The Danish plastics company Carmo has entered into a partnership with the patent and trademark agency Budde Schou.
The goal is to protect a unique rotary valve for urine bags that Carmo has designed and developed for the world market.
The Zealand plastics company Carmo has designed and developed a unique rotary valve for urine bags and other medicine bags. The valve, which is molded together from two materials, so that an assembly process is avoided, is to be offered on the global market, and to protect the rights, the company is applying for a patent on the product. This has happened via a worldwide patent collaboration with the patent and trademark agency Budde Schou.
Carmo specializes in advanced injection molding of plastic solutions for a wide range of industries, including medical technology, marine equipment and industrial applications, and according to the company’s CEO, copyright protection is a critical parameter for global success.
– Innovation is a keystone in our DNA, and we know that there is a high risk of foreign companies jumping in to copy new products. That risk applies not only to us, but to all innovative production companies in the West. Therefore, patenting the rotary valve for urine bags is essential for us to achieve the market penetration we aim for. The collaboration with Budde Schou has been extremely positive, and throughout the process they have contributed with competent and professional advice, says Claus Ishøy, CEO at Carmo, and elaborates:
– Now that we have cracked the code to casting a rotary valve in one piece, we create the possibility to mass produce the valve cost-effectively in Denmark. The fact that the product does not have to be assembled from several parts means fewer processes, fewer errors and thus a lower price for the customer. The disadvantage is that it only makes the product more attractive for others to copy, and therefore we have set full speed to get the rights protected in due time.
Increasing pressure on Danish companies
With Budde Schou you have more than 100 years of experience with patent protection, and Louise Floor Frellsen, who is the European Patent Attorney, has been at the forefront of the collaboration with Carmo.
– International companies are increasingly looking to copy goods from Danish manufacturers who have either not secured complete patent protection, or who do not think of creating new protection when a valid patent is nearing its expiry. This puts enormous pressure on companies in relation to securing future earnings on products which in the vast majority of cases have been very costly to develop, says Louise Floor Frellsen and continues:
– The product that Carmo is sending to the market now is basically relatively easy to copy. Therefore, it is timely care when they have been out early to ensure rights protection – a decision that can prove to be worth a lot of money in the long term.
Less plastic waste
The rotary valve manufactured by Carmo is produced with less plastic material and a reduced plastic waste. According to Claus Ishøy, that situation increases the need for patent protection.
– Companies all over the world are increasingly demanding products with a reduced CO2 footprint. So it is clear that as sub-suppliers to, for example, the medical industry, you can significantly improve your competitiveness if you enter the market with products that reduce the CO2 footprint. Against this background, we are happy that we have now built an effective shield against copying our valve, says Claus Ishøy.
Budde Schou is one of Scandinavia’s oldest and most respected IP consulting firms dating back to 1901. With patent advisers in all technical areas as well as lawyers, Budde Schou is a full-service IP firm with extensive expertise in all aspects of intellectual property rights. www.buddeschou.dk
Source: it-kanalen.dk
