EU Patent Office rules: partners Signify and Certhon win the case

PlantLab patent on indoor farming never existed

Over the years, various proceedings have been conducted around this issue at the District Court and the Court of Appeal in The Hague. Already in May 2018, the District Court of The Hague ruled that Certhon did not infringe both the European and Dutch patents of PlantLab and thereby nullified the Dutch patent. John van der Sande, Chief Innovation Officer at Certhon: "It couldn't turn out any other way, this technology has been used since the 1990s. We are very pleased that the European Patent Office fully recognizes that a patent focusing on the application of LED lighting in climate chambers, in combination with controlled leaf and root heating, is not possible and has therefore been revoked. With this ruling, we - and many other companies in the sector - can fortunately continue with what we are very good at: developing an above all fair and reliable technique to control cultivation processes."

PlantLab patents not inventive

Both Signify and Certhon were convinced of the lack of novelty in these PlantLab patents. Udo van Slooten, business leader Horticulture LED Solutions by Signify adds: "In view of the global food challenge, this is a statement that takes not only Signify and Certhon a step further, but also the industry. It proves once again that it doesn't make sense to patent a development that has been around for years, but also ensures that we can grow as an industry and best advise our customers on how to optimize their multilayer cultivation. Light plays a crucial role in this."

The full ruling can be read on the European Patent Office website: https://www.epo.org/law-practice/case-law-appeals/recent/t172398eu1.html

About Signify
Signify (Euronext: LIGHT) is the global leader in lighting for professionals and consumers and lighting for the Internet of Things. Our Philips products, connected lighting systems and data-driven services deliver business value and transform life in homes, buildings and public spaces. In 2020, we achieved sales of EUR 6.5 billion with approximately 39,000 employees in more than 70 countries. We unlock the extraordinary potential of light for a better life and a more sustainable world. We managed to achieve carbon neutrality by 2020 and have been part of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index since our IPO in 2016 - in 2017, 2018 and 2019 we were named Industry Leader. News from Signify can be found in the Newsroom, on Twitter, on LinkedIn and on Instagram. Information for investors can be found on the Investor Relations page.

About Certhon

Certhon is the number one high-tech innovator in horticulture. Certhon develops and produces customized solutions for the most advanced horticultural projects, anywhere in the world. Certhon has more than 125 years of experience in horticulture and was recognized in October 2021 by Hillenraad100 as the winner of the HillenraadTECH50: the fifty most high-profile and promising companies in horticultural technology. With 150 highly trained and experienced experts, the company has all the knowledge and technologies under one roof to enable entrepreneurs worldwide to grow anything, regardless of climate or amount of daylight. Certhon focuses on large-scale greenhouse projects, DayLED Farms and robotics. And with Yield-as-a-Service, Certhon is ready for the future.

Photo: LED-lighting in growth chambers of Certhon

Source: HortiBiz