Hitachi Chemical: Die Bonding Film Patent Infringement Lawsuit against Korean Company

TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hitachi Chemical Co., Ltd. (TOKYO:4217)(Head Office: Tokyo; President and CEO: Kazuyuki Tanaka; Capital: 15.5 billion yen; hereinafter referred to as "Hitachi Chemical") has filed a lawsuit against INNOX Corporation (Head Office: Asan-City Chungcheongnam-do, Korea; hereinafter referred to as "INNOX") with the Intellectual Property Court of Taiwan for INNOX's infringement on Hitachi Chemical's Taiwanese patent related to die bonding film, which is used in the semiconductor packaging process.

Die bonding film is ultra-thin film glue that is essential to the bonding of semiconductor chips, particularly for the increasing prevalence and development of multi-layered chips, and contributes to higher densification and productivity of semiconductor packaging. Hitachi Chemical succeeded in developing die bonding film in 1993 ahead of other companies, and started marketing thereafter. At present, die bonding film is the de facto standard for multi-laminate technology in semiconductors, and with its product lineup of die bonding film, dicing die bonding film and etc., Hitachi Chemical has the largest global market share. In the field of die bonding film and dicing die bonding film, Hitachi Chemical has a comprehensive patent portfolio of approximately 500 patents (including pending patent applications) in Japan and other countries, including but not limited to patents in connection with the film property, material and packaging, such as Hitachi Chemical's Taiwan Patent No. I298084.

INNOX's product WL-0020-05A is a dicing die bonding film manufactured by INNOX. Our product analysis demonstrates that the aforesaid product is likely to fall within Claim 1 of Hitachi Chemical's Taiwan Patent No. I298084. Therefore, INNOX's offer to sell and sale of the product in Taiwan may involve infringement on Hitachi Chemical's Taiwan Patent No. I298084.

Hitachi Chemical has sent INNOX a warning letter concerning patent infringement based on Korean patent and further negotiated with INNOX in April 2011; nevertheless, no settlement was amicably reached. To protect its intellectual property right, Hitachi Chemical thus has filed a lawsuit against INNOX's WL-0020 series products in Taiwan.

Hitachi Chemical is committed to protection of its intellectual property and will actively exercise its rights to preserve its competitive edge in the market.