Criminal proceedings have been dropped against the pyrotechnician whose fireworks hit the headlines following a major blaze at Germany’s largest tyre wholesaler, Reifen Göggel. The pyrotechnician was charged with negligent arson after a fire broke out during the wedding celebration of then-company owner Bruno Göggel in July 2022. The blaze caused 22 million euros of damage to Reifen Göggel’s facility in Gammertingen, Baden-Württemberg.
The Supreme People’s Court of the People’s Republic of China has ruled in favour of Bridgestone Corporation in a lawsuit against Shandong Hawk International Rubber Industry Co., Ltd. (Hawk Tyre). Bridgestone had alleged that the Chinese manufacturer infringed its tyre tread design rights.
Further legal issues for Hankook Tire & Technology chairman Cho Hyun-bum, with prosecutors seeking to combine the two charges against him into a single indictment. Cho, who was indicted without detention on 21 July for breach of trust, is already on trial for allegedly embezzling approximately 20 billion won (£12.1 million).
Arrested on 6 March 2023, Hankook Tire & Technology chairman Cho Hyun-bum has now been indicted on charges of illicit inter-affiliate trading, embezzlement and breach of trust.
On September 22, the Qingdao court finally ruled on the “property damage compensation dispute” between Sentury Tire and one of its former employees, Wang. It is reported that the lawsuit had a first-instance judgment in 2021. Subsequently, Sentury filed an appeal. In addition to the “property damage compensation dispute”, the two sides also went to court on the “labour dispute” issue, which completed the first and second instance judgments in 2021.
VMI Holland says it “strongly welcomes” the decisions made by the Higher People’s Court of Jiangsu Province in its favour in two final judgements, delivered on 3 November 2021. The court has not only refused Safe-Run’s application to set aside the first instance judgements that a lower court made against the company; it has also maintained the damages for Safe-Run’s continued infringement of one of VMI’s patents in China.
Leading tyre building machinery manufacturer VMI Holland B.V. has issued a firm rebuke to Safe-Run Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd after the latter issued a press release on 31 July claiming victory in the companies’ ongoing legal dispute. Contrary to Safe-Run’s view, VMI said the Jiangsu High People’s Court of China’s ruling represented “a major defeat for Safe-Run and almost total vindication of VMI’s position.” VMI first announced it had won “a significant lawsuit” against Safe-Run relating to its intellectual property in February 2021. Subsequently, the Netherlands-based firm said the appeal court finalised its judgement that Safe-Run were infringing on VMI’s two key patents relating to tyre building machines. Safe-Run was ordered to stop infringements immediately and pay VMI damages totalling RMB 2.46 million (around 320,000 euros). VMI notes that these payments are “very high [compared] to the average damage awards of around RMB 100,000 in similar cases in China.” Safe-Run’s statement is not currently available.
Pirelli says it will experience “no economic impact” as a result of a sentence given by the Court of Justice of the European Union yesterday. The sentence pertains to a cartel within the electrical cables market that confirms prior EU Tribunal and EU Commission decisions. The company reiterates that it has “already made the opportune provisions in its risk and charges fund for potential liabilities relative to these proceedings.”
Cho Hyun-bum, chief executive of tyre maker Hankook Tire & Technology, has received a suspended prison sentence after being indicted on charges of accepting bribes and embezzling corporate funds.
A court in China has ruled in Bridgestone Corporation’s favour in a design right infringement lawsuit against tyre makers Shandong Huasheng Rubber Co., Ltd. (Huasheng) and Shandong Hongsheng Rubber Co., Ltd. (Hongsheng).
It isn’t just idle words when Bridgestone says it “takes seriously any unauthorised use or infringement of its patents, trademarks or any other intellectual property.” A fortnight after reporting that a Chinese court ruled in its favour in a patent infringement lawsuit Wanli Tire, the tyre maker shares it has received a favourable ruling from the Intermediate People’s Court in Qingdao. The ruling relates to its design patent infringement lawsuit against Chinese firm Shengtai Group and its subsidiary, Shandong Shengshi Tai Lai Rubber Technology Co., Ltd.
A German court has ruled that certain Aeolus truck tyres infringe an EU design patent held by Continental. The matter has been resolved by an out-of-court settlement that covers damages and a recall of the products in question.
The sentencing of nine former Nokian Tyres employees for the misappropriation of business secrets has been welcomed by both the tyre maker and by Black Donuts Engineering – albeit for different reasons. Both parties now look forward to progressing beyond the case, which has been ongoing since 2011.
A further victory for Bridgestone Corporation in its battle against patent infringement was delivered by the Shanghai Intellectual Property Court, which ruled favourably in its lawsuit against Chinese tyre manufacturer Fangxing Rubber Co., Ltd. (Fangxing).
The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. has reported the “successful completion” of its latest effort to eliminate counterfeit versions of its aluminium wheels in China. The distributor of these fake products has been sentenced to prison and also fined.
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