A Chinese tire company, Shandong Linglong Tyre Co., said it will actively cooperate with the U.S. International Trade Commission’s investigation of patent infringement, according to the Global Times.
ITC recently announced it would investigate 22 tiremakers and tire importers following a patent infringement claim filed by Toyo Tire Holdings of America. Shandong Linglong Tyre is one of seven Chinese tire companies named in the claim.
A spokesman for the company said the incident might have been caused by its OEM business, and it has since suspended that business since Toyo filed the complaint.
The spokesman told the Global Times that its OEM business involves clients providing blueprints and mold for the company from which the tiremaker produces tires. It is possible those blueprints and molds could have infringed upon Toyo’s design patents, the spokesman said.
If a patent violation has been found, the ITC will issue a ban on imports of the products involved.