Tag: low-ignition propensity

  • Court Partially Nullifies ‘Fire-Safe’ Paper Patent

    Court Partially Nullifies ‘Fire-Safe’ Paper Patent

    Photo: Vitalii Vodolazskyi

    The German Federal Court of Justice has partially nullified a European patent assigned to U.S. paper manufacturer Schweitzer-Mauduit International (SWM), reports Juve Patent.

    European patent 1 482 815 protects a paper with reduced ignition proclivity characteristics used for manufacturing cigarettes. The papers are treated with film-forming solutions, which makes them less permeable to oxygen. As such, the embers inside the cigarette cannot easily spread to any material it may be lying on. This is to prevent fires caused by dropped or discarded cigarettes.

    In 2015, SWM sued Julius Glatz, insisting the German company’s Cigla brand of cigarette papers infringed on its patents. After much legal back and forth, Julius Glatz stopped its production of the disputed papers, closing production facilities and laying off employees.

    Following the recent ruling, Julius Glatz announced it would restart production with immediate effect. “As the patent in suit was held invalid, Julius Glatz GmbH and its daughter company LIPtec GmbH never infringed a valid patent,” the company wrote in a statement.

    “Glatz is assuring the high quality, service level and competitiveness the industry is used [to] from them in all paper segments and is therefore proud to say that they are back as a full-service supplier, meaning with LIP-papers too.”

    Julius Glatz is demanding almost €40 million ($46.3 million) from SWM in compensation for the damages it suffered in the dispute.

  • Russia Pushes for Self-Extinguishing Cigarettes

    Russia Pushes for Self-Extinguishing Cigarettes

    Photo: JTI

    Tobacco companies selling in member states of the Eurasian Economic Union should be required to manufacture cigarettes that self-extinguish when not smoked, according to a proposal by the Russian Ministry of Healthcare.   

    “A draft resolution of the board of the Eurasian Economic Commission, setting forth requirements to consumer packaging and information placed on tobacco product packs and the requirement to inflaming capability of cigarettes released for circulation on the market of Union member-states, was sent by the Russian Ministry of Healthcare to interested federal executive authorities,” Tass reported.

    Negligence during smoking is the cause of many fires, including with fatalities and material damage, the Ministry of Emergencies noted.

    “Bringing cigarettes with lowered inflaming capability in circulation may significantly influence prevention of a portion of fire outbreaks, lowering fatalities and injuries of people during fires due to negligent smoking, and saving property of citizens,” it said.