A district court in Düsseldorf, Germany has ruled that certain processes performed by Nordson Sure Wrap Nozzles infringe on the German part of a EU patent owned by Illinois Tool Works (ITW). The court also decided not to delay the proceedings until a Federal Patent Court had ruled on a action brought by Nordson subsidiaries to nullify the patent

“We are pleased that the German district court has recognized the value of our intellectual property relating to dispensing hot melt adhesive onto a strand of elastic,” says Christof Schotten, vice president and general manager worldwide of ITW Dynatec.

The technology in question, used by the ITW Dynatec Omega SCS strand coating system, can be important in the manufacture of baby diapers and adult incontinence products. ITW was seeking clarification of whether the use of the Nordson Sure Wrap product infringes its intellectual property. ITW owns patents on the technology in several countries.

The German court decision is not final and can be appealed by Nordson.