Entries from February 2010 ↓
February 15th, 2010 — Fire Safe Compliant cigarettes / Low Ignition Propensity, General, Key International Business & Market Developments
Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc. announced that it filed a patent infringement lawsuit recently in the United States District Court against Astra Tobacco Corporation, Delfort Group and German groups Julius Glatz, GmbH, and LIPtec, GmbH, over alleged infringement of their US patent number 6,725,867 for low ignition propensity cigarette paper.
Astra Tobacco is the sales and marketing company for Delfort group in the US.
Glatz GmbH has also recently launched a LIP paper after considerable speculation they were developing a LIP paper.
SWM apparently intends to defend its LIP intellectual property in the courts if necessary. It will be interesting to see if their patents are robust enough to withstand close scrutiny.
comments welcome………………..
February 9th, 2010 — Acquisitions, Current Issues
Hauni Maschinenbau AG acquired Sodim SAS from Imperial Tobacco Group Plc on February 2 2010.
The sale by Imperial is no great surprise as Sodim clearly did not represent core business activities and was probably slated for sale soon after Imperial acquired Altadis.
In a press release Sodim reiterated its personnel, biz relationships, and location remain unaffected.
Perhaps of greater interest are the potential repercussions of this acquisition.
Premises are likely to be consolidated in the longer term – perhaps merging with Hauni’s affiliate Decoulfe.
Sodim has enjoyed a recent virtual monopoly within Imperial and this may change.
Huni on the other hand has previously worked with market leader Cerulean in developing on-line measurement systems to complement machinery.
What’s your view?
This new relationship provides Hauni with an important additional portfolio of products in the areas of metrology and measurement systems.
February 2nd, 2010 — Current Issues, General, Key International Business & Market Developments, Science, Snus, Snuff & Alternative Products in US Markets, Tobacco Harm Reduction
In an historic first for public health, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) of the UK’s National Health Service overwhelming approved tobacco harm reduction as a key component in England’s ten year plan to reduce cigarette smoking by half. The US FDA should follow the UK’s lead. The announcement and a news excerpt are below, the press release is attached, and the full report “A Smokefree Future” is at http://www.dh.gov.uk/dr_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/@ps/documents/digitalasset/dh_111748.pdf
Interesting development in the UK.
What are your thoughts?
Do you see the FDA following suit?
