Dorf Ketal establishes itself as additive market leader in Korea

Mumbai, October 12, 2017

Dorf Ketal Chemicals India Private Ltd (Dorf Ketal), an established global supplier of fuel additives, following the acquisition of UOP Refining Chemicals’ fuel additive business in 2001, has announced its exception to recent claims made by Infineum International Ltd, a UK-based company, regarding recent intellectual property rulings in South Korea.

In contrast to claims made by Infineum, the litigation process in the complex South Korean process has not been completed. Dorf Ketal did not fight the Supreme Court’s decision referenced by Infineum because, according to them, the Infineum patent had expired and it had not sought damage re-compensation at the time.

One positive result due to the invalidation suit filed by Dorf Ketal was that Infineum significantly narrowed its claims from the earlier very broad claim in its Korean patent. The infringement suit referenced by Infineum is pending at the District Court level. Dorf Ketal has filed a new invalidation suit based on multiple pieces of strong new prior art and is confident of a favourable decision.

Additionally, Dorf Ketal has appealed to the Korean Trade Commission (KTC) ruling and expects it will be cancelled. It is also important to note that these disputes are local to South Korea. Infineum requested Dorf Ketal to drop prior invalidation actions in Singapore, as the patent was close to expiry. Korea is the only country in the world where there is any conflict on this issue between the two companies.

“Dorf Ketal is a leading player in the growing global lubricity additive market and is fully committed to supplying and supporting the use of its special grade of lubricity additives in ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) produced by its Korean customers,” commented Sudhir Menon, Chairman and MD, Dorf Ketal.

“Technical innovation, customer technical service, and intimate industry knowledge to quantify and deliver value for our customers is how Dorf Ketal competes. We are making excellent progress in strengthening these attributes in our global fuels additives business,” he added.