Victory for SI Group in Landmark ITC Case against Sino Legend

-- 10-Year Import Ban against Sino Legend Takes Effect Immediately

SCHENECTADY, New York, Jan. 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- SI Group, Inc., a leading global developer and manufacturer of chemical intermediates, specialty resins, and solutions, announced its victory in a landmark intellectual property lawsuit before the International Trade Commission (ITC). 

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SI Group had filed a complaint with the ITC alleging that Sino Legend and the other respondents had misappropriated SI Group trade secrets by importing certain tackifier resins into the U.S.  The Sino Legend products at issue in the case included SL-1801, SL-1801 LFP, SL-1802, and SL-1802 LFP tackifier resins.  In a final determination issued January 15, 2014, the ITC confirmed that Sino Legend, Red Avenue and certain affiliates of those companies violated Section 337 of the U.S. Tariff Act by importing rubber resins made using SI Group trade secrets.  As a result, the ITC has imposed a 10-year ban on the importation of the affected products into the U.S.  The import ban goes into immediate effect.

"It's a major victory for SI Group," said Frank Bozich, President and CEO. "The ITC's final decision reinforces what we've been saying all along: Our intellectual property was stolen. The 10-year exclusion order helps to right that wrong."

The ITC complaint, filed on May 21, 2012, came as a result of Sino Legend colluding with, and then hiring away, a plant manager from SI Group's Shanghai manufacturing plant. Since that time, Sino Legend has been producing rubber resins in competition with SI Group's proprietary rubber resins.

The public version of Judge Rogers' previously released initial determination is available on SI Group's website (http://www.siigroup.com/press).  The ITC's final determination will be posted as soon as it becomes available.  Additional information on this case, No. 337-TA-849, is available on the ITC's website.

About SI Group
SI Group is a family-owned company founded in 1906 and headquartered in Schenectady, New York. A leading global developer and manufacturer of phenolic resins, alkylphenolic resins, alkylated phenols and other chemical intermediates, SI Group operates 20 facilities in 10 countries around the world. For more information about SI Group, visit www.siigroup.com. 

Contact: 
Brooke Manrique
Public Relations & Marketing Communications Manager
SI Group, Inc.
+1-518-347-4112
brooke.manrique@siigroup.com