Beijing – The Honeywell patent, number 98806481.2, on a hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) production process was invalidated by China’s State Intellectual Property Office (CSIPO) in January 2018.
Aohong Chemical Technology asked CSIPO to invalidate the patent in September 2017. Aohong is based in Zibo, Shandong and makes fluoride chemicals.
According to the ruling from CSIPO, Honeywell’s process only involves ‘conventional technical procedures. No evidence suggests that it can achieve unexpected results'.
Honeywell submitted files in an attempt to rectify the matter in November 2017. The files did not provide further specification of the technology and failed to meet the office’s requirement, said the ruling. The ruling invalidates the patent in China.
Aohong was set up in 2011 and today has 160 employees. It has 10kT/year HFC-32 facility in operation with projects to build 10kT/year HFC-245fa and 20kT/year HCFC-22 capacity.
According to Aohong, China currently has a total of 17kT/year HFC-245fa production. Aohong estimates that 12kT/year is Honeywell production in Taicang, Jiangsu.
This ongoing matter in China has no bearing on the US. Honeywell’s investment in HFC-245fa remains protected in the US and the rest of world by its patent portfolio in these regions, said a Honeywell spokesman.
Aohong is a supplier to US company MEK Chemical.
In January 2017, UTECH-polyurethane.com reported that Honeywell was suing MEK in New Jersey. At the time Honeywell claimed that MEK was breaching a Honeywell patent for HFC-245fa by importing material into the US.
