(3D-SYSTEMS)(TDSC) 3D Systems Announces Cross-License with Sony
(Business Wire; 05/26/98)
VALENCIA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 26, 1998--3D Systems Corp.
(Nasdaq/NMS:TDSC) Tuesday announced that it has signed a patent
cross-license agreement with Sony Corp.
Under the agreement, 3D Systems granted Sony a royalty-bearing license
under 3D Systems' patents to produce and sell stereolithography machines in
the Asia-Pacific area, while Sony granted to 3D Systems a royalty-free
license under Sony's patents to produce and sell both stereolithography
machines and 3D Systems' multi-jet modeling machine known as the "Actua"
throughout the world.
According to A. Sidney Alpert, 3D Systems' vice president and general
counsel, the cross-license agreement with Sony establishes the importance
of 3D Systems' patents to manufacturers of stereolithography machines in
the Asia- Pacific area. "Of the three principal manufacturers of
stereolithography machines utilizing 3D Systems' patents in Asia-Pacific,"
he said, "Sony has been the first to recognize the value of our patents
with the execution of this cross-license agreement, by agreeing to a
payment for past use of these patents as well as an ongoing royalty, while
granting royalty-free rights on a worldwide basis to 3D Systems."
He noted that 3D Systems presently has a patent infringement action in
Japan against a principal infringer, Teijin Seiki Corp. Alpert added, "We
intend to vigorously pursue infringers of our patents, not only in the
Asia- Pacific area, but on a worldwide basis. Our view is to limit the
granting of licenses to the Asia-Pacific area, while maintaining our right
to be the only practitioner of stereolithography in the rest of the world."
3D Systems manufactures rapid product development .....
For current investor information, please call 3D Systems' shareholder
communications service at 800/757-1799 or visit the company's Web site at
http://www.3dsystems.com. -0-
CONTACT: 3D Systems, Valencia
A. Sidney Alpert, 805/295-5600 ext. 2215 (general
counsel)
Mary E. Woods, 805/295-5600 ext. 2508 (investor
relations)
For more information about the rp-ml, see http://ltk.hut.fi/rp-ml/
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.2 : Tue Jun 05 2001 - 22:45:43 EEST