In their complaint the companies allege that the Senju Group infringes a patent held by MacDermid Alpha, Henkel and Heraeus related to a solder alloy formulation marketed under the brand names Innolot (MacDermid Alpha and Heraeus) and Loctite 90ISC (Henkel). The companies consider that the Senju Group infringes the patent EP 1 617 968 B1 by advertising and selling the solder alloy M794 to customers in Germany.
Apr 29, 2020 Düsseldorf / Germany
Major suppliers in electronics assembly materials file joint patent infringement lawsuit against Senju Group
Three major suppliers in electronics assembly materials, MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions, Henkel, and Heraeus, jointly filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Senju Metal Industry Co., Ltd., Senju Metal Europe GmbH and Senju Manufacturing Europe S.R.O. in the district court Frankfurt.
By filing this lawsuit, the companies jointly demonstrate their strong commitment to the development of innovative materials for electronics assembly by defending their intellectual property assets. MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions, Henkel, and Heraeus currently hold joint patents in the US (US10376994B2), Europe (EP1617968B1) and Japan (JP5320556B2).
The formulation was developed in a cooperative project to produce a lead-free solder alloy specifically for harsh environment electronics applications. The resulting products provide an improved reliability performance, compared to standard SAC alloys. The materials are designed to tolerate the demands of high-temperature applications while still being solderable at standard lead-free process temperatures, making them well suited for automotive applications.
About MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions
Through the innovation of specialty chemicals and materials under our Alpha, Kester, Compugraphics, and MacDermid Enthone brands, MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions provides solutions that power electronics interconnection. We serve all global regions and every step of device manufacturing within each segment of the electronics supply chain. The experts in our Semiconductor Solutions, Circuitry Solutions, and Assembly Solutions divisions collaborate in design, implementation, and technical service to ensure success for our partner clients. Our solutions enable our customers’ manufacture of extraordinary electronic devices at high productivity and reduced cycle time. Find out more at MacDermidAlpha.com.
About Heraeus
The Hanau-based Heraeus technology group is one of the world's leading family-owned portfolio companies. The roots of the company, founded in 1851, go back to a pharmacy run by the family since 1660. Today, Heraeus bundles a large number of businesses in the fields of environment, energy, electronics, health, mobility, and industrial applications. In fiscal year 2018, Heraeus generated total revenues of 20.3 billion euros and employs approximately 15,000 people (including temporary workers) in 40 countries. Today, Heraeus is one of the top 10 family-owned companies in Germany and has a leading position in its global sales markets. With professional competence, excellence, a focus on innovation and an entrepreneurial management culture, we strive to continuously improve our performance. We create high-quality solutions for our customers and sustainably strengthen their competitiveness by combining unique materials expertise with technological leadership.
