DuPont Files Lawsuit against Heraeus, SolarWorld to Protect Intellectual Property

PORTLAND, Ore., June 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- DuPont yesterday filed a lawsuit against Heraeus Materials Technology, LLC and its customer SolarWorld Industries America, Inc. in U.S. Federal Court for the District of Oregon for infringing a recently issued DuPont patent related to front-side metallization paste compositions used in solar cell technology. In its complaint, DuPont alleges that Heraeus and SolarWorld infringe DuPont U.S. Patent No. 8,158,504 B2, by manufacturing, selling and/or using Heraeus front-side silver pastes.

"DuPont invests significant resources in scientific innovation to solve global challenges and we protect that knowledge through strong and robust patents," said David B. Miller, president, DuPont Electronics & Communications. "The advances we have made in the field of front- and back-side metallization contacts have resulted in significant efficiency gains for solar cell technology. This case demonstrates that DuPont will act swiftly to enforce our intellectual property rights against any infringers and protect our investment and commitment to DuPont shareholders and customers."

The suit follows another patent infringement suit DuPont filed against Heraeus in September 2011, which is ongoing.

DuPont plays a key role in enabling growth in the solar energy market by providing advanced materials and process technology. The DuPont™ Solamet® product line, including the new generation Solamet® PV17x series, is a market leader for metallization in crystalline silicon and thin film solar cell technologies, and has been instrumental in the great gains in efficiency of solar power, making it more competitive with other means of electricity generation.

DuPont™ Solamet® photovoltaic metallizations are part of a broad and growing portfolio of products represented by DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions (DPVS), which connects science and technology from across the company on a global scale to help support the dramatic growth in the photovoltaic industry.  To learn more, please visit http://photovoltaics.dupont.com/.

DuPont (NYSE: DD) has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802.  The company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders we can help find solutions to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people everywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting life and the environment. For additional information about DuPont and its commitment to inclusive innovation, please visit www.dupont.com.

The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont™, The miracles of science™ and Solamet® are registered trademarks or trademarks of DuPont or its affiliates.

SOURCE DuPont