Victory All Around In Resin Patent Case

China’s Sino Legend Chemical and U.S.-based SI Group are both claiming victory after a ruling by the U.S. International Trade Commission involving phenolic tackifying resins used to manufacture tires (C&EN, May 28, 2012, page 28). Asserting that Sino Legend had infringed on its trade secrets, SI petitioned ITC in May 2012 to ban the Chinese company’s products from the U.S. After a review of the case, ITC decided to allow some Sino Legend materials into the country but to ban others for 10 years. Sino Legend claims this is a victory because some of its most important products can now reach U.S. users. But SI says it has proven that Sino Legend fraudulently made use of SI trade secrets.