LG Chem files lawsuit against unit of China's Ronbay over battery tech

LG Chem

23/10/2024 03:45

SEOUL, Oct 23 (Reuters) - South Korea's LG Chem
 051910.KS  said on Wednesday it has filed a patent infringement
lawsuit at a Seoul court against a South Korean unit of Chinese
battery materials maker Ningbo Ronbay New Energy Technology
 688005.SS . 
    LG Chem, which makes materials for electric vehicle (EV)
batteries, said in a statement it has determined after testing
samples that Ronbay and its unit are importing, producing and
selling products that infringe on LG Chem's patents. 
    The patents include technologies that improve the capacity
and power of high-nickel cathode materials and stability at high
temperatures, LG Chem said, adding that Ronbay had repeatedly
failed to respond to proposed settlement discussions. 
    Amid intensifying competition in the EV battery market, LG
Chem has "decided to actively enforce its patent rights," it
said. 
    Ronbay did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
    LG Chem's battery maker affiliate, LG Energy Solution
 373220.KS , also told Reuters in April it would consider
stepping up efforts to protect its patents as infringements
surge along with competition to supply EV makers. 

 (Reporting by Heekyong Yang and Joyce Lee in Seoul; Additional
reporting by Zoey Zhang in Shanghai; Editing by Ed Davies & Shri
Navaratnam)
 ((joyce.lee@tr.com;))