanium Dioxide industry and large international companies. Both sides will work together to protect intellectual property rights, so as to promote the healthy development of titanium dioxide industry in China and the world. At the same time, it shows that the capability of technological innovation and technological research and development of Chinese titanium dioxide enterprises has been continuously strengthened, and high-end products have begun to enter the international arena and won international recognition.

It is reported that pan-hua chemical research team, through technical research, independently developed in 2013 a high-end product with international advanced level, near-infrared reflective titanium dioxide, with Chinese invention patents, and jointly manufactured "energy-saving and consumption-reducing IR-1000 near-infrared reflective titanium dioxide" using this patent technology with Shandong Dongjia Group Co., Ltd. The product has excellent performance. After putting it into the market, it has won the unanimous praise of the vast number of users. The technology project also won the "Good Technology in China" award in the 2017 evaluation activities sponsored by the Association of China Productivity Promotion Center.

IR-1000 products have been on the market, and have formed a market competition relationship with Venator (Pan-energy Tuo) Pigment UK Ltd. (formerly Huntsman's titanium dioxide and high-performance additives department) infrared reflective pigments Altiris series products, each of which has Chinese invention patents. Therefore, the two sides discussed intellectual property rights. After understanding each other's intellectual property rights, the two sides decided to: Respect intellectual property rights, actively cooperate and reach cross-licensing agreements. On April 10, 2019, the two sides signed an agreement to cooperate on granting each other free general licenses for patents in China.

Ni Xiaoguang told China Chemical Daily that the cooperation conforms to the trend of paying attention to intellectual property protection in the process of globalization, is conducive to the technological development and market development of near infrared reflective titanium dioxide products between the two sides, and also directly clarifies the industry's speculation that Panhua Chemical IR-1000 products may infringe the intellectual property rights of other parties. If in doubt, you can also directly consult the company or Pan-Renaissance Company's legal department. It is reported that Panhua Chemistry is an innovative enterprise group focusing on new materials such as titanium dioxide. The company has been established for 18 years and is always keen to develop high-tech and new products with excellent technical and marketing performance in the titanium industry chain. Insisting on innovation and development, enterprises have to spend more than 40% of their sales profits every year as research and development funds to develop new products. The technology research and development team has applied for 38 patents for various kinds of technology inventions and 9 patents for technology inventions authorized by the state. DR-2588 high-end plastic application titanium dioxide, excellent reflective heat insulation materials, green paint grade titanium dioxide, ink grade titanium dioxide and other products have been successfully developed. In recent years, the company has focused on the research and development of new titanium materials, and successfully developed Lithium titanate, titanium ion exchanger, titanium color pigments and other products. Jiangsu Tefeng New Material Technology Co., Ltd., a core subsidiary of technology, has become the only national high-tech enterprise in the industry that integrates research, development, testing and production. It has many new material research and development pilot laboratories with sulfuric acid process simulation facilities, ultra-fine grinding, ion exchange facilities and other experimental equipment, and the third one that has passed CNAS and CMA certification in China. Based on the patent technology of lithium titanate, Yunnan Gangfeng New Material Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Tefeng New Material Holding Co., Ltd., will have a capacity of 20 kt lithium titanate as cathode material for lithium batteries. At the same time, it will co-produce titanium ion exchangers for lithium extraction from salt lakes.

Panhua Jiangsu will adhere to the belief of "devoting itself to the progress of titanium dioxide science and technology and improving the quality of human life", adhere to the development model of "heavy vertical", focus on the vertical layout of the subdivisions in the titanium industry chain, intensify management and intensive cultivation, and strive to build the company into an innovative technology enterprise with characteristics, profitability and light assets. Venator (Pan-Energy Tinto) has 28 manufacturing plants worldwide (27 in 2017), with a total capacity of about 1.3 million t/a. Its business market distribution is 42% in Europe, 26% in the United States and Canada, 19% in Asia-Pacific region and 13% in other regions. Venator will become the world's third largest producer of titanium dioxide (after Como and Teno after the merger of Cristal), with a capacity of about 782,000 t/a, accounting for about 11% of the total global production of titanium dioxide.