Celanese Sues Chinese Sweetener Manufacturer Anhui Jinhe Industrial for Patent Infringement

Tue, October 15 2019

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Celanese Corporation (NYSE: CE), a global chemical and specialty materials company, today announced that it has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against a Chinese manufacturer of high-potency sweeteners, specifically Acesulfame Potassium (Ace-K).

The complaint alleges that Anhui Jinhe Industrial Co., Ltd. is infringing a Celanese patent by continuing to unlawfully manufacture, sell and use infringing Ace-K sweetener in China. The Celanese patent is directed to improved production processes for making its Sunett® Ace-K sweetener.

The patent alleged to be infringed is Chinese Patent CN 104411693B and the patent provides substantial technology advantages to Celanese and its customers for the production and quality of Sunett® Ace-K sweetener. With this patent, the technology advantages are recognized as exclusive to Celanese, thereby increasing the benefit to customers by ensuring the highest quality and reliability standards of its Sunett® portfolio.

“As the inventor and only Western producer of Sunett® Ace-K, Celanese has developed a series of best practices to deliver one of the industry’s highest quality artificial sweeteners, ensuring product purity, supply reliability and product accountability,” said Tom Kelly, Celanese Senior Vice President, Engineered Materials. “Celanese continuously invests in manufacturing and quality improvements and is dedicated to robust research, development and customer support for the sweetener products manufactured by our patented process. We will vigorously defend our patented technology against unlawful manufacturing, importing, purchasing, selling, or use of proprietary technologies in the United States, Europe, China and globally.”

Two hundred times sweeter than sugar, Sunett® Ace-K is a zero-calorie, dental-friendly, high-intensity sweetener manufactured in a single-purpose plant with unique and patented processing steps. It provides optimized applicability and consistent sweetness profiles for better taste and excellent blending characteristics. Demand for high quality Ace-K continues to grow as consumers look for alternatives to full-sugar products.

About Celanese

Celanese Corporation is a global technology leader in the production of differentiated chemistry solutions and specialty materials used in most major industries and consumer applications. Our businesses use the full breadth of Celanese's global chemistry, technology and commercial expertise to create value for our customers, employees, shareholders and the corporation. As we partner with our customers to solve their most critical business needs, we strive to make a positive impact on our communities and the world through The Celanese Foundation. Based in Dallas, Celanese employs approximately 7,700 employees worldwide and had 2018 net sales of $7.2 billion. For more information about Celanese Corporation and its product offerings, visit www.celanese.com or our blog at www.celaneseblog.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release may contain “forward-looking statements,” which include information concerning the company’s plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future revenues or performance, capital expenditures and other information that is not historical information. When used in this release, the words “outlook,” “forecast,” “estimates,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “plans,” “intends,” “believes,” and variations of such words or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based upon current expectations and beliefs and various assumptions. There can be no assurance that the company or its customers will realize these benefits or that these expectations will prove correct. There are a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this release. Numerous factors, many of which are beyond the company’s control, could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed as forward-looking statements. Other risk factors include those that are discussed in the company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and the company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which it is made or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances.

Celanese
Investor Relations

Chuck Kyrish
+1 972 443 4574
chuck.kyrish@celanese.com

Media Relations – Global
W. Travis Jacobsen
+1 972 443 3750
william.jacobsen@celanese.com

Media Relations Europe (Germany)
Jens Kurth
+49(0)69 45009 1574
j.kurth@celanese.com

Source: Celanese Corporation