AK Steel Wins Patent Suit for Special Automotive Steels
AK Steel Corporation has prevailed in a patent infringement lawsuit brought against the company by two French units of ArcelorMittal.
Posted: February 22, 2011
A spokesperson for AK Steel Corporation (West Chester, OH) said that it has prevailed in a patent infringement lawsuit brought against the company by two French units of ArcelorMittal, the world’s largest steel producer. The suit, heard in U.S. District Court in Delaware, alleged that AK Steel and two other steel producers have infringed upon a U.S. patent for aluminum-coated, boron-bearing carbon steels, used primarily for high-strength automotive applications.
A jury, however, found the ArcelorMittal patent invalid and that no infringement had occurred, in a decision handed down January 14, 2011. AK Steel said the decision will allow the company to begin offering the product for sale immediately to customers in the United States. AK Steel said that, while it has had the capability to produce the product for several years, potential customers had been concerned about the pending legal action brought by ArcelorMittal. AK Steel said the jury’s finding eliminates its customers’ concerns.
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