Warrenville, Illinois — Honeywell's decision to sue to stop MEK Corporation supplying HFC-245fa in the US has no merit, and has been brought to "present a roadblock to valid competition," MEK said in a statement.
Honeywell is suing MEK in New Jersey, claiming the firm is breaching a Honeywell patent for HFC-245fa by importing material into the US.
In a statement sent to UTECH-polyurethane.com Mike Liu, president and ceo at MEK said he believes the lawsuit was bought by Honeywell to "extend its monopoly on HFC-245fa well beyond the expiration date of any patents that were once owned by AlliedSignal and later acquired by Honeywell."
He added his firm has "not been deterred by the Honeywell lawsuit and will vigorously fight the allegations."
The claims in case number 2:16–cv–09322, which is being tried in New Jersey, revolve around US patent 5,902,912 which, MEK said ,covers the process of making HFC-245fa "to use a 'loose fluoropolymer liner' in the reactor chamber to inhibit corrosion of the chamber walls."
In its statement MEK said that it believes the patent is due to expire on 26 June 2017. The patent was applied for in June 1997 and granted in May 1999.
