Schweitzer-Mauduit International Files Cigarette Paper Patent Infringement Suit


Alpharetta, Georgia, USA, 10 February 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc. (NYSE: SWM) today announced its filing of a patent infringement action on 08 February 2010, in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, Charleston Division. The suit was filed against the following parties as defendants:

 

  • Delfort Group, an Austrian corporation
  • Astra Tobacco Corporation, a North Carolina corporation
  • Julius Glatz, GmbH, a German corporation
  • LIPtec, GmbH, a German corporation
 

The suit alleges that the defendants infringe United States Patent No. 6,725,867 based on the sale of cigarette papers in the United States that are designed for use in the manufacture of lower ignition propensity cigarettes. Schweitzer-Mauduit is represented by the firms of Jones Day and Buist, Moore Smythe & McGee P.A.

The company felt that it was appropriate to take this action now in light of its assessment of activities in the market. Schweitzer-Mauduit has been engaged in the study of the mechanisms at work and the means for designing cigarette papers that aid in controlling the ignition of a cigarette for more than 20 years. It believes this substantially predates work by any of its competitors in this area; that is the foundation on which Schweitzer-Mauduit has built a portfolio of patents around the world that covers a range of products and processes, in particular banding approaches, relating to this technology. The company believes its early work has allowed it to establish a strong intellectual property position on many of the fundamental techniques currently employed commercially to produce lower ignition propensity papers and our work continues to further develop this technology.

Historically, the average time for a patent infringement action to be resolved in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, Charleston Division is around two to four years.

Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc. is a diversified producer of premium specialty papers. It also manufactures specialty papers for other applications. Schweitzer-Mauduit and its subsidiaries conduct business in more than 90 countries and employ 2900 people worldwide, with operations in the United States, France, Brazil, the Philippines, Indonesia, Canada, and a joint venture in China. For further information, visit the company's Web site at www.schweitzer-mauduit.com.