Modine Files Complaint Against Delphi for Patent Infringement

18 February 2000

Modine Files Complaint Against Delphi for Patent Infringement

    RACINE, Wis.--Feb. 17, 2000--Modine Manufacturing Company has filed a federal complaint against Delphi Automotive Systems Corporation in the United States District Court in Milwaukee for infringing one of Modine's patents on PF(R) (parallel-flow) air-conditioning condensers.
    The patent's validity and enforceability were affirmed in February 1996 by the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (the highest patent court). The patent is also the basis for the U.S. International Trade Commission's limited exclusion order in August 1997 prohibiting Showa Aluminum Corporation from importing infringing products.
    After Modine learned that Delphi was manufacturing infringing condensers for certain General Motors Corporation vehicles, it notified Delphi of its patent rights and of the infringement. Modine alleges that, despite notification, Delphi continued to make the infringing condensers and refused to negotiate a license, as others have.
    Modine is asking for an injunction against continued infringement, damages, a trebling of such damages for willful infringement, costs, and attorneys' fees and expenses.
    The patent is valuable because PF products are highly efficient - which means that they can be made smaller and lighter in weight than other designs - and use less refrigerants.

    Modine is a world leader at solving heating and cooling problems in vehicles, buildings, and off-highway and industrial equipment. Modine has annualized sales of more than $1 billion and has about 8,500 employees worldwide. Modine can be found on the Internet at www.modine.com.